Defendants lose appeal in Sitra explosion case

The Supreme Criminal Court of Appeals has upheld imprisonment verdicts issued against five Bahraini defendants last year, after they were found guilty of exploding a gas cylinder near a bank in the Capital Governorate. The details of the case go back to January 17, 2017, when the defendants attacked the Sitra branch of the prominent bank, located in the southeastern outskirts of the governorate, using a gas cylinder.

According to court files, the suspects had preplanned the attack and placed the gas cylinder at the entrance of the branch after it was closed for the night. They fixed a tyre on the cylinder, soaked them both in gasoline before torching them and escaping the scene. This led to a huge explosion that was followed by a thick cloud of flames. Several damages occurred to the entrance of the bank branch, but no injuries or casualties were reported. Intensive investigations led to the arrest of six suspects and a firearm was found in the possession of one of them.

They were arrested and interrogated by the Terror Crimes Prosecution, which referred them to the court, after accusing them of arson with terrorist intentions, illegal gathering and rioting, and illegal possession of firearms and ammunition serving terrorism purposes.

On November 15, 2018, the Fourth High Criminal Court sentenced three of the defendants to 10 years of imprisonment and to pay fines of BD500, while the three other defendants were sentenced to spend three years behind bars and to pay a BD500 fine each. Additionally, the court ordered to make the six defendants collectively pay BD11,000 in compensation for the damages the explosion had caused to the bank’s building.