‘Bahraini Hizbollah’ members jailed

The Fourth High Criminal Court yesterday sentenced and revoked the citizenship of 138 Bahrainis, who were found guilty of forming and being members of a terrorist group known as “the Bahraini Hizbollah”. The suspects received sentences between three years of imprisonment and life.

This was announced yesterday by Advocate General, Consultant and Terror Crime Prosecution Chief Dr. Ahmed Al Hammadi, who confirmed that the case included 169 suspects accused of establishing and joining a terrorist group, instigating a terrorist attack, attempted murder and training on the use of weapons and explosives, possessing, obtaining, manufacturing and using explosives and firearms without a licence, financing a terrorist group, transferring and receiving funds allocated to a terrorist group, and concealing weapons, ammunition and explosives.

Dr. Al Hammadi said the court sentenced 96 defendants to life in prison, 39 to 10 years, 23 to seven years, one to five years, seven to three years and acquitted 30 defendants. Additionally, 96 of the defendants were ordered to pay fines of BD100,000 each, while others were fined amounts varying between BD230 and BD500.

As reported earlier, the group was formed after Iranian leaders issued orders to members of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) to merge several Bahrain-based terrorist groups under one organization, declaring it as the Bahraini Hizbollah. The groups that joined include three major terror outfits – Saraya Al Ashtar (Al Ashtar Brigades), Saraya Al-Mukhtar (The Chosen Brigades) and Saraya Al Muqawama Al Sha’abya (Popular Resistance Brigades).

An investigation into the terrorist network was completed by the Public Prosecution, which announced that 169 people have been identified as members of the organization.