Nipped in bud

Twenty-four men charged with the formation of a cell of the terrorist organisation Islamic State (IS) have been sent for trial, informed the Terror Crimes Prosecution yesterday in a statement. 

“The move came after investigations into the formation of a "branch for a terrorist group... the so-called Daesh," said Ahmed Al Hammadi, the chief prosecutor of the Terror Crimes Prosecution, using the Arabic acronym for IS. Among the accused are 16 people who are still at large.

“Their charges include "forming a branch for a terrorist group... joining it, possessing weapons and explosives for terrorist aims, in addition to promoting the overthrow of the regime," he explained. 

“One of the defendants is accused of recruiting two others into IS, and helping one of them to travel to Syria where he received military training by jihadists,” the prosecutor said. The pair were also tasked with recruiting others, who joined IS abroad.

The group also "plotted suicide attacks by members in Bahrain on worship places, like the attacks by the terrorist group in neighbouring countries," Hammadi said in an apparent reference to attacks in Saudi Arabia.  They were held in possession of white arms, live bullets and books inciting extremist, according to the statement.  

A court hearing has been set on December 22. It's worth to note that several Bahrainis have been killed fighting alongside the terrorist organisation that has seized large swathes in Syria and Iraq.

The last jihadist from Bahrain was announced killed during fights against IS was a man nicknamed "Abu Talha Al Bahraini". He was allegedly killed during fights in the northern suburbs of Aleppo.