Student joined extremist group faces trial

Manama

A student pursuing a bachelor's degree bad been recruited by radical groups to carry out attacks against security forces, according to court files. The 21-year-old defendant is standing trial before the High Criminal Court alongside another man, aged 31, on terror-related charges.

 The 31-year-old accused, who is still at large, is said to have convinced the other to join an extremist group called Bahraini Hizbullah, following which he sent him to Iraq to receive arms training at a militia training camp operated by the Popular Mobilization Units.  He was also shown how to make improvised weapons in additional to weapons as well as grenades know-how.

 "While I was using my BlackBerry, I received a friendship invitation from a stranger on my BlackBerry Messenger. I accepted it and we began exchanging conversations," the 21-year-old said in his statement.

 "I was at that time studying a university situated in an Arab country to acquire my bachelor's degree. He told me he is staying in Iran and offered me to go to Iraq and receive arms training in order to attack police officers in Bahrain when I go back. I told him I need three weeks to think about this, but eventually I gave him the green-light,” the student said.

 "He covered my travel expenses, and I was training on how to use explosives. The militants there showed me videos showcasing bombs and how to attack armored vehicles," he added.

 The defendant was arrested upon his arrival to Bahrain following a police tip-off about his overseas activities.

 The 31-year-old is implicated in several other terror cases for attempting to recruit Bahrainis to join radical groups responsible of assaulting police officers. 

 The so-called Bahraini Hizbullah has claimed responsibility of a string of attacks against the security forces in Bahrain.