21 defendants put on trial for terrorist activities

Manama, Nov. 29 (BNA): The High Criminal Court sentenced a defendant to 15 years in jail and a BD200,000 fine. Another defendant was given 15 years in prison and a BD100,000 fine and seven others to 10 years and a BD100,000 each. The court also ruled prison sentences ranging from six months to seven years. It also revoked the Bahraini citizenship from 14 defendants. According to the case documents, the public prosecution was informed about a fugitive, convicted for several terrorist crimes and residing in Iran, who recruited another defendant to carry out terror attacks in Bahrain. The second defendants was handed explosives and guns that had been smuggled into Bahrain and hid them inside stores ahead of using them in attacks on security patrols and police officers. The second defendant recruited people to assist him in obtaining the weapons, ammunitions and explosives and distribute them among the cell members. Two of the members received paramilitary training in Iraq on the use of explosives and weapons. Some defendants harboured cell members to keep them away from the security authorities and attempt to smuggle them out to Iran. In referring them to the court, the public prosecution relied on testimonies, technical evidence and confessions. Head of the anti-terror crime prosecution Ahmed Al Hammadi said that six of the 21 defendants were tried in absentia