High Criminal Court to continue hearing on case of 18 terror defendants next Monday

Manama, Sept. 21 (BNA): The High Criminal Case is still looking into the case of 18 defendants accused of plotting to carry out acts of terrorism in Bahrain, Advocate General Ahmed Al Hammadi has said. The Public Prosecution started investigating the case after the defendants were arrested in mid-January 2020. The probe has revealed that the main defendants, based in Iran and receiving financial and logistical support from the Revolutionary Guard, have set up a group to commit terrorist acts in Bahrain and have recruited the other suspects as members. The defendants plotted to carry out terrorist acts with the aim of spreading fear among people and chaos in the society and weakening the foundations of the state, Al Hammadi said. The defendants collected funds for their terrorist operations and acquired explosive and inflammable devices, materials and tools used in making them. Some of the defendants had received training in the use of firearms and explosives as their terror acts included exploding bombs and targeting security forces. The investigations revealed that they started carrying out their plans by planting explosive devices in public places with the intention of targeting security personnel. They also revealed that following the killing of the terrorist Qassem Soleimani at the beginning of the year, one defendant asked the leaders of the terrorist group to avenge his killing and name their group “The Martyr Qassem Soleimani Brigade” and that name was approved. “Based on the evidence against them, the prosecution referred the defendants, including nine in absentia, to justice. Their case was reviewed by the High Criminal Court where the defendants appeared accompanied by their lawyers. The case was postponed to September 21 and the court heard the pleadings of the defence and their witnesses. The case was postponed to September 28 to hear the pleadings of the remaining defendants,” the Advocate General said.