Manama: Bahrain’s Attorney General on Thursday said that 13 terrorists linked to the “February 14 Coalition” would be put on trial on September 19.
Charges against the suspects include forming a terrorist organisation, giving funds to a terror group, illegal rioting and gathering, and possessing inflammable substance as well as pornographic videos and pictures, Ahmad Al Hammadi said.
According to the criminal investigation, the first and second suspects formed the terror group linked to the February 14 Coalition after they were recruited by leaders based abroad.
The newly-formed group plotted to carry out terror operations and attacks on police stations, especially in Sitra, south of the capital Manama. Their aim was to prevent stability and security in the area.
The leaders operating from abroad funded the group and supported its members after the first and second suspects recruited them and mobilised them to attack the police station, the investigations revealed.
The anti-terror prosecution said that its case against the 13 terrorists was based on testimonies rom witnesses, the confessions of the accused and technical evidence.
The interior ministry said that the February 14 organisation was created as a result of the incidents that took place in Bahrain in February 2011 and had leaders both inside Bahrain and abroad.
In 2013, the ministry said that it had identified “several members of the February 14 organisation” for crimes committed in connection with a wave of attacks in the kingdom.
“As a result of the discovery of a string of crimes committed over the last few months, and after an extensive investigation, a number of the February 14 organisation’s main actors who took part in these and other criminal acts have been arrested. The detainees have confessed their involvement in these dangerous terrorist acts to the public prosecutor,” the ministry said.
According to the statement, the “crimes have terrorised and spread fear among citizens and residents and ranged from road blocking and burning tyres, to heavy use of Molotov cocktails and the construction and use of weapons and explosives.”
The organisation leaders not staying in Bahrain were based mainly in London, the ministry said.
“They frequently travel between Iran, Iraq and Lebanon to obtain financial and moral support as well as training on the use of weapons. Their responsibilities included coordination between subgroups and interaction with leaders in Iran in order to receive direct financial support and field instructions, the intensification of field movements and the provision of media support for the organisation’s members.”
They were also tasked with the supervision of the transfer and storage of weapons in Bahrain and training members on the use of weapons, gang tactics, real and fake bomb-making, monitoring and recruitment, the ministry said.
According to the ministry, the bombings that have occurred in Bahrain were “similar in type and style to those in Iraq.” “Evidence and confessions have proven the interference by Hezbollah and extremists from Iraq in the internal security affairs of Bahrain.”
