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Bahrain Arrests Members of Saraya al-Ashtar Terrorist Group | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Bahraini security forces during a raid on demonstration riots, in Diraz on May 23, 2017. (Photo | AP)


Manama– Bahrain has arrested on Thursday members of a terrorist network known as “Saraya al-Ashtar”, within a security plan aimed at fighting terrorism.

The country’s security authorities carried out a proactive security operation to capture members of the terrorist organization.

Several terrorists were detained and explosive devices were caught and neutralized in an intelligence-led raid on a suspected storage site in the village of Al-Dair.

The raid was conducted on the basis of a preliminary investigation, which revealed that members of the terrorist group had sent videos they took of bomb-making experiments to known terrorism leaders in Iran, with the aim to improve manufacturing operations.

The Public Prosecutor was notified of the operations and all appropriate security and legal procedures were undertaken.

On Thursday, counter-terrorism and anti-explosive teams were deployed to the site and secured the area in the village of Al-Dair.

Security forces arrested members of one cell, which includes, Sayed Ahmed Mahdi Kadhem, who had frequently traveled to Iran and was previously detained by the Bahraini authorities for attacking the police; Isa Hassan Isa Ali, who is involved in terrorist cases and had frequently traveled to Syria; Ali Dawood Ahmed Dawood Al Aradi, who was trained by the Iraqi Hezbollah branch; Hassan Shakir Hassan Ali, who was also trained in Iraq; and Maitham Ali Hassan Ali Hassan, who is also involved in terrorist activities.

Security forces also arrested, in a parallel operation, Abdullah Abdulmahdi Hassan Al Aradi and Loay Hani Saood Hussain Al Muamen, who both belong to another terrorist cell.

The investigation revealed that the two cells were linked to a known convicted terrorist and fugitive Hussein Ali Ahmed Dawood, 31, who is based in Iran.

The security forces also seized 52 KG of high-grade TNT explosives, including C4, urea nitrate, ammonium nitrate and raw materials.

Explosives experts estimated that the equipment had a potential to impact a 600-meter radius, posing a significant threat to the surrounding residential area.