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Bahrain Condemns a Five-Member Terrorist Ring for Trafficking Explosives | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa during the 31st GCC summit in Abu Dhabi, December 6, 2010.Reuters


Manama- Bahraini judiciary issued a life sentence, yesterday, for five Bahraini citizens who were convicted of forming a terrorist ring which works on trafficking explosive materials. One of the convicts is currently on the loose outside the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Acting public prosecution representative for crimes of terrorism Hamad al-Bouainain said that the fourth supreme criminal court has issued, yesterday, a life sentence concerning the five suspects for importing and possessing fireworks and for the conspiring to conduct a terrorist attack.

Details on exposing the terrorist ring reveal that a suitcase was confiscated containing explosive bomb-making material. A minor male was holding the suitcase while taking a tourist bus coming in from Iraq on the 15th of March 2015. He was later apprehended at the King Fahd Causeway.

After conducting intense investigations, the department of criminal investigation has arrived to a fifth suspect, who is now wanted for a number of suits on terrorist attacks, Al-Bouainain added. The fifth convict is on the run and currently resides in Iraq, he is also taking advantage of using his relatives for rustling explosive materials and high-end fireworks into Bahrain for terrorist attacks.

Al-Bouainain also said that the relatives were completely aware of the ongoing trafficking and were deliberately providing assistance with the process. After investigations were run by the first suspect, a driver of a touristic vehicle traveling back and forth to Iraq meeting with the fifth suspect, evidence show that the two had agreed on exploiting the minor suspect for smuggling in the explosive material inside his personal suitcase which was later apprehended. The two had depended on the minor’s young age as to avert any rising suspicions.

After safely arriving inside Bahrain the young male would then hand over the explosive material to other accomplices waiting on the other side.

Investigations reveal that the suspect number two in the trafficking suit has smuggled the material from Iraq into Bahrain during last December, using the same bus and handing over the material to suspect number four. Directions were being given by the suspect number five. As for suspect number three, he would also smuggle in the explosive material under the directions of suspect number five and would receive the illegal material from suspect number four.

Based on investigations, the department was capable of arresting the suspects, in addition to –using a search warrant- sweeping a private shop owned by suspect number three, Al-Bouainain said. Explosive material, bomb-making tools and Taser guns were found at the shop.