Bahrain court sentences two to fines, prison for terror offences

Bahrain’s Supreme Criminal Court has handed fines and prison sentences to two people accused of joining, recruiting for and financing a terrorist group.

Chief prosecutor Hamad Shaheen said the group committed crimes including the manufacturing and possession of explosives, undertaking terrorist training and manufacturing and using weapons.

The first defendant was sentenced in absentia and is understood to be in Iran, according to Bahrain News Agency.

He was accused of recruiting members of the group inside Bahrain to carry out operations targeting security forces with bombs and providing them with funds to carry out the activity.

The court handed down a sentence of life in prison and a fine of BHD200,000 ($530,570).

The second individual was among those recruited by the first and stood accused of receiving and transporting explosives and funds and travelling to Iraq for military training in 2017.

He was given 15 years in prison, fined BHD100,000 ($265,285) and had his citizenship revoked.

Last week Bahrain’s Military Court of Cassation rejected three separate appeal cases by seven men convicted of terror offences.

The group were previously convicted on December 25 on charges of forming a terrorist cell and plotting to assassinate a Bahraini army commander, according to Bahrain News Agency (BNA)

Read: Bahrain military court rejects appeals of seven convicted of terror offences

Bahrain has suffered from a series of terror attacks since 2011, when security forces crushed protests mainly led by the country’s Shia majority.

Since then, the country has repeatedly accused Iran of organising terrorist cells and unrest on its territory.

Last month, security forces in the island kingdom arrested 116 terror suspects accused of being part of a cell supported by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.

Read: Bahrain arrests 116 terror suspects