Bahrain jail two for using sim cards as detonators

Manama : Two persons, convicted of helping a compatriot obtain SIM cards that were used to detonate explosives, had their prison terms upheld.

They were earlier sentenced to three years each in prison. According to court files, the defendants got the SIM cards registered under Asian nationals’ names, before passing it to another person. The latter was earlier sentenced to seven years behind bars in the same case.

“I received a phone call from my friend (the second defendant) and he requested me to buy 30 SIM cards for him. He also asked me to use CPR cards belonging to Asian men to get them, and without their knowledge,” the first defendant told prosecutors.

“I left the SIM cards in a cold store in Sitra after I was paid BD70,” he added.

The chips were allegedly distributed to fugitives and some were used to detonate bombs remotely. The duo confessed during questioning to committing their crime. Court files showed that they have been convicted in similar cases before.