Terror cell members jailed

The High Criminal Court has sentenced 13 defendants to life in prison for forming a terrorist cell. Eleven of them had their Bahraini nationality stripped, while seven of them were hit with BD100,000 fine each.

Two other defendants were tried in connection with the case, including an Asian man, and both received 10 years behind bars each, but the Bahraini man was fined BD500. Five of the defendants were ordered to pay BD1551 collectively for the damages caused to private properties following the blast.

According to court files, the 15 convicted men created and operated two cells belonging to Saraya Al Ashtar (Al Ashtar Brigades). They are said to have planned to murder police officers, and they detonated several bombs to achieve their goals. A police officer and a Bahraini woman were injured in the blast. As per police records, nine men are in police custody, but other defendants are still at large and were convicted in absentia.