Three convicted of spying for Qatar

Bahrain’s High Court of Appeal yesterday found three Bahraini nationals guilty of collaborating and sharing information with Qatar’s government and senior government officials.

Advocate General, Osama Al Oufi, said the three individuals involved received life imprisonment due to the seriousness of their crimes, which included sharing sensitive security materials with the government of Qatar, and collaborating with Qatari officials to support acts of violence throughout the Kingdom of Bahrain.

The Advocate General noted that as in all countries, acts of espionage and collaboration with foreign powers aimed at undermining domestic security are taken extremely seriously. Osama Al Oufi went on to add that the court’s ruling took into consideration the weight of evidence against the defendants, including intercepted telephone conversations and messages, and proof of illicit funds deposited into the defendants’ bank accounts by the Qatari government.