Kuwait, July 27 (BNA): The Kuwaiti Cabinet today commended Bahrain’s success in foiling an attempt to smuggle in weapons and explosives and thwarting a plot to subvert its security and stability. Acting Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Shaikh Sabah Khalid Al-Hamad Al-Sabah chaired the weekly session, which urged concerted efforts to stave off threats to the security and stability of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member countries.

The Ministry of Interior announced last Saturday that a joint counter-terrorism operation involving Bahraini security authorities has disrupted an attempt to smuggle high-grade explosives, automatic weapons, and ammunition into Bahrain.

The seized lethal mix of materials included 43.8 kg of the powerful explosive C4, eight automatic assault rifles (Kalashnikov), 32 Kalashnikov magazines, and ammunition and detonators. The two suspects have admitted receiving the shipment from Iranian handlers outside Bahrain’s territorial waters.

The Ministry of Interior announced that on July 15, the Bahrain Coast Guard, in coordination with the Police Aviation Unit and Bahrain Royal Naval Force, intercepted a vessel heading towards Bahrain after meeting another vessel just outside Bahrain’s territorial waters. Two Bahraini suspects on board were arrested.

The initial inquiries showed that the first suspect received military training in Iran during August on manufacturing and using explosive ordinance (C4) and improvised explosive devices he was also trained on diving, carrying out explosions underwater and shooting, using Kalashnikovs.

The ministry said that the two suspects had admitted receiving the shipment from Iranian handlers outside Bahrain’s territorial waters. The two suspects attempted to dispose of the materials they received off the coast of Bahrain; however they were later recovered by the Bahraini Coast Guard and were found to contain the lethal mix of materials.

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BNA 1820 GMT 2015/07/27