NINE men accused of being part of an Iranian-backed terrorist cell that planned attacks in Bahrain have appeared in court for the first time.

The suspects were allegedly plotting to assassinate high-ranking police officers and public figures.

It is claimed they also planned multiple explosions at strategic locations across the country, including Bahrain International Airport.

Five businessmen, in their 30s, were arrested in Oman and handed over to Bahraini authorities and have already spent 145 days in custody.

Four alleged members of the cell – including two businessmen, a policeman and a lawyer – were also arrested.

Authorities claim a member of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, an Iranian known as Abu Nasser, was the mastermind of the sleeper cell and funnelled $80,000 to support its activities.

Twenty-four other men wanted in connection with the cell, all non-GCC nationals, are still at large.

The nine men who appeared at the High Criminal Court yesterday pleaded not guilty.

They then had to be escorted out of the court by police after they started shouting and yelling. Seven of the men are accused of establishing and leading the Jaish Al Imam (Army of Imam) terrorist group with the intention of arming and training its members to carry out acts of terrorism targeting property, the public and police.

They are accused of conspiring with Iran to plot terrorist attacks in Bahrain – establishing ties with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and providing them with information about Bahrain’s military, security and vital facilities.

The suspects also reportedly received funding to commit acts which “threatened national interest” and provided weapons and explosives training and supplied members with money to target policemen.

The trial was adjourned to August 15.

The National Security Agency first got a whiff of the cell’s activities in May last year and investigators arrested eight suspects on January 26.
Police earlier said the terror cell was awaiting instruction from Iran for a “zero hour” to carry out massive attacks in Bahrain using C4 explosives and other locally manufactured weapons, including sophisticated improvised explosive devices.
noorz@gdn.com.bh