Court issues verdicts against Al-Basta terror cell

Chief of Terror Crimes Prosecution Advocate General Ahmed Al Hammadi said the High Criminal Court today issued sentences against 19 suspects charged with intelligence with a foreign country and a terrorist organisation working for it, receiving funds from the same country to carry out hostile acts targeting the national interests of the kingdom, illegally establishing and joining a terrorist group and providing funds for a terrorist cell.

The court sentenced eight defendants to life in jail, nine to 15 years in jail, and two to ten years in jail and a BD100,000 fine. The court also ordered the revocation of the citizenship of 15 defendants.

Investigations revealed that the followers of the so-called “Al-Wafa Islamic Movement” had formed a clandestine cell under the name “Al-Basta Group”. The cell was responsible for inciting Bahrainis against the ruling system and disseminating tendentious propaganda that called for toppling the ruling system by using violence and force to revive Al-Wafa Islamic Movement.

The documents of the case contained evidence that the defendants had met leaders from the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and Hezbollah to receive the necessary financial and technical support to carry out the criminal plots of “Al-Basta” terror cell in the kingdom and provide funds for its activities.

During the meetings, the suspects agreed to provide the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and Hezbollah with secret periodic reports on the political, economic and social situation in Bahrain, the activities of “Al-Wafa Islamic Movement” and “Al-Basta Group”, as well as on how the money they received was being spent.

Investigations also proved that the funds they had received were spent on providing support to convicts and detainees in terror cases, as well as active terror cells in Bahrain to encourage and motivate them to carry out more terror crimes that inflict more damage to Bahrain’s political and economic interests and undermine its national security.

Investigators also found that they provided financial support to the “Sraya Al-Ashtar” (Al-Ashtar Brigades) terrorist organisation and other terrorist and subversive groups in many areas in Bahrain, the Advocate-General said.
The charges leveled by the Terror Crimes Prosecution against the suspects were based on their confessions and on witness testimonies, Al-Hammadi added.

Ten of the defendants were referred to custody pending their trial. The court also ordered the arrest of defendants at large.
The case was heard in the presence of defence team and all legal guarantees were afforded.

Source: Fana News