Al-Basta' terror cell suspects to stand trial on June 28

Manama, June 1 (BNA): Chief of Terror Crimes Prosecution Advocate General Ahmed Al Hammadi said that investigations into the case of the so-called "Al-Basta" terror cell, whose members had strong links with leaders of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and the Hezbollah terrorist organisation, had been completed. The Terror Crimes Prosecution referred the 18 suspects, including ten in custody, to the High Criminal Court over charges of intelligence with a foreign country and with a terrorist organisation working for it, receiving funds from that country to carry out hostile acts targeting the national interests of the country, establishing and joining a terrorist group contrary to the provisions of the law and providing funds for a terrorist cell. The suspects will stand trial at the High Criminal Court on June 28, Al-Hammadi said. 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. Instigations 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 have 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.