High Criminal Court issues verdicts in terror cases

Manama, June 25 (BNA): Chief Prosecutor Isa Al Ruwai, the Acting Chief of the Terror Crime Prosecution said the fourth High Criminal Court sentenced today two suspects to three years in jail after charging them with promoting terrorist acts, possessing a recording device for that purpose and calling for changing the political system. The court also ordered confiscation of the seized items. The female suspect was accused of running accounts on the social media websites to post articles and videos promoting terrorist acts and inciting hatred of the political system. She was also charged with raising money to organise functions and rallies against the political system. The second suspect was found guilty of collaborating with the first one in running the accounts on the social media websites. He was also accused of organising functions and raising slogans against the political system. The two suspects also disclosed false and tendentious information about the situation in Bahrain in order to be posted by satellite channels to incite hatred of the ruling system, promote terror acts in the kingdom, undermine the state’s prestige and jeopardise its interests and mar Bahrain’s image abroad. The Public Prosecution relied in referring the suspects to the court on verbal and technical evidences including the witnesses’ testimonies and the female suspect’s confession. The two suspects were referred to the fourth High Criminal Court where the case was heard in the presence of the suspects’ lawyers. The court issued its verdict after providing the suspects with all legal guarantees. The fourth High Criminal Court also sentenced today one suspect to life in jail and two suspects to three years in prison and ruled the revocation of the Bahraini citizenship for the first and third suspects. The convicts were charged with joining a terrorist group, acquiring and possessing explosives and weapons without authorization, using explosives, training on using weapons and explosive devices and attempting to carry out blasts. The Public Prosecution received a notification from the Criminal Investigation Directorate (CID) that one of the suspects, who is a fugitive in Iran had recruited many elements in Bahrain to carry out acts of sabotage and attack the security officers by putting explosive devices in many regions across the kingdom. He tasked one of his two accomplices to recruit other elements to help him in carrying out the subversive acts and provided him with money and explosive devices with the help of other elements inside Bahrain. The third suspect was recruited to help in conducting the terrorist acts. The first accomplice received military training in Iran on making bombs, planting them and using fire weapons. Investigations also showed that the two suspects, who are in Bahrain, had attempted to blow up an oil pipeline at an order by the third suspect in Iran.  The Public Prosecution relied in referring the suspects to trial on verbal and technical evidences including the Criminal Evidence Directorate’s reports and the suspects’ confession. The suspects were referred to the fourth High Criminal Court where the case was heard in the presence of the suspects’ lawyers. The court issued its afore-mentioned verdict after providing the suspects with all legal guarantees. The convicts can challenge the verdict before the Court of Appeal should legal reasons be provided for that. Bahrain’s judiciary also allows to challenge the verdict later before the Court of Cassation which are legal guarantees ensured for every suspect. The fourth High Criminal Court also sentenced today a suspect to ten years in jail and two others to five years and ruled to fine each one BD 100,000 and revoke their Bahraini citizenship after finding them guilty of joining and funding a terrorist group. The court also ordered to confiscate the seized items and money. One of the suspects, a fugitive in Iran and a member of February 14 Coalition, recruited the second suspect to join the terrorist organisation and tasked him with receiving money to fund the organisation’s elements in Bahrain. He was connected to the organsiation’s leaders abroad to coordinate missions. The second suspect recruited the third one to join February 14 Coalition and tasked him with receiving money and funding the terrorist members of the organisation in Bahrain. He was also connected to the leaders abroad to coordinate missions. The Public Prosecution relied in substantiating the crime on verbal and technical evidences including the witnesses’ testimonies and the suspects’ confession. The suspects were referred to the fourth High Criminal Court where the case was heard in the presence of the suspects’ lawyers. The court issued its afore-mentioned verdict after providing the suspects with all legal guarantees.