Verdict against Al-Basta terror group suspects upheld

Manama, Mar. 7 (BNA): Chief of Terror Crimes Prosecution Advocate General Ahmed Al Hammadi said that the High Court of Appeals today issued a ruling upholding the first instance verdict against 19 suspects charged with exchanging intelligence information with a foreign country and a terrorist organisation that is 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 High Criminal Court had issued, on October 30, 2017, its verdicts against members of the cell, sentencing eight defendants to life in jail, nine to 15 years in jail, and two to 10 years in jail and a BD100,000 fine for both of them. The court also ordered the revocation of the citizenship of the 15 suspects. 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 case documents 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 their 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 so-called "Al-Wafa Islamic Movement", the "Al-Basta Group", and other affiliate terrorist groups, as well as on how the money they were receiving from them (Iranian Revolutionary Guards and Hezbollah) 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 had 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. Ten of the defendants were remanded in 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.