Terror plot discovered in Bahrain; 8 held
Manama, February 17, 2013
Bahrain authorities last night said they had foiled a major terror plot to destabilise the kingdom and eight Bahrainis have been arrested as part of a terror cell.
The cell had links to Iran, Iraq and Lebanon, Interior Minister Shaikh Rashid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa was quoted as saying in a Gulf Daily News report.
The cell received training in using weapons and explosives, and was also receiving funds from abroad, he said during an address on Bahrain TV.
More details will be announced upon the completion of investigations, the minister said.
Bahrain has witnessed an increase in violence during the past few days, resulting in two deaths and injuries to 75 police officers, he said.
This violence is targeted at policemen and the state, and has resulted in significant damage to public as well as private property, the minister pointed out. It is aimed at driving the country into a dark labyrinth.
The minister revealed a dramatic change in the range of weapons used against the policemen during the recent clashes, including firearms. Nineteen suspicious objects were found throughout the country, including a 2kg bomb defused by authorities on the King Fahad Causeway, he said.
The Public Security forces will not allow violence to prevail, he pledged.
The National Dialogue is a tangible and historic opportunity to reach a political solution and consensus is the only option for participants of the talks to succeed, he said.
His comments came at the end of a day during which thugs again went on a rampage, attacking policemen, destroying property and blocking roads – sparking major tailbacks on major highways, the report said. - TradeArabia News Service
