A Bahraini court issued on Monday a verdict to revoke the citizenship of 15 defendants for intelligence with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and Lebanon’s “Hezbollah” terrorist group.
In the same ruling, known under the name of “Al-Basta,” the Bahraini High Criminal Court sentenced eight defendants to life in jail, nine to 15 years, and two to ten years and a 100,000-dinar fine.
Ten of the defendants were referred to custody pending their trial, while the court ordered the arrest of defendants who are still at large.
Chief of Terror Crimes Prosecution Advocate General Ahmed Al Hammadi said the High Criminal Court issued sentences against 19 suspects charged with intelligence with a foreign country and a terrorist organization 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.
Investigations revealed that the followers of the so-called "Al-Wafa Islamic Movement" had formed a clandestine cell under the name "Al-Basta Group.”
Evidence also revealed 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.
Investigators also found that they provided financial support to the "Saraya Al-Ashtar" (Al-Ashtar Brigades) terrorist organization and other terrorist and subversive groups in many areas in Bahrain, the advocate general said.
Al-Hammadi said that charges brought down by the Terror Crimes Prosecution against the suspects were based on their confessions and on witness testimonies.
