Bahrain Sentences to Death, Jails Terrorists for Attempting to Assassinate Defense Force Commander

A general view of the Bahraini capital Manama. (AFP)
A general view of the Bahraini capital Manama. (AFP)
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Bahrain Sentences to Death, Jails Terrorists for Attempting to Assassinate Defense Force Commander

A general view of the Bahraini capital Manama. (AFP)
A general view of the Bahraini capital Manama. (AFP)

The Military High Court issued on Monday its ruling in the case of 18 members of a terrorist cell, ten of whom appeared in custody and eight were fugitives in Bahrain or abroad in Iran and Iraq, reported the Bahrain News Agency (BNA).

The defendants were accused with forming a terrorist cell, attempting to assassinate the Defense Force Commander-in-Chief and committing other terrorist crimes.

The court convicted and sentenced the six defendants to death, 15 years years in jail and the revocation of their Bahraini nationality.

They are Mubarak Adel Mubarak Mahanna (Soldier), Fadhel Al Sayed Abbas Hassan Radhi, Sayed Alawi Hussain Alawi Hussain, Mohammed Abdulhassan Ahmed Al Metghawi, Murtada Majeed Ramadan Alawi (Al Sindi) and Habeeb Abdullah Hassan Ali (Al Jamri).

The court also convicted and sentenced seven defendants to seven years in jail and stripped them of their Bahraini nationality.

They are Mohammed Abdulhassan Saleh Al Shehabi, Mohammed Abdulwahid Mohammed Al Najjar, Hussain Mohammed Ahmed Shehab, Mohammed Yousef Marhoon Al Ajmi, Hussain Ali Mohsen Baddaw, Sayed Mohammed Qassim Mohammed and Ali Jaffar Hassan Al Rayes.

The court acquitted five defendants: Ali Ahmed Khalifa Salman (Al Karbabadi), Hussain Essam Hussain Al Durazi, Muntazhir Fawzi Abdulkareem Mahdi, Rami Ahmed Ali Al Aryash and Mohamed Abdullah Ebrahim Abbas.

All the judicial sureties were granted by the Military Judiciary in compliance with the 2002 Criminal Procedures Law and the 2002 Military Judiciary Law, including access to defense lawyers.

The defendants have the right to challenge the ruling of the court of first instance at the Military Appeals High Court and the Military Court of Cassation according to the provisions of the law.

Representatives of human rights institutions and societies and media and several relatives of the defendants attended the court session.



Arab Solidarity with Qatar After Iranian Missile Strike

Interceptor missiles are fired, after Iran's armed forces say they targeted the Al-Udeid base in a missile attack, as seen from Doha, Qatar, June 23, 2025. REUTERS/Stringer
Interceptor missiles are fired, after Iran's armed forces say they targeted the Al-Udeid base in a missile attack, as seen from Doha, Qatar, June 23, 2025. REUTERS/Stringer
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Arab Solidarity with Qatar After Iranian Missile Strike

Interceptor missiles are fired, after Iran's armed forces say they targeted the Al-Udeid base in a missile attack, as seen from Doha, Qatar, June 23, 2025. REUTERS/Stringer
Interceptor missiles are fired, after Iran's armed forces say they targeted the Al-Udeid base in a missile attack, as seen from Doha, Qatar, June 23, 2025. REUTERS/Stringer

In a unified show of Arab solidarity, several Gulf and regional nations strongly condemned Iran’s missile strike on Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar, denouncing it as a flagrant violation of international law, regional sovereignty, and the principles of good neighborliness.

Saudi Arabia led the regional response, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issuing a sharply worded statement condemning the strike as an “unjustifiable and unacceptable act” that violated international norms. Riyadh reaffirmed its full support for Qatar, pledging to mobilize all available resources to assist its Gulf neighbor in any measures it deems necessary.

Bahrain echoed the Kingdom’s stance, condemning the IRGC’s aggression as a clear breach of Qatari sovereignty and airspace. Manama’s Foreign Ministry emphasized the “bond of brotherhood and blood” that ties Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, urging restraint and peaceful resolution of disputes while affirming its unwavering support for Doha.

The United Arab Emirates condemned the attack in the strongest terms, calling it a blatant violation of Qatari sovereignty and a dangerous escalation. The UAE’s Foreign Ministry expressed full solidarity with Qatar and underscored the importance of protecting civilians and maintaining regional stability. It warned that continued military provocations could lead the region into dangerous and irreversible consequences.

For its part, Kuwait described the strike as a “grave breach” of Qatari airspace and sovereignty. The Foreign Ministry declared its total support for Qatar’s leadership and people, backing their right to respond appropriately to such an attack. Kuwait also offered to mobilize its full capabilities to support its Gulf partner.

Oman, while emphasizing its commitment to de-escalation, also denounced Iran’s strike as a violation of the sovereignty of a fellow GCC member. Muscat pointed to Israel’s earlier unlawful strike on Iranian territory as a trigger for the current escalation and warned that expanding the conflict would only lead to greater instability and humanitarian suffering.

Iraq expressed deep concern about the intensifying regional conflict. Its Foreign Ministry called for immediate restraint, warning that the Iranian strike marked a dangerous turning point that could draw more actors into an already volatile confrontation.

The Secretary-General of the GCC, Jassim Al-Budaiwi, issued a strong statement condemning the Iranian missile attack as a violation of Qatari sovereignty and a threat to the collective security of the Gulf states. He stressed that Qatar’s security is inseparable from that of the entire GCC and called on the international community and the UN Security Council to hold Iran accountable for its destabilizing actions.