Bahrain: Five Ashtar Brigades Convicts Sentenced to Life-sentence

Police and security officials stand guard at a checkpoint on a highway in Sanabis west of Manama, Bahrain on February 9, 2017. Hamad I Mohammed/Reuters
Police and security officials stand guard at a checkpoint on a highway in Sanabis west of Manama, Bahrain on February 9, 2017. Hamad I Mohammed/Reuters
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Bahrain: Five Ashtar Brigades Convicts Sentenced to Life-sentence

Police and security officials stand guard at a checkpoint on a highway in Sanabis west of Manama, Bahrain on February 9, 2017. Hamad I Mohammed/Reuters
Police and security officials stand guard at a checkpoint on a highway in Sanabis west of Manama, Bahrain on February 9, 2017. Hamad I Mohammed/Reuters

The Bahraini judiciary issued Thursday life sentences in the case of five convicts for charges of forming a terrorist cell affiliated with al-Ashtar Brigades, which is designated a terrorist by the Arab anti-terror quartet.

The sentence also targets two convicts from the same organization who were sentenced to seven years in prison.

Chief of Terror Crime Prosecution Advocate General Ahmed al-Hammadi stated that the fourth High Criminal Court awarded varying jail terms to seven terror suspects found guilty of running and joining a terrorist organization.

Hammadi added that the court sentenced the first five suspects to life in jail and handed down the sixth and seventh suspects seven-year jail terms.

The court also ordered the confiscation of the seized items. The suspects were charged with possessing and manufacturing explosives, possessing firearms and ammunition without a license, receiving training on weapons and explosive materials and funding terrorism.

Court files say the first suspect, a member of the “Al-Ashtar Brigades”, recruited the fourth suspect to commit terror crimes against Bahrain’s kingdom. He received training in 2017 with the assistance of the sixth and second suspects. The fourth suspect also recruited the fifth.

The files say Iraqi “Kataib Hezbollah” also trained the fifth suspect in 2016 to make explosive materials and devices.

The fourth suspect was instructed by the first to receive the explosive device and monitor the security patrols accompanying oil tankers to target them. The third suspect instructed the fifth to receive and transport firearms and materials for terrorist purposes.



Islamic Jihad Says it Received Assurances Over Arrest of its Leaders in Damascus

Senior Islamic Jihad official in Syria Khaled Khaled. File photo
Senior Islamic Jihad official in Syria Khaled Khaled. File photo
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Islamic Jihad Says it Received Assurances Over Arrest of its Leaders in Damascus

Senior Islamic Jihad official in Syria Khaled Khaled. File photo
Senior Islamic Jihad official in Syria Khaled Khaled. File photo

A senior figure in the Palestinian Islamic Jihad revealed that the group has received “assurances” from Syrian authorities on the recent arrest of two of its senior officials in Damascus.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat on condition of anonymity, the Damascus-based official said: “We believe what happened was a misunderstanding, and we have received assurances that the matter will be resolved. We are keen on Syria’s security and stability.”

The group’s military wing, Saraya al-Quds, which is active in the Palestinian territories, issued a statement on Wednesday confirming that Syrian authorities had detained two of its leaders. They are Khaled Khaled, Islamic Jihad’s top official in Syria, and Abu Ali Yasser, head of the movement’s organizational committee in Syria.

The statement did not specify the reasons for the arrests and called for their release.

Syrian authorities have not issued any official comment or clarification regarding the arrests. Attempts by Asharq Al-Awsat to reach Syria’s General Intelligence Directorate for comment went unsuccessful.

The Islamic Jihad official criticized the manner in which the arrests were carried out, describing them as “abductions from the street” rather than formal summons or notifications.

He said the movement’s offices in Damascus remain open and continue to operate. “In practice, Islamic Jihad’s offices in Syria are solely focused on humanitarian and relief work.”

He also expressed belief that the arrests were unrelated to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ recent visit to Damascus or to any American demands. Abbas met with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa last Friday.

“We have great confidence in the Syrian government’s support for the Palestinian cause, and we believe there is no shift in Syria’s stance toward Palestine,” the official said.

Addressing local media reports and social media rumors suggesting the arrests were linked to alleged collaboration with Iran in planning sabotage operations in Syria, the official dismissed the claims.

“Islamic Jihad’s relationship with Iran is well-known, and all communication takes place at the leadership level and not through individuals,” he said. “There is no direct contact between our rank-and-file members and Iran.”

Despite the turmoil in Syria following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, Islamic Jihad has maintained its presence in the country. Its offices in Damascus have been targeted multiple times by Israeli airstrikes, most recently on March 13, when an unoccupied house belonging to Secretary-General Ziyad al-Nakhalah in the Mezzah-Dummar district was hit.

This is reportedly the first time that Islamic Jihad leaders have been arrested in Syria, a country that once hosted over 13 different Palestinian factions.