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Bahrain Charges 23-Man Terrorist Network

Following a detailed intelligence gathering operation by Bahrain's National Security Agency, the arrests were made from 13th August onwards under Bahrain's "Protecting the Community from Terrorism Act 2006" leading to today's charges being made.

Prosecutors named the Bahrain-based leaders of the network as Abduljalil Al Singace, Mohamed Habeeb Al Saffaf, Abdulhadi Al Mokhaidar along with London-based Bahraini nationals, Saeed Al Shehabi and Husain Mshaima as well as outlining the wider members of the 23-man network who include amongst them academics, taxi drivers, civil servants, dentists and administrators as well as several unemployed receiving state benefit.

The network was revealed as being organized into five layers covering the supervision and planning of terrorist acts, through to logistical support and propaganda. The network's funding was also revealed as being obtained through three principal channels, the misappropriation of "Khums" - the traditional religious levy among the Shia community - the creation of front group "charities" to receive donations and overseas funds derived from supported international organizations and foreign entities.

Bahrain Public Prosecution official Abdulrahman Al Sayed commented:

"This sophisticated terrorist network with operations inside and outside Bahrain has undertaken and planned a systematic and layered campaign of violence and subversion aimed squarely at undermining the national security of Bahrain.

"The leaders of the network have been accused of several crimes including the planning and instigation of violence, conducting a wide ranging propaganda campaign against the Kingdom and seeking to overthrow the regime by force.

"All those arrested will face trial in strict accordance with the laws of Bahrain and their detention will continue to be fully in-line with international standards."

Bahrain Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa said:

"The Kingdom of Bahrain is proud of its open society and on-going democratic reforms that allow for freedom of expression and peaceful protest. However, no democracy can allow freedoms to extend to the perpetration, planning and instigation of violence that seeks to undermine the stability of the nation and threaten the lives of all its citizens. No one is above the law."

SOURCE Kingdom of Bahrain