Bahrain arrests 20 terror suspects, including four women
Bahrain has arrested 20 terror suspects accused of plotting attacks in the small island Gulf kingdom Al-Arabiya reported on February21, 2017.
One of those captured on Tuesday was involved in the murder of police officer Lt. Hisham Hassan Mohammed al-Hamadi on Jan. 29.
The arrests of the hidden cell came on the heels of recent security operations that saw three fugitives fleeing for Iran killed when they opened fire on coastguard personnel on Feb. 9.
At least two of those arrested were found to have built secret facilities to build explosive devices while eight others were found to have received on arms and the use of explosives in Iraq and Iran.
“As part of the search and investigation that led to the foiling of the fleeing fugitives via the sea to Iran on February 9, a number of terror cells that were about to carry out terrorist plots have been dismantled through a comprehensive security plan,” a spokesperson from Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior told Al Arabiya English.
“Proactive operations were successfully carried out from Feb. 9 to 19, and 20 individuals who were ‘wanted’ in security cases were arrested.
Four women were among the arrestees and were charged with aiding and abetting fugitives,” the spokesperson added.
It is noteworthy that recently Bahrain’s security forces had foiled an attempt to smuggle by sea to Iran the fugitives who escaped from the Jaw prison in Manama on January 1, as Gulf News had reported on February 9.
The Media Center of Bahrain’s Interior Ministry said in a tweet that security forces foiled the attempt during a joint operation carried out at dawn on Thursday February 9.
A preliminary investigation indicates that the boat carrying the fugitives was heading to Iran, the center said in another tweet.
Agence France-Presse reported that Bahrain forces killed three ‘fugitives’ as they tried to flee by boat to Iran.
AFP quoted the Interior Ministry as saying that seven other people on the boat were arrested in connection with the jailbreak, which freed 10 people serving long sentences for terrorism.