It was revealed by the Interior Minister Lieutenant-General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa during a meeting with Speakers of lower and upper houses of the Parliament.
The Minister said that the most significant case is the arrest of members of a terror cell that was part of an international network using the name Army of the Imam.
The Minister stressed the direct connection that was made between the cell and an Iranian Revolutionary Guard through the tracking of the suspect’s phone calls and money transfers.
The monitoring of the suspects’ movements also connected agents in Iran to the terror network. He said that when one considers this case in addition to the fact that Iran harbors wanted individuals from Bahrain and has launched a persistent propaganda campaign against Bahrain, it is a natural and logical conclusion that Iran is meddling in Bahrain’s internal affairs.
Parliament Speaker Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Dhahrani and Shura Council President Ali Saleh Al-Saleh got briefing from the Interior Minister.
The Heads of Foreign Affairs, Defence and National Security of both councils, the MPs and the Chief of Public Security Major-General Tariq Al Hassan were also present.
The Chairman welcomed the Interior Minister and thanked him for briefing the two councils on the security situation. The Interior Minister expressed thanks for the support of and trust in the police.
The Interior Minister’s report included information on acts of vandalism, arson and rioting as well as the escalation in acts of domestic terror.
The Minister of Interior also gave a brief on the November 5, 2012 bombings in which two Asian laborers were killed. He reported that two suspects have been arrested and that the search for additional suspects continues. Forensic evidence from the bombing scenes is also still being analyzed to present to the Public Prosecutor.
Regarding the recent vandalism of ATM machines, the Minister reported that two key suspects have been arrested.
Several suspects were also arrested on charges of using lethal weapons in unprovoked attacks on police.
He discussed the death of policeman Mohammed Asif on February 15 and reported that Asif had been shot with a projectile. The suspects behind the attack have been arrested. He also gave details about the attack on police in Karzakan on February 21 that resulted in the injury of three policemen.
The Parliament members were briefed on the explosive squads’ success in defusing a bomb that planted on the Bahrain side of the King Fahd Causeway and were given a report on the number of suspicious objects that have been discovered throughout the country.
The Minister discussed the role that social media channels play in spreading calls for violence and threats against police and the public. Threats against the public included calls not to go on strike on the second anniversary of the 2011 unrest. He also stated that social media sites are being used to incite violence against police and to encourage people to block roads.
The Minister stated that both the static and moving police patrols that have been deployed throughout Bahrain over the past several weeks were successful in helping to maintain order. He said that police patrols are using restraint and are following the law when interacting with those engaging in criminal behavior.
The Minister reviewed a number of legislative recommendations that he has made including holding parents legally responsible for the involvement of their children in acts of violence and criminal behavior, the adoption of alternative punishments for minors rather than jail terms, and the imposition of a penalty on people who wear masks at public rallies or gatherings. He also suggested that the act of inciting hatred, sectarianism, racial prejudice and harming the country’s unity should be considered punishable crimes.
The MPs hailed the performance of the Bahrain Public Security Forces and thanked both the police and the Minister of Interior for their dedication and professionalism. They also vowed to give priority to the upcoming security-related draft law.