MANAMA: The security agencies in Bahrain have unearthed a terror cell and recovered arms and ammunition.
As part of counter-terrorism operations and to ensure the safety and protection of citizens and residents, an investigation has been carried out which resulted in the discovery of a 10-member cell suspected of carrying out terrorist activities.
The cell is led by Hussain Ali Ahmed Dawood, 31, a leader of Saraya Al Ashtar, the terror wing of Al Wafa Islamic Movement. Dawood’s nationality has been revoked. He is a fugitive in Iran and has been sentenced to life imprisonment in three cases and 15 years in jail in another case by the Bahraini courts. He is involved in setting up and controlling various terror cells and planning terrorist crimes which have resulted in the death of a number of policemen. He has strong ties with the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and terrorist Murtadha Al Sindi.
Seven of the cell members arrested so far are:
(1) Hassan Maki Abas Hassan, 27, worker. He is linked to Hussain Ali Ahmed Dawood and is the key suspect who was in-charge of bomb-making for Saraya Al Ashtar, including bombs seized on 13 March 2017. He was instructed by Hussain Ali Ahmed Dawood to continue to make bombs while also storing material smuggled from abroad. He set up a warehouse for the purpose. He was also Involved in the cases related to making and possessing bombs and had been involved in transporting and making bombs since 2013. He had also received training in making bombs.
(2) Mahmood Mohammed Ali Mulla Salem Al Bahrani, 33, Arabic teacher. He trained key suspect Hassan Maki Abas in bomb-making. He received a bag containing a Kalashnikov and explosives from him and kept it for some time before returning it. He was arrested on arrival in Bahrain from Lebanon.
(3) Zainab Maki Abas, 34, hid the bags containing explosives and the Kalashnikov belonging to her brother Hassan Maki Abas in her house in Malkiya before his arrest. She then asked her husband Ameen Habeeb Ali to move them from the house.
(4) Ameen Habeeb Ali Jassim, 32, employee, transported the bags containing the Kalashnikov and explosives given by his wife to the sister of the key suspect in the case to hand them over to Hussain Mohammed Hussain Khamees to hide them.
(5) Hussain Mohammed Hussain Khamees, 39, driver. He hid the bags in his house in Dar Kulaib.
(6) Hassan Atiyah Mohammed Saleh, 37, driver. Bought bomb-making material, including metal balls and gas cylinders, several times on the instructions of Hassan Maki Abas, for carrying out blasts.
(7) Hussain Ibrahim Mohammed Hassan Dhaif, 27, worker. Recruited by Hassan Maki Abas, he received and transported bomb-making material to different areas, including Karzakan and Demistan. He also temporarily stored some material in his house.
The investigation is in progress to arrest the remaining suspects who are:
(1) Sayed Hadi Hassan Majeed Radhi, 26, driver. Convicted and wanted in cases of terrorism, including the use of explosives, endangering lives, attempt to murder, arson, and making and possessing bombs to carry out terrorist acts.
(2) Sadiq Mohammed Abdulrasool Darweesh, 25, driver. Convicted and wanted in cases of terrorism, including arson, making and possessing bombs, endangering public vehicles and vandalising communication facilities.
The investigation has also led to the seizure of quantities of explosives in the residential areas of Demistan, Karzakan, Malkiya and Dar Kulaib villages that are used as workshops to make bombs and store material for the purpose.
After the Public Prosecutor had been notified and all security and legal steps had been taken, the forensic teams moved to those locations for technical examination and to confiscate the destructive and dangerous material in order to move them to a secure area.
Those locations were meant to make and store bombs and 127kg of high-grade explosives and bomb-making material were seized from there, including more than 24kg of C4, TATP and nitro cellulose, in addition to chemicals and ready-to-use bombs, automatic and other homemade weapons, electric detonators, grenades and ammunition.
The General Directorate of Criminal Investigation & Forensic Science carried out the legal proceedings and referred the case to the Public Prosecutor.
