MANAMA – Bahrain has said that Iran's Revolutionary Guard were behind a militant cell to assassinate public figures, attack its airport and government buildings. Bahraini authorities said Sunday they had arrested eight Bahrainis in the group, with links to Iran, Iraq and Lebanon. In a statement published by the official Bahrain News Agency (BNA) late Tuesday, Bahrain's head of public security said the cell was part of a group called the “Imam Army” which included Bahrainis at home and abroad and members of other nationalities. “Investigation has also revealed that a member of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard codenamed ‘Abu Naser' masterminded the whole terror operation,” the agency quoted public security chief Major-General Tariq Hassan Al-Hassan as saying. Abu Nasser supplied the group with $80,000, Hassan said, and instructed it to gather information, recruit and obtain weapons storage in Bahrain. The cell's planned targets included the Ministry of Interior and Bahrain International Airport, he said. The group attended training camps run by the Revolutionary Guard inside Iran, as well as some operated by Iraq's Hezbollah in Baghdad and the Iraqi city of Kerbala, Hassan added. Five of the detainees were arrested in Bahrain and three in Oman, General Hassan said, adding another four Bahrainis were being sought by the authorities. Major-Gen. Al-Hassan said authorities had collected evidence in the form of papers and electronic documents, flashcards, phones, computers, cash and images of bank transactions. Last week, Minister of Interior Lt. General Sheikh Rashid Bin Abdullah Al-Khalifa addressed the nation in a televised speech on the recent escalation of street violence targeting policemen as well as public and private properties. “Over the past few days, Bahrain has witnessed an escalation in violence against police and the state. This has resulted in the death of two people and injuries to 75 police officers and two civilians, and considerable damage to public as well as private property. “This is a sad day for the nation as we see members of our own community trying to undermine the nation's stability,” said the minister. He also mentioned the discovery of a 2-kg bomb that was defused by competent authorities at the King Fahd Causeway. He urged citizens to renounce violence and to refrain from taking part in criminal activities. “The Public Security Force is committed to maintaining order in the face of any and all provocations or attacks. We seek the support of all good citizens of Bahrain and we continue to perform our security mission under the leadership of the King and with support from the government led by the Prime Minister and the backing of the Crown Prince we will prevail and survive these challenging times,” said Sheikh Rashid. – Agencies
