MANAMA: Five more arrests have been made as police have expanded its ongoing investigation into arms smuggling into Bahrain via Saudi Arabia, the Police Chief has confirmed.
The Chief of Public Security, Major-General Tariq Al Hassan condemned on Saturday the attempt to smuggle high explosives and explosive capsules that was foiled by Saudi security authorities. The Chief commended the alertness of the Saudi authorities and said Saudi officials had arrested the traffickers and that Bahrain’s police had also launched a joint investigation.
He stated that as part of the cooperative investigation into the attempt to smuggle “RDX” into Bahrain, a team of representatives from various authorities of the Interior Ministry was formed to work in coordination with their Saudi counterparts.
The Chief announced that several houses of the suspects had been searched after warrants were obtained from the Public Prosecution. This led to the confiscation of materials suspected to be explosives, mobile phones, laptops, portable hard disks, cameras, Iranian mobile phone chips and Saudi, Jordanian and Iranian currencies.
Five additional individuals suspected in the case were identified and arrested. Documents on bomb-making and military patrols were also found inside the homes. The investigation will continue until all suspects are identified and arrested.
The Chief said that the items confiscated by the Saudi officials yesterday were similar to the materials that Bahrain police seized on a boat coming from the sea on 28 December 2013 and through the King Fahad causeway on 15 March 2015. Suspects in both of those cases have been arrested.
The Chief stressed that RDX is a highly explosive substance that is not easily available or easy to manufacture. He said that Bahrain and Saudi Arabia security officials are working together to pursue the remaining individuals involved in order to determine the scope of the operation.
“Saudi Arabia and Bahrain enjoy a high level of cooperation that has contributed too many successful investigations in the past. He said that further cooperation is required between friendly countries in the region in order face current security issues,” he said.
A police investigation has resulted in the arrest of a group of individuals suspected in plotting and carrying out a series of terrorist attacks in the Kingdom. Some of those arrested have previously been convicted in absentia on terrorism charges and, in some cases, received a life sentence.
As part of the investigation, a large quantity of terrorist materials including high explosives was seized from homes in Janusan and Sitra. The careless stockpiling of the volatile explosives endangered the lives and property of those in the near vicinity.
The investigation and surveillance of the suspects was conducted by a joint task force from a number of security agencies that had been created to support the efforts of the General Directorate of Criminal Investigation and Forensic Science. As soon as it was determined that the explosive materials were a danger to the residents and nearby homes, legal warrants were immediately obtained from the Public Prosecution and the locations were raided.
The General Directorate took the required legal procedures necessary to confiscate and document the evidence and the arrestees were referred to the Public Prosecution. The Interior Ministry will continue to fulfill its duty to fight terrorism and protect the safety of the nation.