Terror suspects ‘trained in Iraq’
FOUR Bahrainis received militia training in Iraq to prepare them to support an invasion by foreign fighters, a court has heard.They reportedly travelled to Iraq in December, 2012 to receive weapons training from Shi’ite strongman Moqtada Al Sadr’s Mahdi Army, according to case files.A fugitive cleric in Iraq related to one of the defendants, 23, allegedly invited the four suspects to a military camp in Karbala where they received firearms training along with 11 other unknown men.However, three of them were later arrested in Bahrain while the fourth, who is being tried in absentia, and the cleric are still at large.The defendants in custody told prosecutors the training was conducted for a “zero hour” when the Mahdi Army would enter Bahrain to carry out terrorist attacks, according to court documents.They said a militia soldier named Ra’ad trained the defendants and told them the Mahdi Army was awaiting orders from Moqtada Al Sadr to enter Bahrain – and that the suspects would be needed “in future” to help stage a coup.
All four have been charged with conspiring with a foreign country, joining the Al Sadr movement, recruiting others and being part of a terrorist cell.
They have also been charged with receiving weapons and explosives training, but the three in custody have pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The High Criminal Court yesterday adjourned the trial until May 29 to summon prosecution witnesses.
“My relative is a famous religious cleric in Iraq and he is wanted in connection with security cases,” the 23-year-old defendant told prosecutors.
“My friends told me that they were going to Iraq and I paid BD2,000 to travel with them.
“I called him (the religious cleric) and told him we were coming to Iraq. He said that was great news because he could train us in weapons.
“We then met a soldier from the Iraqi army named Ra’ad in a coffee shop.
“We met him again the following day at a checkpoint in Karbala before he took us to the military camp, which had flags of Bahrain, Iraq and Moqtada Al Sadr’s army.
“He told us that he was a soldier in Moqtada Al Sadr’s army.
“We then received training in how to fire weapons when crouching, kneeling and other positions.
“He (the soldier) then told us that he loved Bahrain and that ‘we will use you in the future’.
“He said he wanted to help the Bahraini revolution and was waiting for orders from Moqtada Al Sadr for the army to enter Bahrain.
“He meant that when outsiders entered Bahrain, we would use weapons at that time to help overthrow the government.
“We then went shopping and to religious processions before we travelled back to Bahrain. “I was then arrested in Bahrain City Centre mall.” noorz@gdn.com.bh
Moqtada al Sadr’s Men
FOUR Bahrainis received militia training in Iraq to prepare them to support an invasion by foreign fighters, a court has heard.They reportedly travelled to Iraq in December, 2012 to receive weapons training from Shi’ite strongman Moqtada Al Sadr’s Mahdi Army, according to case files.A fugitive cleric in Iraq related to one of the defendants, 23, allegedly invited the four suspects to a military camp in Karbala where they received firearms training along with 11 other unknown men.However, three of them were later arrested in Bahrain while the fourth, who is being tried in absentia, and the cleric are still at large.The defendants in custody told prosecutors the training was conducted for a “zero hour” when the Mahdi Army would enter Bahrain to carry out terrorist attacks, according to court documents.They said a militia soldier named Ra’ad trained the defendants and told them the Mahdi Army was awaiting orders from Moqtada Al Sadr to enter Bahrain – and that the suspects would be needed “in future” to help stage a coup.
All four have been charged with conspiring with a foreign country, joining the Al Sadr movement, recruiting others and being part of a terrorist cell.
They have also been charged with receiving weapons and explosives training, but the three in custody have pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The High Criminal Court yesterday adjourned the trial until May 29 to summon prosecution witnesses.
“My relative is a famous religious cleric in Iraq and he is wanted in connection with security cases,” the 23-year-old defendant told prosecutors.
“My friends told me that they were going to Iraq and I paid BD2,000 to travel with them.
“I called him (the religious cleric) and told him we were coming to Iraq. He said that was great news because he could train us in weapons.
“We then met a soldier from the Iraqi army named Ra’ad in a coffee shop.
“We met him again the following day at a checkpoint in Karbala before he took us to the military camp, which had flags of Bahrain, Iraq and Moqtada Al Sadr’s army.
“He told us that he was a soldier in Moqtada Al Sadr’s army.
“We then received training in how to fire weapons when crouching, kneeling and other positions.
“He (the soldier) then told us that he loved Bahrain and that ‘we will use you in the future’.
“He said he wanted to help the Bahraini revolution and was waiting for orders from Moqtada Al Sadr for the army to enter Bahrain.
“He meant that when outsiders entered Bahrain, we would use weapons at that time to help overthrow the government.
“We then went shopping and to religious processions before we travelled back to Bahrain. “I was then arrested in Bahrain City Centre mall.” noorz@gdn.com.bh
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