Terror funds plot man jailed for life
A BAHRAINI who funded a terror cell in Bahrain to support an invasion by foreign fighters has been jailed for life.Murtadha Majeed Alawi recruited young men and sent them to Iraq to receive militia training from Shi’ite strongman Moqtada Al Sadr’s Mahdi Army.
The 31-year-old salesman helped three of his co-defendants travel to a military camp in Karbala where they received firearms training along with 11 other unknown men in 2012 and 2013.
Training
The defendants told prosecutors the training was conducted for a “zero hour” when the Mahdi Army would enter Bahrain to carry out terrorist attacks.
They said a militia general named Ra’ad trained them and told them the army was awaiting orders from Moqtada Al Sadr to enter Bahrain and that they would be needed “in future” to help stage a coup.
The High Criminal Court yesterday sentenced Mr Alawi to 25 years behind bars for establishing and funding an illicit group that aimed to cripple Bahrain’s economy and establishments, carry out terrorist attacks in the country and topple the Bahraini regime.
Judges also convicted Abdulla Isa Al Banna for helping Mr Alawi establish the group and recruit members and jailed him for 15 years.
Two others, Basil Ali and Mahmood Yousif, were found guilty of receiving weapons training in Iraq and were sentenced to 15 years behind bars, while a fifth man was jailed for five years for participating in an illegal gathering and possessing Molotov cocktails.
However, they were all cleared of conspiring with a foreign country.
All five men, who are in police custody, refused to appear in court yesterday for the ruling.
“Three of the defendants travelled to Iraq to receive training in weapons and explosives to carry out terrorist attacks in Bahrain,” according to court verdict documents.
“The two masterminds who established the terrorist cell helped recruit the rest of the group members and helped them travel to Iraq to receive training from Moqtada Al Sadr’s Mahdi Army.
“Three of the defendants confessed to meeting a soldier from Moqtada Al Sadr’s army named Ra’ad, who helped train them on firearms and explosives.
“They said they received training in how to fire weapons when crouching, kneeling and other positions.
Evidence
“The defendants were found guilty of the charges according to evidence given by prosecution witnesses and the defendants’ confessions.
“However, we found them not guilty of conspiring with a foreign country due to the lack of evidence – the prosecution testimony is not sufficient to find them guilty of that charge.” Lawyers representing the defendants said they will lodge appeals against the convictions at the Supreme Criminal Appeals Court. noorz@gdn.com.bh
Mahdi Army
A BAHRAINI who funded a terror cell in Bahrain to support an invasion by foreign fighters has been jailed for life.Murtadha Majeed Alawi recruited young men and sent them to Iraq to receive militia training from Shi’ite strongman Moqtada Al Sadr’s Mahdi Army.
The 31-year-old salesman helped three of his co-defendants travel to a military camp in Karbala where they received firearms training along with 11 other unknown men in 2012 and 2013.
Training
The defendants told prosecutors the training was conducted for a “zero hour” when the Mahdi Army would enter Bahrain to carry out terrorist attacks.
They said a militia general named Ra’ad trained them and told them the army was awaiting orders from Moqtada Al Sadr to enter Bahrain and that they would be needed “in future” to help stage a coup.
The High Criminal Court yesterday sentenced Mr Alawi to 25 years behind bars for establishing and funding an illicit group that aimed to cripple Bahrain’s economy and establishments, carry out terrorist attacks in the country and topple the Bahraini regime.
Judges also convicted Abdulla Isa Al Banna for helping Mr Alawi establish the group and recruit members and jailed him for 15 years.
Two others, Basil Ali and Mahmood Yousif, were found guilty of receiving weapons training in Iraq and were sentenced to 15 years behind bars, while a fifth man was jailed for five years for participating in an illegal gathering and possessing Molotov cocktails.
However, they were all cleared of conspiring with a foreign country.
All five men, who are in police custody, refused to appear in court yesterday for the ruling.
“Three of the defendants travelled to Iraq to receive training in weapons and explosives to carry out terrorist attacks in Bahrain,” according to court verdict documents.
“The two masterminds who established the terrorist cell helped recruit the rest of the group members and helped them travel to Iraq to receive training from Moqtada Al Sadr’s Mahdi Army.
“Three of the defendants confessed to meeting a soldier from Moqtada Al Sadr’s army named Ra’ad, who helped train them on firearms and explosives.
“They said they received training in how to fire weapons when crouching, kneeling and other positions.
Evidence
“The defendants were found guilty of the charges according to evidence given by prosecution witnesses and the defendants’ confessions.
“However, we found them not guilty of conspiring with a foreign country due to the lack of evidence – the prosecution testimony is not sufficient to find them guilty of that charge.” Lawyers representing the defendants said they will lodge appeals against the convictions at the Supreme Criminal Appeals Court. noorz@gdn.com.bh
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