Public prosecution launches probe into Sitra bus blast

Manama, Aug. 26 (BNA): Advocate General of the Terror Crimes Prosecution Ahmed Al-Hammadi has affirmed that the Public Prosecution has launched, as soon as it was notified, an investigation into the detonation of a police bus in Sitra on July 28, 2015, in which two policemen were killed and several others were wounded. The Public Prosecution inspected the crime scene, ordered the examination of the bodies by forensic experts, lifted traces of the crime in the scene and hired experts to analyse them and determine the nature of the explosive material used, its components and explosive range, in a bid to help with investigation efforts. The search and investigation, conducted by the police at the request of the Public Prosecution, led to the identification of the persons who committed the crime. Investigations revealed that they formed a terror group which plotted to target security forces and kill policemen. The suspects monitored the movements of the police patrols and agreed to blow up the police bus through planting an explosive device on its way. They received the bomb through an Iran-based defendant and through some persons linked to him in Bahrain, and used it to carry out their crime for terrorist purposes, investigations also showed. It also proved that one suspect had been trained in Iraq on making and using weapons and explosives, in coordination with some defendants both in Bahrain and abroad. Five members of the group were arrested and the place where they used to meet and hide their weapons and explosives was searched, the Advocate General said, adding that a ready-to-use bomb, a remote detonator and two home-made weapons were seized. The Public Prosecution questioned the arrested defendants within the guarantors prescribed by the Law, including the presence of a lawyer with one of them. It charged them with murder, attempted premeditated murder and the establishment of a terror group and joining it. It also accused them of carrying out an explosion for terrorist purposes, training on the use of weapons and explosives, as well as the possession of weapons and explosive and the making of Molotov cocktails. Al-Hammadi also confirmed that investigation had revealed that another suspect, a member of a political society, collected money from Bahrain and abroad to fund terrorist groups, including the group implicated in the Sitra blast. The defendant was arrested and the Public Prosecution started questioning him on August 23, the Advocate General said, noting that like the other suspects, he was informed about his rights and legal guarantees. He denied the presence of a lawyer with him, and admitted providing money to some suspects almost regularly despite knowing that they were wanted by the security authorities. The Public Prosecution remanded him in custody pending further investigations, and ordered the arrest of the other suspects and the issuance of the technical reports as soon as possible.