Six Bahrainis sentenced to death for terrorism and attempted murder

Dozens of other suspects given jail terms and stripped of their citizenship

Bahrain's economy is expected to grow 2.3 per cent this year and next. Alamy 

Bahrain’s courts sentenced six citizens to death after they were convicted on charges of terrorism and attempted murder.

The Court of Cassation upheld the death penalty for two citizens for establishing and funding a terrorist organisation, murdering two police officers and the attempted murder of others.

The pair were also charged with possessing and detonating explosives, conducting illegal military training for terrorist groups and harbouring fugitives, among other charges.

During their initial sentencing, five others were given life sentences. Another 14 were given 10 years to six months in prison and two were acquitted.

Those sentenced were responsible for killing two police officers and injuring six others in a terrorist attack three years ago in Sitra.

One of those on trial got help to leave Bahrain and go to Iran, where he received explosives and weapons training. He was also helped to secretly re-enter Bahrain.

On the same day, a court upheld the death sentence for four people in the case of a terrorist explosion that claimed the life of a security officer in Duraz, said Ahmed Al Hammad, chief of Terror Crime Prosecution.

The four citizens were found to be responsible for carrying out an attack that killed a police officer. They were convicted on charges of premeditated murder, illegal possession, handling and detonation of explosives and of having contraband weapons.

The court sentenced the four to death and three others to life in jail.

Bahrain has cracked down on dissent in the country and courts have given many of those detained during the Arab uprisings in 2011 lengthy prison sentences.

Many have been charged in their absence as the Bahraini government believes them to be hiding in Iran.

In September, Bahrain charged 169 people suspected of being part of a militant group the courts called “Bahraini Hezbollah”, a local version of the Iran-backed Lebanese group.

They were accused of forming a terrorist group, planning assassinations and of receiving explosives and firearms training. Only 111 of the suspects have been arrested.