Bahrain arrests 41 individuals linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards

Manama: As many as 41 individuals belonging to an organisation linked to Iran were arrested in Bahrain, the country’s Ministry of Interior (MOI) announced on Saturday.

The ministry stated that security authorities had uncovered a group linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the ideology of Wilayat al-Faqih (governance of the jurisprudent) based on investigations and security reports, and in connection with previous Public Prosecution investigations into cases involving espionage for foreign entities and support for the Iranian attacks.

The ministry said that 41 members of the main group had been arrested and that legal proceedings are underway against them, Bahrain News Agency (BNA) reported.

The ministry stated that legal measures will be undertaken against anyone proven to be involved in the group or to have committed acts in violation of the law, and that search and investigation operations are continuing, the report added

Ahmed bin Salman Al Musallam, Speaker of the Council of Representatives, expressed support for the MOI measures following the arrest of 41 members.

In March, the Bahrain authorities arrested six Asian nationals, including five Pakistanis, on charges of filming, publishing and circulating videos connected to the aftermath of Iranian strikes on Bahrain.

The statement from the Bahrain police media centre mentioned that the suspects showed “sympathy with and glorified those hostile acts in a manner that harms security and public order.”

Authorities added that the videos helped in “misleading public opinion and spreading fear among citizens”, prompting the referral of the suspects to public prosecution.

In a separate incident in March, the Anti-Cybercrime Directorate at the General Directorate of Anti-Corruption and Economic and Electronic Security identified and arrested four individuals for misusing social media in relation to Iranian attacks, according to MOI.

IANS