Bahrain says terror plot by Tehran-linked group foiled

The cell is the latest case “of Iran meddling in internal affairs”, an interior ministry statement saysAgenciesDubaiBahrain said yesterday it had arrested 47 members of a group believed to have links to “terrorist elements in Iran” who it said were planning to carry out attacks in the coming days. An interior ministry statement carried by Bahrain’s state news agency BNA said a large number of explosives and weapons had been found in secret caches in residential areas of several villages. “The results of the inquiry and investigation indicate that the group has close links to Iranian elements and terrorist elements residing in Iran,” the statement said. Several members of the group received training in Iran on how to use weapons and manufacture explosives, it added. The cell was the latest case “of Iran meddling in internal affairs and attempts to shake the security and stability of the kingdom of Bahrain through organised terrorist attacks”, the statement said. Last month Bahrain recalled its ambassador to Iran, a day after the kingdom said its security forces had discovered a large bomb-making factory and had arrested a number of suspects linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards. Bahrain has been cracking down on militants behind bomb attacks against security forces that have killed several people this year. The kingdom has been hit by unrest since a pro-democracy uprising in 2011, and it frequently accuses Iran of meddling in its affairs. Iran denies involvement in any violence in Bahrain. In August, Bahrain arrested five people suspected of links with Iran in connection with a bombing that killed two policemen. l Kuwaiti lawmakers yesterday traded sectarian accusations in a debate over an alleged Iran-linked cell charged with plotting attacks in the Gulf state.  Sunni MPs strongly criticised Iran and its allied Lebanese Shia Hezbollah militia for their alleged role in forming a “terror” cell. Kuwaiti authorities in August busted what they called a cell linked to Iran and Hezbollah and seized large quantities of arms, explosives and ammunition. Twenty-five Kuwaitis, all from the minority Shia community, and one Iranian are being tried for plotting attacks, spying for Iran and for joining Hezbollah. “Iran is hatching evil plots against Kuwait ... Iran is responsible for terror cells,” Islamist MP Ahmed al-Azemi said during a debate as parliament opened its new term. MP Abdullah al-Turaiji charged that all the arms seized in the case were smuggled from abroad, with a clear hint at Iran. But senior Shia MP Adnan Abdulsamad urged lawmakers not to rush into judgements before the court issued its verdict in the case. Abdulsamad also charged that some of the confessions of the alleged cell members were extracted under torture, and said most of the seized arms dated back to the 1990-1991 Iraqi occupation. Justice Minister Yacoub al-Sane rejected accusations against the Kuwaiti judiciary or the public prosecution. During the debate, some MPs accused their Shia colleagues of being “lawyers for Iran.” Shias form around 30% of Kuwait’s native population of 1.3mn and have seven MPs in the 50-seat parliament. The lower court is scheduled to hear the defence today before setting a date to issue its verdict. Iran has officially denied any links to the suspects. In June, 26 worshippers were killed when a Saudi bomber from the Islamic State militant group blew himself up in a Shia mosque in Kuwait City. The court has sentenced seven others to death for involvement in the attack.