GDN:’Terror plot’ 35 win new probe

‘Terror plot’ 35 win new probe
By NOOR TOORANI
A BAHRAINI court will re-investigate the case of 35 men standing trial in connection with an alleged plot to carry out terrorist attacks during Bahrain’s National Day celebrations, it was revealed yesterday.

Twenty-two men, including 14 Bahrainis arrested when the suspected plot was first discovered last December, appeared before the High Criminal Court yesterday.

The court also ordered prison authorities to end the men’s solitary confinement and a medical committee to examine their torture allegations.

Twenty-two men, including 14 Bahrainis arrested when the suspected plot was first discovered last December, appeared before the High Criminal Court yesterday.

The court also ordered prison authorities to end the men’s solitary confinement and a medical committee to examine their torture allegations.

The December 17 plot allegedly included ambushing policemen, destroying public property and attacking shopping malls, markets and hotels with homemade explosives.

Those on trial include Haq Movement for Liberties and Democracy chief Hassan Mushaima, media and international relations director Dr Abduljalil Al Singace and religious scholar Mohammed Al Moqdad.

It is understood the other 13 suspects are still at large.

During the two-hour session, the men’s eight-member defence team argued that the prosecution committed a crime by taping and publishing the men’s confessions during the investigation.

The team included lawyers Hassan Ali Radhi, Mohammed Ahmed, Isa Ibrahim, Jalila Al Sayed, Ahmed Al Arrayedh, Hafedh Ali Hafedh, Mohammed Al Jishi and Sami Al Seyadi.

It insisted on re-investigating the case and appointing a Supreme Court judge to preside over it.

The lawyers claimed the investigation carried out by the Public Prosecution was null and void because they committed a crime punishable by law.

They also insisted that the prosecutors who published the alleged confessions of the terror suspects should be tried in a criminal court.

The defence requested the dismissal of all the information gathered from the prosecution’s previous investigation.

It also submitted a detailed document about the torture allegations the defendants had faced in police custody and their prison conditions.

An official complaint was also presented to the court regarding the torture allegations, stating that it had the power to protect the defendants.

“This is an official complaint to the court regarding the torture allegations because (torturing inmates) is an international crime and the court has the right and authority to look into the matter and protect the defendants,” argued attorney Jalila Al Sayed.

Lawyers also claimed the men have not been removed from solitary confinement after visiting them on Saturday.

“The men are still being held in solitary confinement and the defence has not been given a good reason for this,” said Mr Al Sayed.

“The court promised during the last hearing it would look into the matter and we request you (judges) to end the solitary confinement because the men are not a threat to each other or other inmates and this is affecting their mental health.”

Prosecutors objected to the defence’s comments, claiming they were not responsible for the prison condition and that they inquired with prison authorities regarding the issue.

“Upon the court’s last order we inquired with prison authorities about this, but we were told that it’s a matter of national security,” answered the presiding prosecutor.

The defence objected once again demanding to know the authority responsible since neither the court nor the prosecution were in charge.

Judges then ordered prison authorities to end the men’s solitary confinement.

Both Mr Mushaima and Mr Al Moqdad pleaded not guilty during the previous hearing, claiming the alleged terrorist accusations were false as the trial revolves around their political activities and not terrorist plots.

Dr Al Singace appeared before the court for the first time yesterday after failing to attend last month because he was admitted in hospital.

Judges asked Dr Al Singace to enter a plea.

He claimed he was innocent of the baseless accusations and that the trial was a case to settle scores.

“I am a Bahraini citizen who practises the rights to defend the people and I’ve practised my rights of expression and expressed my opinions and thoughts publicly on issues such as human rights violations in the country,” he told the court.

“I demand this masquerade to stop because we are not advocates of terror.

“I’ve worked towards raising awareness about human rights violations in the country and to labour the attempts to undermine Bahraini’s demographic strata and taking Bahrain’s natural resources, which is the reason for my arrest.

“My opinions and actions are open to the public and the continuation of authorities to tap my calls and my e-mails will not change any of my ideas or actions.”

Dr Al Singace requested judges to release the defendants from police custody along with an apology for the false accusations.

He also requested the court to prosecute all those responsible for torturing the men during investigations and in police custody.

The other defendants denied the charges earlier, except for one, and told judges they were forced to confess as a result of the torture they received.

They also claimed they weren’t aware they were being filmed when they confessed to the charges.

There was heavy police presence in the Diplomatic Area yesterday as riot police blocked the streets in front of the Justice and Islamic Ministry complex.

They created a human barrier in front of the complex entrance and demanded identification cards from anyone trying to enter.

Mr Moqdad told judges yesterday that he was confident the accusations were false as there was not a solid proof of him funding a terrorist group or plotting a terror plan.

“I was quite throughout the interrogation process, but today I will speak because this is not a case about terrorism or funding terrorist groups because these accusations are directed to stop our political activities,” he said.

“I am very confident that no one can produce any solid proof that I donated even as little as BD1 to a terrorist organisation.

“Our history and religion doesn’t allow such acts and we condemn terror acts and violence, we are being prosecuted because we are men of opinion and the opposition.”

However, Mr Moshaima told the court that he was astonished with its procedures and requested judges to take all the case’s details into consideration while presiding over the trial.

“I am not a child or a teenager that I am not allowed to sit in one cell with the other defendants, we request justice be served because these accusations are politically driven and have nothing to do with terrorist activities.

“I plea that you (judges) have some concern about the details of this case, especially regarding the abuse allegations so that we have some trust in our legal system because if the court can’t protect us then who will.”

Attorney Mohammed Ahmed told the GDN after the trial that the court would re-investigate the case.

“They ended the solitary confinement and will investigate the torture allegations along with questioning witnesses that were present during the prosecution investigations,” he said.

Judges also ordered a medical committee to examine the defendants’ torture allegations, added Mr Ahmed.

Torture

The case was adjourned to April 28 to summon witnesses and those accused of allegedly torturing the detainees for investigation.

Several representatives from international organisations were present during the trial, including Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch Society, Islamic Human Rights Commission, British Bar Society’s Human Rights Committee, Canadian Journalists Association, Federal International Human Rights and Arabic Europe Centre for Human Rights.

Local societies included the Bahrain Youth Centre for Human Rights and Bahrain Transparency Society in addition to representatives from the French Embassy.

The three political figures are accused of promoting and instigating people to change the political system by violent means, inciting people to spread hatred against the ruling system and financing and supporting a terrorist group. noor@gdn.com.bh

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