Bahrain arrests 5 suspects over late July blast, claims Iran's role discovered

Five suspects were arrested over a blast in Bahrain late last month that killed two police and injured six others, the Interior Ministry said on Thursday.

The ministry said it believes that the arrested were masterminds of the July bomb attack, claiming that suspects had received funding and training from Iran's Revolutionary Guards and Hezbollah's branch in Iraq.

"Police investigations revealed that the arrested suspects are connected to both the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and Hezbollah, in addition to being linked to several terrorist incidents in Bahrain over the recent years," said Chief of Public Security Major-General Tariq Al Hassan.

According to him, a 24-year-old suspect was accused of planting and detonating the explosive device, and used to spend time in Iran following his role in another bomb blast in 2013 which killed a policeman.

The suspect is also accused of receiving training at a Hezbollah-operated camp.

"Forensic tests from the Sitra bombsite indicate that high-grade explosives, in other words, C4, were used," the police official said, adding that the explosives were similar to the substance seized in a foiled attempt by Iranian handlers to smuggle explosives into Bahrain last month.

"This is yet another disturbing incident where Iranian intervention is attempting to undermine security and stability in Bahrain," he said.

Bahrain has long accused Iran of trying to stir up unrest among the country's Shiite population. It recalled its ambassador from Tehran last Saturday over what it described as hostile statements made by Iran's officials.

However, Tehran denies such finger-pointing. Following Bahrain's bombing last month, Iran's Foreign Ministry dismissed the Gulf nation's accusations as "state media propaganda" and condemned the bombing.

"Terrorism and extremism are the main challenges facing the region," Iran's spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham was quoted as saying by Iran's Press TV on its website. Endit