MOI:

The Ministry of Interior today confirmed that an extensive joint-security operation involving the General Directorate for Criminal Investigation and Forensic Science, the Special Security Force, and the National Security Agency took place on Thursday 9 February aimed at apprehending escaped prisoners and other terrorist fugitives.

The Ministry of Interior said it has revealed details of the operation as part of its commitment to protecting citizens’ security and keeping the public informed about the level of terrorist threat in the Kingdom, noting that some security operations are still continuing.

The two operations, which took place following wide-ranging investigations into the Jau prison attack of 1 January 2017, were undertaken by the relevant security authorities. The first operation occurred at dawn in Bahrain’s surrounding waters, and was undertaken following an attempt by escapees from Jau prison to flee to Iranian waters.

A second operation undertaken by authorities was connected to the Jau prison attack, the murder of First Lt. Hisham Al Hammadi - who was gunned down in Bilad Al Qadeem on 29 January 2017 - and the shooting of a police officer in Bani Jamra on 14 January 2017.

Bahrain’s Coast Guard has released details of the first operation, which stated that at 5.28 am a vessel seeking to leave Bahraini borders and heading towards Iranian waters was monitored and intercepted in an area south of Mina Khalifa Port. Coast Guard requests to halt and warnings of interception were ignored, upon which Coast Guard personnel came under fire from the vessel. A Coast Guard spokesman said that in line with well-established protocol, self-protective fire was returned by authorised Coast Guard personnel. The exchange of fire resulted in the death of three individuals, and the ultimate arrest of seven others.

The Ministry of Interior has named the deceased as Redha Abdulla Isa Al Ghasra, 29, a fugitive sentenced to 79 years and life imprisonment, Mahmood Yousif Habib Hasan Yahya, 22, and Mustafa Yousif Yousif Abd Ali, 35.

Those arrested have been named as Mohamed Jassim Mohamed Jassim Al Abid, 28, Hamid Jassim Mohamed Jassim Al Abid, 28, and Hasan Ali Mohamed Fardan Al Shakar, 22, all of whom were involved in the terrorist attack on Jau Prison and/or aiding and abetting fugitives. Others arrested included Hani Younis Yousif Ali, 21, Ahmed Ali Ahmed Yousif, 20, Ali Hasan Ali Saleh, 38, and Ahmed Isa Ahmed Isa Al Malali, 23, who were named as being involved in the aiding and abetting of fugitives and the concealment and movement of firearms and explosives.

The Coastguard authority said that items found on the vessel included a Kalashnikov assault rifle which was used to attack the coastguard vessels, a GPS system and satellite phone, ID cards, money and personal items. The authority also noted that those arrested confirmed they were in contact with, and due to meet, accomplices in Iranian waters.

The Ministry of Interior has said that a second operation was carried out related to the apprehension of suspects involved in the murder of First Lt. Hisham Al Hammadi, a shooting of a police officer who was seriously wounded, and involvement in supporting the Jau Prison escapees. Two individuals were arrested, who were found to be in possession of two Kalashnikov rifles and three firearms. Those arrested have been named as Ali Mohamed Ali Mohamed Hakeem Al Arab, 23, who is considered the main suspect in the shooting of First Lt. Hisham Al Hammadi, and Ahmed Mohamed Saleh Al Shaikh, 26, a convicted terrorist who escaped from Jau Prison who was serving a 73-year prison sentence.

The General Directorate of Criminal Investigation and Forensic Science has confirmed that it is initiating urgent investigation into the operations’ findings to refer the cases to the Public Prosecution.

The Ministry of Interior affirmed that intensive investigations and security operations are still underway to apprehend the remaining fugitives, who have been named as:

Ammar Abdullah Issa Abdul-Hussein, 28, sentenced to two years’ and life imprisonment Mohammad Ibrahim Al Mulla Al Tooq, 26, sentenced to 28 years’ imprisonment Hassan Abdullah Issa Abdul-Hussein, 24, sentenced to life imprisonment Issa Musa Abdullah Hassan, 24, sentenced to life imprisonment Hussein Attia Mohammed Saleh, 37, sentenced to life imprisonment Sadiq Jaafar Salman Hussein, 27, sentenced to 41 years’ and life imprisonment Abdul Hussain Juma Hassan Ahmed Al Anesi, 31, sentenced to life imprisonment Hussein Jassim Isa Jassim Al Banna, 27, sentenced to 43 years’ imprisonment

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