Iranian mobile phone chips, currency found in suspects’ homes
This undated file photo shows cars traveling along the King Fahd Causeway linking the two Gulf Kingdoms of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. (Reuters)
Manama, Asharq Al-Awsat—Authorities have arrested five more suspects involved in an attempt to smuggle high-grade explosives into Saudi Arabia, Bahrain’s Interior Ministry said on Saturday.
Bahrain’s Public Security Chief Maj Gen. Tariq Al-Hassan said the five suspects had been arrested in Bahrain in a joint operation conducted by the Bahraini and Saudi security services.
The homes of the five suspects were searched after warrants were issued from Bahrain’s Public Prosecution, the Bahrain News Agency (BNA) confirmed.
A number of explosive materials as well documents detailing bomb-making instructions and information on military patrols were found at the residences and then confiscated by the security services.
Several laptops, portable hard disks and cameras were also confiscated, as well as mobile phones and a number of Iranian mobile phone chips. Iranian, Saudi, and Jordanian currencies were also found at the residences.
This follows the announcement on Friday by Saudi Arabia’s Interior Ministry that two suspects had been arrested by Saudi authorities earlier that day on the King Fahd Causeway, a series of oversea bridges which connects both countries.
The suspects were apprehended at the causeway’s entrance as they were attempting to drive a vehicle into Saudi Arabia containing 14 bags of RDX paste and 50 detonators, according to Gulf News.
RDX, a high-grade explosive material more powerful than the more widely used TNT, belongs to the nitramides family of explosives, which are mainly used in military operations.
Though its constituent ingredients are cheap, RDX is thought to be very difficult to manufacture.
Hassan said investigations will remain ongoing until all suspects involved are arrested, adding that Bahraini and Saudi authorities would continue to cooperate on the case.
Both countries have previously cooperated on several other similar cases, he said.
Bahraini police foiled an attempt last month to smuggle similar explosive materials into Saudi Arabia via the King Fahd Causeway. Hassan said the materials were also similar to those which Bahraini authorities had seized in December 2013 from a boat headed to Saudi Arabia from Bahraini waters.
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