Bahrain: Disruption of Iran-linked terrorist cell announced Nov. 15

Event

On Wednesday, November 15, authorities in Bahrain announced the arrest of a terror suspect who had allegedly planned the fatal October 27 attack on a police bus near the capital of Manama. Authorities reported that the suspect is part of a now-disrupted five-person terror cell linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC); the other four members have reportedly escaped to Iran.

Context

The suspected militants bombed a police bus near Manama on October 27, killing one police officer and wounding nine others. In earlier events (not specifically tied to the terror cell targeted this week), five policemen were injured in a "terrorist explosion" outside of Manama on October 2, while on June 18, one policeman was killed and four others wounded in a blast in Diraz. The Bahraini government has consistently blamed Shi'a militants for the attacks and has claimed Iran backs these groups to destabilize the country, a claim that Tehran denies. Bahrain's Shi'a Muslims in turn accuse the royal family and the government of marginalizing their community. Weekly protests by Shi'as take place in locations across Bahrain, which sometimes result in violent clashes between demonstrators and police.

Advice

Due to the terrorist threat, individuals in Bahrain are advised to remain vigilant and report any suspicious objects or activity to local authorities. As attacks on security forces occur periodically, foreigners are advised to stay away from sites that are deemed particularly likely to be targeted (e.g. ministries, public buildings, police patrols, military zones, etc.).