National Security Agency rules out links between Bahraini suspects and alleged pro-Iran sleeping cells
Bahrain’s National Security Agency (NSA) has denied as “baseless and lacking credibility” media reports claiming the existence of links between the suspects arrested in Bahrain and the alleged armed groups and sleeping cells ready to target Arabian Gulf countries in cases Iran is attacked.
A report published in Kuwaiti daily Al Qabas last week about the existence of sleeping cells in several Gulf countries ready to strike at local interests in case of an attack on Iran and a Bahraini statement about the arrest of Bahraini suspects members of an alleged network that received funds to undermine the country’s stability have sparked media speculations about links between the groups.
In the statement issued on Sunday evening, the NSA also denied the existence of ties or links between the suspects arrested in Bahrain and Iran, saying that investigations have revealed that the Bahrain network had external links with outlaws who called for acts of terror and sabotage and that nothing else had been proven.
The agency said that it hoped the media would not use the issue in an inaccurate context and stressed that Bahrain and Iran had a security agreement to reinforce bilateral security and stability.
Last week, Iran distanced itself from the recent wave of clashes in Bahrain, saying that countries with an agenda targeting the region were behind the incitement to acts of violence, arson and destruction of property.
“The instigators of the current violence in Bahrain are people working for countries with negative plans for the region,” Hussain Amir Abdullahian, Iran’s ambassador to Bahrain, said. “Iran does not approve any form of violence and dialogue remains the best option to express oneself, particularly under the democracy and reforms launched in Bahrain under King Hamad Bin Eisa Al Khalifa,” the ambassador told Bahraini daily Al Bilad, but without naming any of the countries commanding violence.
He rejected claims that Iran fomented sectarian divisions and caused problems in the countries of the region by supporting Shiites.
“If you speak with Bahrain’s senior officials, they will give you the names of countries that fuel sectarianism and sectarian problems. However, Iran will not be among them,” he said.
