Bahrain arrests five for allegedly planning terror strikes 

www.channelnewsasia.com First created : 16 February 2003 0815 hrs (SST) 0015 hrs (GMT) Last modified : 16 February 2003 0815 hrs (SST) 0015 hrs (GMT)

Authorities in Bahrain have broken up a terror ring of five people possibly linked to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda network.

Those arrested are all Bahrainis; two of them were from the military.Advertisement They were allegedly planning terrorist attacks against US military interests in the Gulf state, which is the headquarters of the US Navy's Fifth Fleet.

"Security forces arrested a cell which was planning terrorist attacks after receiving information on their movement which targeted national interests in the kingdom and the lives of innocent nationals," said the official Bahrain News Agency (BNA), quoting a security official.

Officials say a significant cache of weapons and ammunition was seized during the arrests.

Authorities are trying to establish if the cell is linked to groups inside or outside Bahrain.

"Investigations have started with this terrorist group to find out if they belong to certain political organisations or if they were working alone," the security official said.

The arrests came amid heightened anti-American feeling in the Gulf ahead of a possible US-led attack on Iraq.

Security has been beefed up in Bahrain, where some 4,000 US troops are stationed aboard Fifth Fleet ships.