Bahraini security chief accuses Iran

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MANAMA, Bahrain, Feb. 20 (UPI) -- The head of security in Bahrain accused the Iranian Revolutionary Guard of masterminding terror plots to attack public officials and military sites.

Maj. Gen. Tariq Hassan al-Hassan, Bahrain's Public Security chief, revealed at a news conference Tuesday in Manama that a member of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard identified as "Abu Nasser" masterminded terror plots.

Cell members, he said, were trained in the use of firearms, explosives, compiling intelligence and photographing sensitive sites in Iranian Revolutionary Guard camps in Iran and Hezbollah-affiliated sites in Karbala and Baghdad in Iraq, the Bahrain News Agency reported.

Abu Nasser also provided $80,000 to fund the cell's activities, Hassan said.

The terror cell included Bahrain nationals who live locally and abroad, and people from different nationalities, he said.

Bahraini security forces arrested a number of alleged cell members after information received led to covert operations to uncover the cell, he said. Security forces were searching for four cell members.

Those arrested have appeared before the Public Prosecutor to face trial, Hassan said. He didn't mention how many cell members were involved.

Last weekend, Bahrain announced the arrest of a number of people believed to have been involved in terrorist activities. The arrests were said to have stopped planned attacks.