MANAMA, Bahrain -- Bahraini security officials have foiled a coup attempt planned for Wednesday during the celebration of Bahrain's national day, newspapers in the Persian Gulf Arab nation reported.
A group of 53 terrorists, mostly Bahrainis, trained in arms usage in Iran, were thrown into jail over the weekend in connection with the plot, Bahraini newspapers said in frontpage reports attributed to an Interior Ministry source.
The reports, which are censored by the government before publication, said the rebels had planned to implement a coup Wednesday evening at the time the Gulf island was busy celebrating its national day with fireworks, social gatherings and carnavals.
'The terrorists,' according to the newspapers, 'plotted to battle policemen at the official ceremony in Manama and then ambush the houses of Cabinet members, killing some and taking others as hostage.'
They were also plotting to occupy the Bahraini Radio and Television offices.
Fifty of those arrested were reported to be Bahraini nationals while the remaining three 'belonged to other Gulf countries.'
But the newspapers also quoted the unidentified ministry source as saying 'some held forged documents.'
