Bahrain arrests alleged Iranian spy cell amid regional tensions

Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior has announced a series of arrests over the past 24 hours, including individuals accused of spying for Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and others alleged to have praised Iranian attacks online.

The General Directorate of Criminal Investigation and Forensic Science said four Bahraini citizens — Murtada Hussein Awal, Ahmed Issa Al-Haiki, Sarah Abdulnabi Marhoon and Elias Salman Mirza — had been detained, while a fifth suspect remains abroad.

According to the official statement, the detainees are accused of conducting espionage activities on behalf of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, including photographing and gathering coordinates of sensitive and vital locations across Bahrain using high-resolution equipment. Authorities said the information was allegedly transmitted to Iranian contacts through encrypted communication software.

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Manama described the activities as a direct threat to national security, particularly under the current regional circumstances.

In a separate development, Bahrain’s Cybercrime Directorate arrested six individuals accused of publishing videos on social media showing the aftermath of what the government described as “Iranian aggression” and praising the attacks.

The Ministry said the posts aimed to mislead public opinion and spread fear, warning citizens and residents against sharing unofficial information that could disrupt public order.

The arrests come amid heightened security tensions after Bahrain was struck by Iranian attacks targeting the headquarters of the US Fifth Fleet in Manama on 28th February. Authorities said the measures form part of wider security operations launched in response to the incident.

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