Twelve Bahrainis have been sentenced to life behind bars for being part of a terrorist cell that received training in explosives in Syria, Iran and Iraq.

They also planned attacks across Bahrain and supplied foreign terrorist organisations with information about the country's military facilities, reported the Gulf Daily News, our sister publication.

Prosecutors say the men wanted to set up a military wing in Bahrain similar to Hizbollah that targets civilians, property and police.

They also made homemade weapons and ammunition after receiving militia training from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and Iraqi Hizbollah.

Authorities confiscated 13 homemade shotguns found in the men's homes, according to court documents.

The High Criminal Court yesterday jailed all 12 men for 25 years, including six who were sentenced in absentia.

It also handed out 15-year jail terms and BD1,000 ($2,600) fines to two others for being part of the terrorist cell.

"One of the defendants used his connections with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and Iraqi Hizbollah and recruited the rest of the defendants to the terrorist group," read court verdict documents.

Funding

"They travelled to Iran and Iraq with the help of his funding during 2011 and 2013.

"They learned how to dismantle and assemble weapons and make and use explosives. They were shown videos of American military members coming under attack in Iraq and other videos to learn from. They also took part in training in secret camps in Iraq, Iran and Syria."

A police witness told prosecutors two of the defendants met in Iran on February 14, 2011 and agreed to carry out terrorist attacks at key locations in Bahrain.

One of them, believed to be the mastermind, agreed to use his connections with the Iranian secret service to conduct trainings.

According to court documents, the terror group spent at least $423,000 on rent, transport, airline tickets and boats for the training and paid $10,000 a month as "pocket money" to some of their younger members.

Around $40,000 a month was also reportedly paid to rioters in Bahrain. – TradeArabia News Service