The leading judge at the National Safety Court in Bahrain ruled that seven men accused of kidnapping and torturing a policeman during the unrest will continue to be remanded in custody.

The seven men are led by rogue clergyman Shaikh Mohammed Habib Al Saffaf, also known as Al Meqdad, who is involved in 16 other cases related to the unrest, said a report in our sister publication, the Gulf Daily News.

He was earlier jailed for 20 years for the abduction and torture of another officer and is involved in two other kidnapping cases involving policemen.

Shaikh Al Saffaf was jailed for life in June for being part of a plot to forcibly overthrow Bahrain's monarchy and having links to a foreign terrorist organisation.

It is claimed the suspects abducted policeman Saif Allah Mohammed and held him captive in one the defendant's homes until he managed to escape.

Lawyers of Al Saffaf yesterday requested more time to produce defence witnesses to give evidence after those selected were found to have gone abroad, but the request was denied.

Relatives and friends of the six other men were able to come up with alibis.

Defence lawyers will have until September 25 to present their closing statements. – TradeArabia News Service