A high-tech facility designed to house Bahrain's most dangerous criminals and terrorists will be set up in a bid to prevent future jailbreaks, a report said.

The Interior Ministry's announcement follows last week's escape from a prison transport by notorious criminal Redha Al Ghasra, who was jailed last year for a combined total of 80 years after being convicted in several terror cases and allegedly received training from Iran's Revolutionary Guard and Hizbollah.

It forms part of the ministry's strategy to prevent any future security lapses after Public Security Chief Major General Tariq Al Hassan admitted that lapses have been found at the country's largest prison facility in Jaw and also in the Dry Dock Detention Centre in Hidd.

"We found shortcomings in the Jaw and Dry Dock prison facilities," Major Gen Al Hassan was quoted as saying in the Gulf Daily News, our sister publication.

"We are working on proper measures to house high-profile criminals and terrorists within the prison facility."

He was speaking at a Press conference in the Public Security Officers Club in Gudaibiya concerning the latest developments following a prison break on April 21, in which two detainees escaped.

Redha Al Ghasra and Hussain Al Bana were subsequently captured at a house in Saar - two days after their jailbreak, following a nationwide manhunt.

They were found hiding out along with seven other wanted individuals in a house that contained a cache of weapons, bullets, explosives and remote-control detonators.

"Such cases of detainees escaping happen in some of the most famous prisons in the world," said Major Gen Al Hassan. "One of the two detainees is highly trained and managed to escape from Jaw prison.”

Interior Minister Shaikh Rashid bin Abdulla Al Khalifa ordered an immediate investigation following the escape and instructed the Reformation and Rehabilitation Directorate to be moved under the supervision of the Interior Ministry Under-Secretary in an attempt to prevent a repetition of the incident.

Major Gen Al Hassan said that the Interior Ministry was in the final stages of implementing a plan that includes beefing up security at all detention facilities and training personnel.

"We are aware of the shortcomings (detected) and are working with all bodies concerned to prevent such cases," he said, adding that action will be taken against any prison guards or other officials found to have been negligent by a special probe panel set up to investigate the case.

Meanwhile, the Public Security chief said he "cannot comment" on claims made by Al Wefaq National Islamic Society that more than 300 prisoners in Jaw Prison were on hunger strike for two days due to alleged human rights violations.

"We provide them (the inmates) with food and medicine and they are looked after, it is up to the Public Prosecution to investigate this matter," he said. – TradeArabia News Service