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Bahraini court halts trial of four terror suspects
A high court on Sunday put a terrorism case on hold and agreed to wait for another court's decision on the constitutionality of a case against four Bahrainis charged with planning terror attacks in the country and having contacts with foreign terrorists, a defence attorney said. A three-judge constitutional court panel heard the defence's challenge and, after meeting privately for a few minutes, granted the defence's request. "We have a very strong case, this trial is unconstitutional," said Abdullah Hashim, one of three attorneys that brought forth the case, who said the court has the jurisdiction to examine the basis of a trial and rule on its validity.
| "Yeah! We got a constitutional right to plan terror attacks!" |
The four suspects were arrested June 22 and released a day later, then re-arrested July 14 after investigators searched their computers and allegedly found documents on making bombs and poisons. Government prosecutors could not be reached for comment on the ruling.
| They were out back pounding their heads in frustration. |
It is not clear when the constitutional court will make a ruling on the case. Hashim said a ruling by the court in the defense's favor would remove the "basis for the trial," though the prosecution could appeal the decision. The four — Yasir Kamal, Bassam Bukhuwa, Bassam al-Ali and Moheiddin Khan — were later released on November 1, but the charges were not dropped. Kamal, however, was jailed last month for fleeing from court in September.Â
Posted by: Steve White 2004-12-07 |
