Bahrain Authorites Confirm Homemade Bomb In Car Explosion

Manama, Bahrain- Authorities confirmed on Friday night that a homemade bomb exploded in a car which led to the death of a passenger in the Gulf state.

Police officials launched a probe after an explosion in a car in Al Daih village on Thursday.

" We found some explosive parts near the passenger´s body. This confirmed our investigations that a homemade bomb was in the car which exploded," a spokesperson from the Criminal Investigation Department here said in a statement.

The explosion wrecked the car and the passenger was burnt alive while the driver was rushed to the hospital with severe burn injuries. A special team was sent when they received a stress call to carry out rescue operation on Thursday night.

Bahrain authorities in the past have said that some men received training to plant sophisticated bombs in car and received training outside the tiny island.

"An intensive training programme was organised in Al Hujira area in Syria, where the suspects were trained on making and using sophisticated explosive devices and planting bombs in cars," LT.General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa, the Bahrain Minister of Interior said during a Press briefing. The minister was referring to a group of 14 men who planned to carry out terrorist acts in the Kingdom and harm innocent lives last year. They were arrested and confessed to their crime on live television. Last month, they were released among 178 prisoners as part of the royal pardon by the Bahraini leadership.

Before their release since the beginning of this year, protestors regularly clashed with security forces.The disturbances claimed the life of a Pakistani national who died from severe burn injuries. The 58-year-old worker was on his way to his labour accommodation in Ma'ameer village on March 8, when miscreants hurled petrol bombs at his pick up.

Security forces have encountered several attacks on them by miscreants who use petrol bombs. Miscreants have hurled these bombs at police patrols, top opposition figures to even reports in public schools.According to officials at the Ministrty of Education, last year there were fourteen arson attacks targeting educational institution.

Bahrain government has imposed heavy punishments for those using Molotov Cocktails or petrol bombs for illegal activities. In this regard, amendments have been reportedly made in the country´s Penal Code according to which mixing empty bottles with gasoline and using them during demonstrations as a punishable crime.

Bahrain is the main financial hub in the region and is home to the US Navy Fifth Fleet.