Terrorism and the war against it require functioning collective action which, in itself, requires a flow of information that can help decision makers understand the challenges posed by collective adversaries and the manner in which allies develop their counter-terrorism capabilities. 

The Euro-Gulf Information Centre (EGIC) is proud to announce a weekly bulletin service that presents country briefings on terrorism-related news each week. In this way, we hope to make a contribution to enhancing EU-Gulf relations in the war against terrorism and extremist ideologies.

By: Wouter Jansen 

 

Kingdom of Bahrain

30 October 2017 – A women named Hajar Mansoor Hassan, detained in Bahrain, has been sentenced to three years in prison, under counter-terrorism laws, for planting a fake bomb. 

30 October 2017 – A Bahraini court has sentenced 19 individuals to prison terms on charges of being Iranian spies. In a statement released by the counter-terrorism prosecutor’s office, the individuals were caught leaking information to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Iranian backed Hezbollah in Lebanon in exchange for material support. 

31 October 2017 – Ten men have been sentenced to life in prison and had their citizenship revoked by a court in Bahrain on charges of forming a terrorist cell with the goal of carrying out attacks. The ten men supposedly underwent training in the use of weapons and bombs in Iraq and Iran. 

 

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

4 November 2017 – Saudi Arabia has a new anti-terror law that hands increased sentences to anyone involved in terrorism. Carrying out a terrorist attack that results in the deaths of others is now punishable by the death penalty. Also, supporting terrorism in any way, carrying firearms or explosives and setting up – or being the leader of – a terrorist organisations now can give you a sentence between 10 and 30 years in prison. 

 

6 November 2017 – Saudi Arabia’s Gulf Affairs Minister, Thamer al Sabhan, stated in a tweet that ‘the Gulf [states] will not accept that Lebanon becomes a platform for terrorism to make its way to our countries.’

6 November 2017 – Saudi Arabia has composed a list with 40 names of leaders and other participants – responsible for planning, supporting and carrying out terrorist attacks – of the Houthi group in Yemen. Saudi Arabia has linked a total reward of $440 million (or Dh.1.616 billion) to information that leads to the capture of these individuals 

 

Note on the terrorist attacks in New York on 31 October 2017:

All member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council have expressed their condolences in the wake of the terrorist attack in New York, have condemned the attack and expressed their wishes for further cooperation in combatting terrorism.