AFP: DUBAI: Bahrain announced Thursday the arrest of leading members of the Shiite opposition February 14 Revolution Youth Coalition, an influential clandestine cybergroup accused of links to Iran.

 

“After an extensive investigation, several members of the February 14 terrorist organization were identified … [and] the main actors who took part in criminal acts have been arrested,” the Interior Ministry said.

 

The group has been the main motor behind a Shiite-led uprising that began in 2011 to demand more rights from the ruling Sunni dynasty.

 

The ministry said the group’s spiritual leader is Hadi al-Mudaressi, a leading Shiite preacher living in the Iraqi holy city of Karbala, and said he “provided divisive sectarian support to the organization.”

 

It named 11 of those arrested, saying they had played prominent roles in the coalition inside Bahrain, and said other members were still being sought.

 

The ministry said local members of the group mainly recruit people who coordinate with subgroups that allegedly plan and carry out bombings and transfer weapons.

 

They also oversee media relations and select “agents to be sent abroad for training,” and secure houses that shelter wanted suspects.

 

The ministry also named 13 people it said were leading the coalition from abroad, some of whom are based in London. Among them is Saeed Abdul-Nabi al-Shahabi, “who is responsible for coordination with Iranian leaders.”

 

“They frequently travel between Iran, Iraq and Lebanon to obtain financial and moral support as well as weapons training,” the ministry said.

 

And they contact leaders in Iran“to receive direct financial support and field instructions.”

 

“The information presented shows the active role in incitement and terror acts and the support that is provided by extremist religious and political leaders from outside and inside Bahrain,” the statement said.

 

Bahrain also accused Lebanon’s Hezbollah– listed as a “terrorist organization” by the kingdom – and “extremists” in Iraq of interfering in its internal security affairs.

 

Tehran, which has criticized the kingdom’s crackdown on protesters, denies it is backing the uprising.