A Bahraini youth opposition group Monday claimed responsibility for blowing up a car in Manama overnight, which authorities blamed on a “terrorist group” just days ahead of the Formula One Grand Prix.
There were no casualties in the blast and no damage other than to the car itself, police said in a statement.
“A terrorist group used a gas cylinder to burn a car in Manama at night on Sunday causing an explosion, causing no damage” the statement said.
The radical youth February 14 Movement claimed responsibility for the blast in a statement on its Twitter account, saying it was aimed at disrupting “activity in Manama’s financial centre in opposition to holding the Formula One race” in Bahrain om Sunday.
Bahraini security services have launched a probe into the attack aimed at “attracting the attention of the media” before the controversial race, official BNA news agency quoted a government official as saying.
The blast in Manama came as police fired tear gas and sound bombs to disperse protesters chanting “no, no to F1″ in several Shiite villages around the capital late on Sunday, witnesses said. No casualties were reported in the protests.
Sunni-ruled Bahrain has vowed to take “appropriate” security measures ahead of the April 19-21 Grand Prix, as Shiite demonstrators keep up daily protests.
Under the banner “Democracy is our right,” the mainly-Shiite opposition organised a week of protests that began on Friday to coincide with the lead-up to the race.
The major Shiite bloc, Al-Wefaq, said on Sunday that 98 people have been arrested and 31 wounded in clashes with police so far this month.
According to Human Rights Watch, police have been rounding up pro-democracy activists in bid to head off protests over the Gulf state’s hosting of the race.
Last year’s Bahrain Grand Prix went ahead against a backdrop of police using tear gas, sound bombs and birdshot to disperse protesters throwing stones and petrol bombs.
Bahrain was rocked by month-long pro-democracy protests led by the kingdom’s Shiite majority in early 2011 that were crushed with the help of Saudi-led troops.
Protests have continued in Shiite villages outside the capital. Human rights groups say a total of 80 people have been killed since February 2011.
Car blast ahead of Bahrain Grand Prix, no casualties
