MANAMA , Bahrain, Oct. 1 (UPI) — The Bahraini government announced the seizure of more than 1.5 tons of weapons and explosives from an underground vault near the capital of Manama.
The Interior Ministry identified the material as internationally sourced explosives, chemicals and weapons, and described the vault as capable of supporting the production of bombs.
“Authorities uncovered a sophisticated bomb-manufacturing facility that contained in excess of 1.5 tons of high-grade explosives, including C4-RDX, TNT, and other powerful chemical explosives in a counter-terrorism operation at a warehouse in a residential area in Nuwaidrat [7.4 miles from Manama],” the ministry said in a statement. “The facility had been adapted to accommodate an elaborate network of hidden underground bunkers and an above-ground manufacturing operation.”
It added an unspecified number of people, with alleged ties to Lebanon’s Hezbollah and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, had been arrested, and that the chemical composition of the seized materials was similar to traces of explosives found in recent attacks on police in the country.
Bahrain has dealt with protests and violence since the start of the Arab Spring movement in 2010. The government of the oil-rich kingdom has been accused of human rights violations.
Comment count on this article reflects comments made on Breitbart.com and Facebook. Visit Breitbart's Facebook Page.