Special to WorldTribune.com

ABU DHABI — Bahrain, faced with repeated Shi’ite bombings, has reported a security upgrade.

Officials said the Gulf Cooperation Council kingdom introduced measures and equipment to enhance security.

The officials said Bahrain’s security forces were confronting a growing threat of improvised explosive devices.

“The materials used to manufacture homemade bombs are easily available in supermarkets and accessible,” Bahrain Public Security Directorate chief Maj. Gen. Tariq Al Hassan said. “There are some measures taken to counter this, and we hope it is a success.”

In a briefing on April 27, Al Hassan cited the targeting of police by Shi’ite insurgents. The official, deemed the architect of Manama’s counter-insurgency campaign, said the insurgents were being supported by a foreign power believed to be Iran.

“Generally speaking, terrorism in Bahrain is because of external support whether it’s financially, through the media or training,” Al Hassan said. “Look at the case last year where huge quantities of weapons were being smuggled into Bahrain.”

Al Hassan said his directorate was overseeing the training of police and
security forces to identify and neutralize IEDs. He said Shi’ite villages
around Manama were used to assemble and conceal IEDs.

“The protection of our policemen is important and we are training them
as well as providing equipment to deal with these threats,” Al Hassan said.
“There will be many new measures soon introduced to protect policemen.”

Al Hassan said Bahrain has acquired and deployed what he termed advanced
safety equipment for security forces. The security chief said Bahrain was
foiling major bombing plots.

“Let me assure you, there is a strategy in place to deal with these new
threats and we have foiled several such terror plots successfully, some
which are not known to the public,” Al Hassan said.

  Bahrain upgrades security to counter wave of Shi’ite insurgent bombings, IEDs, Maj. Gen. Tariq Al Hassan, Manama