MANAMA, March 18, (RTRS): A Bahraini teenager has been arrested by the Gulf Arab state’s police on suspicion of throwing a small explosive device at the British embassy in Manama, a local daily reported on Thursday.
“The 17-year-old is suspected of throwing a ‘small homemade explosive device’ at the embassy,” Bahrain’s Gulf Daily News said.
The paper said the attack on Tuesday might have been related to a recent row involving the British envoy in the kingdom.
“We do feel that this incident’s background is related to what has been written in the Press over recent weeks in relation to Bowden’s meeting with members of the Al Wefaq parliamentary bloc,” Gulf Daily news said citing a British embassy spokesman.
Ambassador Jamie Bowden has been accused of interfering in Bahrain’s internal affairs after meeting with members of a Shiite parliamentary bloc who have demanded Bahrain’s cabinet be chosen by its elected parliament.
On Wednesday, Dubai-based Gulf News reported that hundreds of Bahraini activists have called for the expulsion of Bowden over the issue.
Majority Shiite Bahrain, home to the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet, is ruled by the Sunni Muslim al-Khalifa family but has an elected parliament. The Shiite population complains of discrimination in jobs and services. Officials deny this.