Iran-backed plotters need to get their shit together: Iran plots through the ages

It has become a well worn and familiar trope in Bahrain, ‘Government foil Iran-backed plot’. Usually when there’s a bout of unrest, dozens are arrested and most miraculously ‘confess’ to being part of the plot. Most of the plots involve the conspirators stockpiling guns and weapons and confessing. There have also been plenty of fake news stories about non-existent dows heading to Bahrain to bring weapons. Ironically, when Bahrainis aren’t smuggling weapons into Bahrain they are attempting to take weapons out of Bahrain back to Iran. Naturally this begs the question, can’t all these Iranian agents decide if they’re trying to flea Bahrain or overthrow the regime? Whereas I am being ironic, presumably the Bahraini government are just being liberal with the truth….

Some news stories about Iran-backed plots, 1981, 1996, 2014, 2017

Below are a few news clippings from various papers about Iran-backed plots. This is not exhaustive, just a flavour.

In 1981, roughly 65 people were arrested for being part of a coup attempt backed by Iran. At least 52 confessed.

In 1996, another Iranian-backed plot was discovered. Not only were they trained in Iran, but apparently they reported directly to Iran’s leader, Ali Khamenei! Of the 44 Bahrainis, 34 confessed to being behind the plot. Apparently they were also tasked with gathering information on US forces in Bahrain (not sure how this works exactly, dressing up like Uncle Sam and striding into a nightclub frequented by US marines?)

A few plots have been unearthed since 2011. In 2014, more confessions were extracted about an Iran backed plot. Like the 1981 plot, this was led by Hadi al-Mudarrasi.

In March 2017, the authorities have announced yet another Iran-backed plot. Again, these guys were trained by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, and Hezbollah. Yet again, the authorities seized bombs and automatic weapons. The evidence also implicated people in the Feb bomb blast. (Presumably if you are planning an assassination attempt, you carry out low level bomb attacks to draw attention to yourself first, oh yeah, and like with the other occasions, you rarely use the automatic weapons). Expect confessions soon….