Saraya al-Mukhtar’s ‘self-described goal is to depose the Bahraini government,’ Pompeo says
The United States labeled the Iranian-backed and Bahrain-based Saraya al-Mukhtar group as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist, the Jewish News Syndicate (JNS) reported on Tuesday.
Saraya al-Mukhtar’s “self-described goal is to depose the Bahraini government with the intention of paving the way for Iran to exert greater influence in Bahrain,” US State Secretary Mike Pompeo said in a statement.
“The group has plotted attacks against US personnel in Bahrain and has offered cash rewards for the assassination of Bahraini officials,” he disclosed.
On its connections with Iran, Pompeo stated that Saraya al-Mukhtar is “reportedly receiving financial and logistic support from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.”
Following the designation, the State Department sanctioned all of the group’s property in the US and proscribed any Americans from engaging with it, according to JNS.
On Monday, the US for the first time accused Iran of direct involvement in the “probable death” of former FBI agent Bob Levinson, who vanished 13 years ago, and imposed sanctions on two Iranian intelligence agents.
“The government of Iran pledged to provide assistance in bringing Bob Levinson home, but… the truth is that Iranian intelligence officers — with the approval of senior Iranian officials — were involved in Bob’s abduction and detention,” FBI Director Christopher Wray said in a statement.
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December 15, 2020, Published on i24NEWS
