His Excellency Minister of Interior Lt-General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa issued a statement on Thursday concerning the confiscation of five tonnes of bomb-making material on June 22.  In the statement, He thanked the officers of the Ministry of Interior for their bravery and dedication in uncovering a bomb factory in Salmabad containing very high-intensity explosives.  

"These bombs had the potential to cause significant damage, including death of innocent civilians and extensive damage to property," He said, adding that: "We will utilise all of our resources and spare no expense to hunt down these terrorists and bring them to justice."  

However, he said that it was not the responsibility of law-enforcement officers alone to bring these terrorists to justice. The entire community shares this responsibility, including the family and friends of the suspects. "The actions of these men not only violate the law, but also violate our deeply-held morals, peaceful culture and way of life. Every citizen, man and woman, young and old, has the responsibility to condemn these terrorists and their heinous acts."  

HE said that change and reform in our society would never be realised through violent means. Instead, it will come through peaceful negotiations where all sides and points of view are heard.

"The business community and commercial enterprises also play a very important role in ensuring that the material that can be used to make the bombs is properly controlled and accounted for," HE the Minister said. "Apart from Customs Affairs, there are other ministries, such as the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Municipalities & Urban Development, who have the responsibility to ensure that the rules and regulations governing the sale and distribution of such material are complied with. It is important to work in cooperation with the government to ensure the safety of the community."

He concluded by saying that he was seriously concerned about the rise in the number of young men who engaged in criminal behaviour including Molotov cocktails attacks on police. “Parents have the responsibility to control their children and know where they are at all times of the day. There are laws that hold parents accountable for the welfare of their children. If these laws need to be strengthened then Parliament must examine this issue.”

He also said: “We should thank policemen for endangering their lives to prevent disasters.”