Manama: Bahrain on Wednesday announced the arrest of four suspects, members of the “February 14 Coalition”, for destroying an oil pipeline last year.

The blast occurred on November 10 near Buri, a village south of the capital Manama, and Bahrain treated it as “a serious terrorist crime that targeted the highest interests of the nation and the safety of the people”.

“The fire was brought under control remarkably quickly, residents were provided protection and plans were put in place for evacuation and the provision of shelter at the centres allotted for the purpose,” the Ministry of Interior said in a statement.

The four who were arrested are all employed, aged between 23 and 27, and include a company employee who had been sentenced to 15 years in jail.

The authorities said two of the suspects had received intensive training at camps run by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, with the help of leading fugitive terrorists living in Iran.

“The terrorists in Bahrain were recruited and their expenses for travelling to Iran were provided under the guise of donations for visiting religious places. They were trained in making and using bombs, as well as different types of weapons, such as Kalashnikovs, PKCs and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs). They also attended special security courses in which they were assigned to carry out attacks to harm the Kingdom’s economy and its oil industry,” the statement said.

The suspects planned their attack on the Buri pipeline and other terror acts immediately after returning from Iran.

“They carried out surveillance of the locations, and placed remote-controlled bombs at the pipeline. The act harmed the highest interests of the nation and its people, spread fear and caused financial losses and damage to people’s homes and other properties. People were subsequently compensated for the damage they had suffered.”

The ministry said it was still looking for three other suspects involved in the financing, planning and implementation of the crimes.

Two of the suspects, aged 34 and 35, are fugitives living in Iran and the third, 19, is a fugitive sentenced to life imprisonment.