POLICEMEN have described how they had to jump from a burning vehicle after it was pelted with Molotov cocktails by rioters. A Bahraini officer, aged 32, said they had been dispatched to Janabiya when rioters blocked a highway with burning tyres. He recalled how he and three other officers came under attack and were forced to jump from the vehicle, which was moving as it was engulfed in flames. I was in the police vehicle along with three of my colleagues, he said in his statement to prosecutors. We were dispatched to Janabiya to deal with rioters who blocked a highway with burning tyres. Suddenly we saw a group of rioters running towards us holding firebombs in their hands. We tried to disperse them, but they pelted us with Molotov cocktails and our vehicle was set ablaze. The driver could not see through the windows because of the fire. We were surrounded and felt extreme heat as if we were being burnt alive. We decided we could no longer wait in the burning vehicle and had to jump out to save ourselves. Even after we escaped the car, which was turned into a fireball, we were still being targeted by the rioters. Backup arrived and helped us, but I suffered major burns to my head and chest and was transported to the BDF Hospital, while my other colleagues suffered minor injures. The officers testimony is being used as evidence in the trial of four Bahrainis charged with attempted murder, arson and possessing firebombs in connection with the attack. However, the four pleaded not guilty in the High Criminal Court yesterday. The policeman driving the vehicle said all he could see was flames. As we approached a roadblock set up by rioters, we suddenly saw them pelting us with Molotov cocktails, the 36-year-old told prosecutors. I could not see anything in front of me because the car was completely on fire. It was extremely hot and we could no longer stay in the vehicle. The car finally came to a stop and we all jumped out and were taken to the BDF Hospital. The trial was adjourned until December 25 for review.
Posted on: Tue, 25 Nov 2014 07:01:52 +0000
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