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A Bahraini minister reportedly who was reportedly arrested and quizzed Thursday over money-laundering charges was questioned about military data that was sent to Iran, local press reported on Monday.

"The Bahraini security agencies showed the minister suspected of money-laundering and his office director, during the interrogation session, an electronic chip carrying photos of some military sites in Bahrain that was sent to an Iranian security agency," al-Bilad newspaper quoted as saying an unidentified source, which it described as reliable.

On Friday, Bahrain's Interior Ministry said a senior official was arrested over accusations of conducting money-laundering operations inside Bahrain and abroad, providing no details on the suspect's identity. Yet, local press reports identified the official as Mansour bin Rajab, a minister without a portfolio, who was released later for health reasons.

The minister denied any involvement in the alleged money- laundering operations, that some local media reports said, mounted to 12 million Bahraini dinars (31.8 U.S. million dollars).

The paper also said the minister did not show up at the weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday, the first since the allegations were made, although the minister told reporters he will attend. A source close to the minister was quoted by the paper as saying that the minister is "definitively" barred from attending the meetings.

Al-Bilad also quoted sources at... >>>