A religious cleric was the brains behind a campaign of terror waged by anti-government thugs against Bahrain's Asian community during the height of last year's unrest, according to a detective.

The detective said investigations revealed that clergyman Mohammed Habib Al Saffaf, also known as Al Meqdad, was behind a mob that went on the rampage and attacked Asians to scare them into fleeing the country.

He made the comments at the Supreme Criminal Appeals Court yesterday as he testified in the appeal of 10 men jailed for the brutal attack on Pakistani Irfan Ahmad Baksh Muhammad, who is still receiving treatment at BDF Hospital almost 17 months later.

The detective said Mr Muhammad, who was a part-time prayer caller at a Manama mosque, had his tongue severed with a pair of scissors in the vicious attack that left him in a vegetative state.

Al Meqdad, who has been jailed for 96 years in connection with several cases connected to the unrest, is among the defendants.

"The defendants are a gang led by Al Meqdad, who put together the mob to assault Asians in Manama to scare them and kick them out during the unrest," the investigator told the court yesterday.

He also told judges that police informants had led detectives to the defendants, adding claims that Mr Muhammad was injured in a worksite accident were false.

During cross-examination by defence lawyers he also denied seeing any evidence that the defendants had been mistreated or coerced into confessing.

"They were completely fine," he said.

His comments sparked anger among the accused.

"He is the one who beat us up," and "let us question him," shouted the defendants.

Judges allowed the defendants to question the detective, but when one of the accused failed to ask a proper question and simply levelled accusations against him, judges allowed the witness to leave the hearing.

Mr Muhammad was earlier declared unfit to give evidence by judges who visited him in hospital.

He suffered severe head injuries when a gang confronted him in March last year during a campaign of violence waged against the Asian community by anti-government protesters.

Seven men were jailed for 15 years, two others were jailed for 10 years and one was jailed for four years for their part in the attack, which coincided with a spate of violence against the Asian community.

Anti-government thugs rampaged through the Manama suq attacking Asians in March last year, shortly before a State of National Safety was declared.

The attacks prompted many expatriates to flee their homes and seek shelter at the Pakistan Club, in Manama, and the Pakistan School, in Isa Town.

The appeal was adjourned yesterday until next Tuesday for the final submission of defence papers.