Bahrain Mirror (Reuters): Bahrain's High Criminal Court has sentenced 29 people to jail terms ranging from five to 25 years for detonating an explosive device intended to kill policemen in 2014, state news agency Bahrain News Agency (BNA) reported on Wednesday.

The attack last December injured security personnel and damaged patrol vehicles, BNA said.

The court also revoked the citizenship of two of those jailed and ordered 27 to pay damages of 2782.130 Bahraini dinars ($7,389.46), terror crime prosecution chief advocate General Ahmed Al-Hammadi was quoted as saying.

"The defendants will continue to be afforded full legal rights and access to their legal counsel in accordance with the laws," the statement said.

The Sunni Muslim-led island kingdom, which hosts the U.S. Fifth Fleet, has experienced sporadic unrest after mass protests by the majority Shi'ites in 2011 demanding a bigger role in government. The government denies opposition charges it discriminates against Shi'ites.

Bahrain says the opposition has a sectarian agenda and is backed by Shi'ite power Iran, a charge Shi'ite groups deny.