Al Wefaq challenges Bahrain’s ban

Bahrain's Justice Ministry asked a court on Sunday to suspend the activities of the Al-Wefaq National Islamic Society for three months so the group could "correct its legal status", state news agency BNA reported.

Sectarian tensions remain in Bahrain, home to the US Fifth Fleet, three years after a popular uprising by majority Shi'ite Muslims was quashed by the Sunni-dominated leadership.

The suspension of the main opposition group threatens to further polarise the country which holds general elections later this year, which the opposition has threatened to boycott.

In a letter to the justice ministry, Wefaq said its structure complied with the kingdom's laws.

"Wefaq also mentioned that it has not received any official notification of the issue, in which the ministry claims that four of its general assemblies violated the law," it said in a statement.