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Several people allegedly planning to detonate homemade bombs during Bahrain’s national celebrations have been arrested, security officials say.

According to media reports from the Gulf state, the attacks were planned to take place on the anniversary of the king’s coronation.

It is not clear how many people were arrested in Tuesday’s operation.

The bombs would have contained “large amounts of small iron balls”, said a statement quoted by AFP news agency.

Bahrain, linked to Saudi Arabia by a causeway, is ruled by King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifah.

There are long-running tensions between Bahrain’s ruling Sunnis and the Shia Muslim majority. On occasion, these have spilled over into civil unrest.

It is a close ally of the US and is home to the American navy’s Fifth Fleet.

No major terrorist attacks have ever been carried out on its soil.

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A new report by the U.S. Army War College talks about the possibility of Pentagon resources and troops being used should the economic crisis lead to civil unrest, such as protests against businesses and government or runs on beleaguered banks.

“Widespread civil violence inside the United States would force the defense establishment to reorient priorities in extremis to defend basic domestic order and human security,” said the War College report.

The study says economic collapse, terrorism and loss of legal order are among possible domestic shocks that might require military action within the U.S.

International Monetary Fund Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn warned Wednesday of economy-related riots and unrest in various global markets if the financial crisis is not addressed and lower-income households are hurt by credit constraints and rising unemployment.

U.S. Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., and U.S. Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Calif., both said U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson brought up a worst-case scenario as he pushed for the Wall Street bailout in September. Paulson, former Goldman Sachs CEO, said that might even require a declaration of martial law, the two noted.

State and local police in Arizona say they have broad plans to deal with social unrest, including trouble resulting from economic distress. The security and police agencies declined to give specifics, but said they would employ existing and generalized emergency responses to civil unrest that arises for any reason.

“The Phoenix Police Department is not expecting any civil unrest at this time, but we always train to prepare for any civil unrest issue. We have a Tactical Response Unit that trains continually and has deployed on many occasions for any potential civil unrest issue,” said Phoenix Police spokesman Andy Hill.

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