Nazila Fathi / New York Times & Payvand News / Press TV – 2009-04-28 22:59:17
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2009/04/28/MNCF179PGN.DTL
Iran Arrests Bomb Suspects, Cites Israeli Link
Nazila Fathi / New York Times
TEHRAN (April 28, 2009) — An Iranian newspaper said Monday that the authorities had arrested a group of what it called terrorists linked to Israel, accusing them of planning to plant bombs in Tehran ahead of the June 12 elections.
The daily Kayhan newspaper [See story below] quoted the minister of intelligence, Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejehi , as saying that a “terrorist team” wanted to create “anarchy and insecurity” ahead of the elections. He did not reveal when the arrests took place or how many people had been arrested.
“According to the evidence, the Zionist regime wants to hook up with anti-revolutionary elements and use them as an instrument for its own purposes,” the minister was quoted as saying.
The accusation was the second incident in a week highlighting Iran’s long-running suspicions about and hostility toward Israel. Iran does not recognize Israel and has no diplomatic or economic ties with it.
Such are the suspicions that a serious debate erupted here last week over reports that Israeli oranges had reached Iranian markets. The oranges bore stickers indicating that had been imported from Jaffa. An Iranian official, Hossein Safaee, said the importation of the oranges was “worrisome” and demanded that the “violators should be brought to justice,” Mehr news agency said.
It was not clear how the oranges, which were in boxes marked Made in China, were imported. Some news reports said they had been shipped via Dubai and were distributed for free at one of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s speeches near Tehran.
The minister of commerce, Moahammad Sadeq Mofateh, denied that the oranges were imported legally and announced a prize of $1 billion for anyone who could prove that they were, Iranian newspapers reported.
© 2009 New York Times
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Iran Sheds Light on Arrested Terror Suspects
Payvand News / Press TV
TEHRAN (April 28, 2009) —Iran’s Intelligence Ministry has disclosed few details about an ‘Israeli-backed’ terrorist group which was plotting a wave of bombings in the country.
Intelligence Minister Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei said on Monday that the ministry had picked up on a series of suspicious activities which prompted the agency to focus its attention on the suspects.
The Iranian minister made the remarks after an announcement on Sunday that the country’s intelligence forces had arrested “a group of deceived elements … who wanted to carry out explosions, particularly before the June presidential election.”
“The leading members of the group who have so far been arrested are less than 10 people,” Mohseni-Eje’i said. He added that the group comprised of three wings — the leading wing, the supporting wing and a wing in charge of supplying required equipment.
Due to the sensitivity of the matter, however; Mohseni-Eje’i did not add further details about the group but said more information would be released once the ministry studies every aspect of their plots.
The fresh terrorist plot came after Iran in 2008 said it disbanded a terrorist cell supported by Britain, Israel and the United States responsible for killing 13 civilians and injuring more than 200 Iranians in a blast in the southern city of Shiraz.
The Intelligence Ministry later announced that the terrorist group had also planned to target Iranian oil pipelines, Tehran’s international book fair as well as scientific, religious and educational centers, and other crowded locations in different cities.
Posted in accordance with Title 17, Section 107, US Code, for noncommercial, educational purposes.
