Posted on 04/03/2007 3:34:02 PM PDT by Alter Kaker
A Pakistani tribal militant group responsible for a series of deadly guerrilla raids inside Iran has been secretly encouraged and advised by American officials since 2005, U.S. and Pakistani intelligence sources tell ABC News.
The group, called Jundullah, is made up of members of the Baluchi tribe and operates out of the Baluchistan province in Pakistan, just across the border from Iran.
It has taken responsibility for the deaths and kidnappings of more than a dozen Iranian soldiers and officials.
U.S. officials say the U.S. relationship with Jundullah is arranged so that the U.S. provides no funding to the group, which would require an official presidential order or "finding" as well as congressional oversight.
Tribal sources tell ABC News that money for Jundullah is funneled to its youthful leader, Abd el Malik Regi, through Iranian exiles who have connections with European and Gulf states.
Jundullah has produced its own videos showing Iranian soldiers and border guards it says it has captured and brought back to Pakistan.
The leader, Regi, claims to have personally executed some of the Iranians.
"He used to fight with the Taliban. He's part drug smuggler, part Taliban, part Sunni activist," said Alexis Debat, a senior fellow on counterterrorism at the Nixon Center and an ABC News consultant who recently met with Pakistani officials and tribal members.
"Regi is essentially commanding a force of several hundred guerrilla fighters that stage attacks across the border into Iran on Iranian military officers, Iranian intelligence officers, kidnapping them, executing them on camera," Debat said.
Most recently, Jundullah took credit for an attack in February that killed at least 11 members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard riding on a bus in the Iranian city of Zahedan.
Last month, Iranian state television broadcast what it said were confessions by those responsible for the bus attack.
They reportedly admitted to being members of Jundullah and said they had been trained for the mission at a secret location in Pakistan.
The Iranian TV broadcast is interspersed with the logo of the CIA, which the broadcast blamed for the plot.
A CIA spokesperson said "the account of alleged CIA action is false" and reiterated that the U.S. provides no funding of the Jundullah group.
Pakistani government sources say the secret campaign against Iran by Jundullah was on the agenda when Vice President Dick Cheney met with Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf in February.
A senior U.S. government official said groups such as Jundullah have been helpful in tracking al Qaeda figures and that it was appropriate for the U.S. to deal with such groups in that context.
Some former CIA officers say the arrangement is reminiscent of how the U.S. government used proxy armies, funded by other countries including Saudi Arabia, to destabilize the government of Nicaragua in the 1980s.
Yellow-on-Red
It’s worth funding these group to annoy the Iranians and ripping off some of the money and security force for security from Iran that would have been used to aide the Iraq terrorists.
Jundullah, not blue, but not red, though yellow (neutral or the grey that could do damage both ways) until the Iranian regime falls.
It is possible (however dubious) that the Administration (the President) intentionally leaked this information, perhaps as part of an attempt to compel the Islamic Republic of Iran to release or deport the British “spies” that they now hold. Regardless of the source, it’s likely that much of the story, especially the details, is untrue unless its authors intended it as part of their espionage operation.
I wonder what she’s gonna wear tomorrow? A GP medium or a fumigation tent?
Accurate pic -but it leaves out the Washington (com-)Post.
I’d encourage folks to read the entire article and then consider the sources this article is based on. I’m not saying it couldn’t be true, but I am saying that I wouldn’t take the word of Iran, unnamed sources and ABC.
And I agree with you. When bad people kill bad people, it’s a win-win situation.
Swallowing the MSM vernacular whole aren't you? Terrorists??
The attack by the Baluchis was on Iranian Army units. Thats not terrorism....thats war against a country that is killing our guys in Iraq...and has been killing Baluchi tribesman for ages! Evidently about 20 Iranian soldiers were killed. Terrorism, by defination, targets civilians.
As for funding...sounds to me we are using appropriate "cut-outs" to keep it legal and above board.
Maybe it was done on purpose to send Iran a message that we’re doing something, particularly in light of those 15 Brit hostages.
I really don’t care who we employ to kill al-Qaeda creeps and long as al-Qaeda has to perpetually look over their shoulder at every shadow that they encounter. All al-Qaeda members should exist with a dead-or-alive poster giving anyone a reward for killing them.
Why do I have the feeling we’re about to get snake-bit with this?
(This measure has not been amended since it was passed by the House on September 28, 2006. The summary of that version is repeated here.)
Iran Freedom Support Act - Title I: Codification of Sanctions Against Iran - (Sec. 101) States that U.S. sanctions with respect to Iran imposed pursuant to sections 1 and 3 of Executive Order 12957, sections 1(e), 1(g), and 3 of Executive Order 12959, and sections 2, 3, and 5 of Executive Order 13059 (relating to exports and certain other transactions with Iran), as in effect on January 1, 2006, shall remain in effect. Authorizes the President to terminate such sanctions in whole or in part: (1) upon congressional notification; and (2) without prior notification under exigent circumstances (but within three days of such action).
Prohibits anything in this Act from affecting sanctions, controls, or regulations relating to Iranian support of international terrorism.
Title II: Amendments to the Iran and Libya Sanctions Act of 1996 and Other Provisions Related to Investment in Iran - (Sec. 201) Amends the Iran and Libya Sanctions Act of 1996 to authorize case-by-case waiver of sanctions (up to six months with renewable six-month periods) against nationals of a country if the President certifies to the appropriate congressional committees that the waiver is vital to U.S. security interests.
States that the President should initiate an investigation leading to the possible imposition of sanctions against a person upon receipt of credible information that such person is engaged in prohibited petroleum investment activity in Iran.
(Sec. 202) Imposes (two or more) mandatory sanctions on a person or entity that knowingly helps Iran acquire or develop chemical, nuclear, or biological weapons of mass destruction or destabilizing types and numbers of conventional weapons. Makes such provision effective with respect to actions taken on or after June 6, 2006.
(Sec. 203) Adds a requirement that Iran be determined to pose no significant threat to U.S. national security, interests, or allies in order to lift sanctions against entities investing in Iran's petroleum industry.
(Sec. 204) Extends such Act's sunset provision to December 31, 2011.
(Sec. 205) Renames the the Iran and Libya Sanctions Act of 1996 as the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996.
Title III: Promotion of Democracy for Iran - (Sec. 301) Declares that it should be U.S. policy to support: (1) efforts by the Iranian people to exercise self-determination over their country's form of government; and (2) independent human rights and peaceful pro-democracy forces in Iran.
States that nothing in this Act shall be construed as authorizing the use of force against Iran.
(Sec. 302) Authorizes the President to provide financial and political assistance to eligible foreign and domestic individuals and groups that support democracy in Iran, including assistance for radio and television broadcasting into Iran. Prohibits assistance from being used to support the use of force against Iran.
States that assistance may be provided only to an individual, organization, or entity that: (1) officially opposes the use of violence and terrorism and has not been designated as a foreign terrorist organization during the preceding four years; (2) advocates Iran's adherence to nonproliferation regimes for nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons and materiel; (3) supports adoption of a democratic government in Iran; (4) is dedicated to respect for human rights, including equality of women; (5) works to establish equality of opportunity for people; and (6) supports freedoms of press, speech, association, and religion.
Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) support for a transition to democracy in Iran should be expressed by U.S. representatives and officials in all appropriate international fora; and (2) U.S. officials and representatives should support indigenous efforts in Iran calling for democratic elections and draw international attention to Iran's violations of human rights, freedom of religion, freedom of assembly, and freedom of the press.
Authorizes appropriations.
Terminates authority to provide assistance under this section on December 31, 2011.
Title IV: Policy of the United States to Facilitate the Nuclear Nonproliferation of Iran - (Sec. 401) Expresses the sense of Congress that it should be U.S. policy to not bring into force an agreement for cooperation with the government of any country that is assisting Iran's nuclear program or transferring advanced conventional weapons or missiles to Iran unless the President has determined that: (1) Iran has suspended and will end all enrichment-related and reprocessing-related activity (except uranium conversion exclusively for export to foreign nuclear fuel production facilities pursuant to internationally agreed arrangements); or (2) such other country has suspended all nuclear assistance to Iran and all transfers of advanced conventional weapons and missiles to Iran, and is committed to maintaining that suspension until Iran has implemented measures that would permit such presidential determination.
Title V: Prevention of Money Laundering for Weapons of Mass Destruction - (Sec. 501) Includes money laundering activities involved in the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction or missiles in the federal provisions regulating certain monetary transactions.
| 9/27/2006 | Introduced in House |
| 9/28/2006 | Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote. |
| 9/30/2006 | Passed/agreed to in Senate: Passed Senate without amendment by Unanimous Consent. |
| 9/30/2006 | Signed by President. |
| 9/30/2006 | Became Public Law No: 109-293 [Text, PDF] |
Bogging the Bush administration down for the last two years with Iran/Contra II appears to be the goal here.
So?
Hezbollah kills people all around the world.
“Bogging the Bush administration down for the last two years with Iran/Contra II appears to be the goal here.”
Didn’t harm Ollie North any?
Did he go to prison?
And you forget this important factor.
The Democrat congress at the time wouldn’t fund money to combat the Communist insurgents in Central America...all sponsored by the Soviet Union and Castro.
Remember Kerry going down to Central America to shake hands with Ortega?
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/fr/1100821/posts
Ollie North had to do something to keep Communist out of Central America. Sorry if it wasn’t ethnical enough for you.
The Soviets and Democrat sympathizers never think twice spreading their influence in the world.
Did you know the Soviets supported Arafat with KGB money and caused most of the problems we have now in the Middle East?
Anyway that’s ancient history.
Everyday Iranians had enough with the Mullahs. Young people don’t have employment and the economy in a shambles.
It’s a house of cards.
WTF? Did I say anything about ethics, pro or con? My point was that the MSM and the Dems continues to look for issues to bog down the administration. It doesn't matter what the details of the issues are. Right vs. wrong, moral vs. immoral means nothing to them. They successfully damaged Ollie and Reagan as far as they are concerned and the term "Iran/Contra" is a short step below "Watergate" when it comes to a history of Washington scandals.
If ABC can get the rest of the MSM to take interest in this, they can fill their evening news up with more example of a "corrupt Bush administration". They don't want to just see W go away. They want to put him away.
Out of curiosity, what does this article have to do with Al Qaeda?
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