Iran denies al-Qaeda members in the country

AFP and INRA via IranMania ^ | 22 June 2002 | unknown

[Kermit]

©2002 IranMania & AFP
Photo/Behrouz Mehri
Foreign ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi.

TEHRAN, June 22 (AFP) - Iran on Saturday denied US allegations that members of Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda terror network were in the country, IRNA reported.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran has deported all foreign nationls linked to or suspected of having had links to al-Qaeda, and this policy has been implemented with seriousness," foreign ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi was quoted as saying.

"Iran has acted in a very clear manner in its fight against terrorism and undocumented claims by US offcials will not scar Iran's positive past (in this respect)," he said.

"Asefi deemed recent claims by US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld over the presence of al-Qaeda members as undocumented," IRNA added.

©2002 IranMania
US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said in an ABC interview that there "isn't any doubt" that Tehran helped al-Qaeda and Taliban members escape from Afghanistan.

According to IRNA, "Rumsfeld, two weeks ago, during a visit to the al-Adid air base in Qatar which is being used by US forces, claimed that al-Qaeda members are present in Iran."

Earlier this month, US special envoy to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad also accused Iranian authorities of letting al-Qaeda militants slip into the country from neighbouring Afghanistan.

Washington and Tehran are both wary of each other's influence in western Afghanistan.

US troops involved in the hunt against al-Qaeda and the Taliban are based in western Herat province but the local governor, Ismael Khan, has also built up close relations with Iranian authorities.

The US-led campaign against al-Qaeda network and the Taliban has been concentrated in southeastern Afghanistan.

Iran was one of the fiercest opponents of the Taliban regime and a staunch supporter of the Northern Alliance which teamed up with the United States last autumn to oust the fundamentalist regime.

Relations between Washington and Tehran reached a low point earlier this year when US President George W. Bush accused Tehran of being part of an "axis of evil".

[Kermit]

Well, let's just ask Foreign ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi a couple of questions. How many Al Qaeda did you capture and depart? When? What are their names? To which countries did you deport them to? Did you notify those countries? Did you ask the US if any of these guys where on our hold lists for criminal activity?

In a way, this could confirm the story of Iran providing a pathway into Iraq for Al Qaeda. All you'd have to call it is "deportation".

[Types_with_Fist]

Well, that's it then. If they are denying it, we can have no doubts they are helping Al Qaeda.

[cardinal4]

"The Islamic Republic of Iran has deported all foreign nationls linked to or suspected of having had links to al-Qaeda, and this policy has been implemented with seriousness," foreign ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi was quoted as saying.

"I did not have sexual relations with that woman,Ms.Lewinski!"

[Joe Boucher]

Lies. Iran and its islamic fundamentalists are a bunch of liers. They are dogs and they smell bad.

[truth_seeker]

Iran was one of the fiercest opponents of the Taliban regime and a staunch supporter of the Northern Alliance which teamed up with the United States last autumn to oust the fundamentalist regime.

This points out the complexity of things, in this part of the world. Certainly the mullah-led faction is not our friend. Longer term, I have hope that Iran may come back around.