Iran not holding any "important al-Qaeda leaders" (admitting they arrested others)

TEHRAN, May 26 (AFP) - Iran said Monday it was not holding any "important leaders" of Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda in its jails, a day after a top diplomat revealed some members of the terror network were in Iranian custody.

"Al-Qaeda members have been arrested in Iran, but the persons imprisoned are not important leaders of al-Qaeda," foreign ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi told state radio.

Asefi's comment came after Iran's ambassador to the United Nations, Javad Zarif, said that Iran was holding an undisclosed number of the group's members.

"We have had a number of al-Qaeda people in custody, and we continue to keep them in detention, and we continue to interrogate them, and once we have any information from them, we will pass them to friendly governments," Zarif told ABC News in an interview from Tehran.

Iran previously asserted that any suspected members of the militant Islamist network arrested in the Islamic republic had been quickly extradited.

The United States and Iran recently conducted discreet contacts after decades of estrangement, but those talks were broken off by Washington amid reports al-Qaeda operatives hiding in Iran were involved in planning the May 12 suicide bombings in Saudi Arabia.

The attacks on Riyadh housing compounds for Western nationals killed 34 people, including nine suicide bombers.

But Iran has insisted it has been one of the leading countries fighting terrorism. "We have probably captured more al-Qaeda people in the past 14 months than any other country," Zarif said.

OK, Iran, then send us some of those "unimportant" ones. But that would require good faith on your part, and since the US is the Great Satan, the ayatollahs do not wish to be compromised.

It is OK to lie to infidels and Jews. Not like Muslims consider infidels and Jews to be real people anyway, more like dogs who can talk (in some funny dog-talk) and walk on their back legs. And nobody feels bad about telling a dog lies, right? The dog gives its master unconditional love anyway. No matter how often the master kicks the creature.

Until it reaches a certain point. Then the dog remembers its predatory ancestry.

"Al-Qaeda members have been arrested in Iran, but the persons imprisoned are not important leaders of al-Qaeda,"

Probably "arrested" for sideline smuggling and such. Heroin into Iran seems to be a big problem.

The question is, who are the AQ member not being "held" but living in Iran anyway?

_______________________ 2002_____________________

ZALMAY KHALILZAD SAYS AL-QA’EDA GUERILLAS ARE IN IRAN 1/19/02

Tehran given details of Iranian interference in Afghanistan' 2/13/02

Laden's right-hand man imprisoned in Iran: Reports 2/17/02

IRAN DENY PRESS REPORT OF IMAN AL-ZAWAHERI'S ARREST, BUT...2/18/02

Terrorists trained by Iran tracked from Uzbekistan 4/08/02

Al-Qaida fighters leave Afghanistan through Iran and Iraq; most going home to Arab countries 6/21/02

ITALY LINKS TERROR PLOTS TO AL-QUEDA IN IRAN (10/13/02)

_______________2003____________________

Bin Laden son, al Qaeda terrorists spotted in Iran 2/15/03

Al-Qaida tied to Iran intelligence, military: Models of WTC, Pentagon at Tehran spy base (2/03)

Suspected Al Qaeda Activities in Iran Contributed to Orange Alert (5/23/03)

Iran Officials Admit to Holding Al Qaeda Operatives (5/23/03)

Al-Qaeda leaders "busy" in Iran: Rumsfeld| 5/21/03

Alleged al-Qaeda Tape Urges More Strikes (al-Zawahiri) [5/21/03]

Iran, al-Qaida link suspected

Sources: Al-Qaida in Iran Directed Saudi Bombing Newsday | 5/16/03

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