Posted on 08/13/2003 8:47:45 PM PDT by Valin
Today’s Asharq Al-Awsat contained a story detailing how Aiman Al-Zawahiri, al-Qaeda’s second-in-command, and Imad Mughniyah, a top Hezballah leader, secretly left Iran only a few days ago, due to increased pressure from the Iranian government. Below is a summary of the article.
---- “Aiman al-Zawahiri and Imad Mughniyah left Iran recently. Fears that Saif al-Adel and Sa’ed Bin Laden might escape too.”
“An incident in the Maher Abad airport reveals a plan to smuggle al-Qaeda leaders with the help of elements non-submissive to the government.”
According to Asharq Al-aswat, Imad Mughniyah, a Hezballah leader and one of the world’s most wanted terrorists, left Iran two days ago, after a 14-month stay.
A reliable source in the Revolutionary Guards Intelligence revealed to Asharq Al-aswat that it is no longer safe for Mughniyah and his people to stay in the country, due to the new policy of the Ministry of Defense, to arrest and deport al-Qaeda elements.
The Ministry of Defense, headed by Ali Yunasi, is submissive to the Khatemi’s government, while the Revolutionary Guard Intelligence is believed by the Iranian government to harbor terrorist elements in their facilities.
Asharq Al-aswat learned that Saif al-Adel and Sa’ed bin Laden, Osama bin Laden’s son, did not leave the country yet, although there is a possibility that they will do so with the help of non-submissive security and military elements, as happened with Aiman al-Zawahari and other al-Qaeda leaders.
The article describes a mysterious incident that had occurred two weeks ago in the Maher Abad airport. Apparently, three men, who were escorted by Revolutionary Guard Intelligence officers and declined to show any identification documents, were put on a flight to Turkey, on the V.I.P list. Although airport security attempted to thwart this move, Intelligence officers managed to put them on the plane in the last minute.
This incident reveals the Revolutionary Guard’s plan to transfer al-Qaeda leaders outside of Iran, and, according to sources close to the Revolutionary Guard, is connected to Mughniyah’s decision to leave Iran, as it has become too difficult for the Revolutionary Guard to secure his safety.
I would say I am shocked, shocked to hear this, but Claude Rains already used that line.
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