Replies

FAMILIES OF IRANIANS DETAINED IN IRAQ STAGE SIT-IN.

The families of Iranian documentary filmmakers Soheil Karimi and Said Abutaleb, who were apprehended in Iraq by the U.S. military, announced on 24 August that they would hold a sit-in at the United Nations office in Tehran on 25 August, IRNA reported. The two, who are employees of the official Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), were taken into custody on 1 July. In addition, according to IRNA, more than 100 Iranian movie actors and documentary directors urged UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to press for the two Iranians' release, and 162 members of the Iranian legislature wrote a letter to President Khatami urging him to act. The Iran Red Crescent Society announced on 7 August that Karimi and Abutaleb are in good health, IRNA reported. BS

Comment: Ask them what they think about Hussein Khomeni.

ALLEGED IRANIAN AGENTS ARRESTED IN IRAQ.

Haytham Sulayman, security patrols director for Al-Salihiyah, said in an interview that appeared in the 21 August issue of "Al-Ahd al-Jadid" that 12 Iranian intelligence agents have been arrested at the offices of Al-Mashriq Money Exchange Company in Al-Salihiyah. Majid Athab interrogated them and it was determined that they allegedly intended to perpetrate bombings in Baghdad. The 12 agents reportedly possessed counterfeit U.S. dollars. BS

'IRANIANS' IN IRAQI GOVERNMENT POSTS WARNED TO LEAVE.

Muqtada al-Sadr said in his 22 August Friday Prayer sermon in Al-Kufah that Iran has placed its security officials in some major Iraqi government posts, the Baztab website reported on 23 August. Al-Sadr warned the Iranians to leave Iraq promptly. Al-Sadr reportedly said that the 19 August bombing of the UN compound in Baghdad resulted either from the absence of a security apparatus or because the security organizations are under the control of Iranians and other foreigners. BS

Comment: A nice way of getting rid of his competitors from the other party of the Iranian clerics (i.e. the supporters of al-Hakim, SCIRI)

source: RFE/RL NEWSLINE Vol. 7, No. 161, Part III, 25 August 2003

AL-SISTANI EXTENDS SYMPATHIES TO UNITED NATIONS.

Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani sent a letter of condolences to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan in connection with the death of UN special envoy Sergio Vieira de Mello in the 19 August bombing of the UN compound, Al-Jazeera satellite television reported on 23 August. Al-Sistani condemned the bombing as a criminal act, and he praised the role of the UN in restoring Iraqi sovereignty. BS

source: RFE/RL NEWSLINE Vol. 7, No. 161, Part III, 25 August 2003