Iran Alleges U.S. Role in Kidnap Of Embassy Official in Baghdad

[Bhaisahab]

Iran Alleges U.S. Role in Kidnap Of Embassy Official in Baghdad

By Joshua Partlow and Ernesto Londoño
Washington Post Foreign Service
Wednesday, February 7, 2007; Page A13

BAGHDAD, Feb. 6 -- Iranian officials in Iraq on Tuesday accused U.S. forces of collaborating with Iraqi soldiers in what they described as the kidnapping of an Iranian diplomat in downtown Baghdad.

Four Iraqis allegedly involved in the kidnapping Sunday evening of diplomat Jalal Sharafi were arrested and interrogated by Iraqi police, according to two Iranian officials in Baghdad. The detained Iraqis, who wore military uniforms and carried military identification cards, were "not under the Ministry of Defense control, they were directly connected to the American control," said an official at the Iranian Embassy who spoke on condition of anonymity.

A U.S. military spokesman, Lt. Col. Christopher C. Garver, said Tuesday that the military was not involved in the reported abduction and that he was not aware of any involvement by Iraqi forces.

Iraqi officials declined to comment Tuesday on the Iranian allegations, but Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari scheduled a news conference for Wednesday at which he was expected to address the issue.

The Iranian officials condemned the disappearance of Sharafi, whom they identified as a second secretary at the embassy in Baghdad, and said his abduction was part of the Bush administration's effort to counter Iranian influence in Iraq.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran considers it a responsibility of U.S. forces in Iraq to protect members of the diplomatic community, including Iranian diplomats, and will hold them responsible for obtaining the release of the abducted Iranian diplomat," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini told the Islamic Republic News Agency.

CONTINUED AT: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/06/AR2007020600186.html

[MGD]

1. Kidnapped Iranians? How tragic.

:popcorn:

[Nihil]

3. Tut tut!

Surely not a lack of sympathy from one of DU's 2nd War Drummer Brigade?

Let me guess: you're waiting for the beheading?

:popcorn:

[Solo_in_MD]

11. Considering how they have contributed to the congflaguration in the ME

me thinks they doth protest too much

[annabanana]

2. CACI...Titan... KBR.... Why won't anyone in the

corpomedia admit to the obvious? .... the "military" was NOT involved... no involvement by "Iraqi forces". .

What kind of a smack to the head does it require to get some INFORMATION with our news??

[Heidi]

4. Kick.

:kick:

[AngryAmish]

5. US behind terrorist attacks in Iraq: Iranian ambassador

"Iranian Ambassador to Syria Mohammad-Hassan Akhtari said Tuesday evening that US was behind terrorist bombings in Iraq.

Akhtari made the remarks on the sidelines of a dinner banquet held on the occasion of the 28th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran. Referring to abduction of Iranian diplomats in Baghdad, the ambassador said such moves have been made with an aim of damaging Tehran-Baghdad relations. The second secretary of the Iranian embassy in Baghdad, Jalal Sharafi, was kidnapped Sunday in front of the Baghdad branch of the Iranian state-owned Bank Melli and taken to an unknown place.

Meanwhile, a group of Iranian diplomats and the staff of its consulate were kidnapped in the city of Erbil, north of Iraq, on January 11 when US forces broke into the consulate after disarming its guards and using force to break open the gate of the consulate building.

"Despite all theses moves, Tehran and Baghdad would continue their warm and friendly relations," stressed the ambassador."


<http://www2.irna.ir/en/news/view/menu-234/0702071000152911.htm>
edit for link


Way to go, Bush.

[SpiralHawk]

6. "I did not have Black Ops with those A-rabs, Eye-rackis." - Commander AWOL

"What do you think I am, some kind of Connecticut preppy who belongs to an Occult Cabal
of anti-chritian Evil Doers?"

- Commander AWOL of the Skull & Boner Brigade

[bananas]

7. link? nt

[wakeme2008]

8. Link :)

:shrug:

[EFerrari]

9. The link I find is to policies that lead to terror, not acts of terror?

(although it's likely both :( )


US policies escalating violence, terror: envoy
Pretoria, Feb 3, IRNA

Iran-US-Envoy
Iranian Ambassador to South Africa Mohammad Ali Qane'zadeh here Friday said that force imposed on regional countries has led to escalation of violence and terrorist acts.

Qane'zadeh was speaking at a ceremony held on the eve of the 28th anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution attended by senior South African officials, parliamentarians, foreign ambassadors and political representatives, university professors and members of scientific centers as well as Iranian civilian organizations in Pretoria.

The ambassador, condemning US military policies in Iraq, said "Washington's policies have not improved chances for achieving international peace and security but have instead fanned the flames of violence and terrorism in the Middle East region."
Pointing to the 26 national and local elections held in Iran since after the victory of the Islamic Revolution, he said this was proof of the fact that "the Islamic Republic of Iran is the most democratic country in the Middle East."

http://www.irna.ir/en/news/view/menu-236/0702033090134851.htm

/oops

[Vidar]

10. He's right , of course.

[SpiralHawk]

12. Black Ops

YOUR TAX DOLLARS AT WORK (For the elite cabal of corrupt republicon crony war profiteers)