DATE=1/6/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-243839
TITLE=IRAN MURDER ARRESTS (L)
BYLINE=SCOTT BOBB
DATELINE=CAIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO: THE GOVERNMENT OF IRAN SAYS IT HAS ARRESTED A NUMBER OF 
SECURITY OFFICIALS IN CONNECTION WITH A SERIES OF UNSOLVED 
MURDERS OF SECULAR INTELLECTUALS LAST YEAR.  MIDEAST 
CORRESPONDENT SCOTT BOBB REPORTS FROM CAIRO THAT IRANIAN 
REFORMIST LEADERS SAY THE ARRESTS CONFIRM THEIR CHARGE THAT 
HARDLINE CONSERVATIVES ARE BEHIND THE MURDERS.

TEXT:  REFORMIST LEADERS IN IRAN WEDNESDAY REACTED WITH 
SATISFACTION TO UHE ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE IRANIAN NEWS AGENCY THAT 
A NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES OF THE INFORMATION MINISTRY, WHICH IS IN 
CHARGE OF SECURITY, WERE ARRESTED FOR INVOLVEMENT IN THE MURDERS.
SOME CALLED FOR THE DISMISSAL OF INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS, WHO THEY
SAID ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE KILLINGS.

THE MINISTRY ANNOUNCED THE ARRESTS, SAYING IT REGRETTED THAT WHAT
IT CALLED A FEW IRRESPONSIBLE AND DEVIOUS COLLEAGUES WERE AMONG 
THE KILLERS.  IT SAID THE AGENTS WERE ACTING IN THE INTEREST OF 
FOREIGNERS -- WHOM IT DID  NOT  IDENTIFY -- AND SAID THEIR 
PURPOSE WAS DESTROYING THE REPUTATION OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF 
IRAN.

IRANIAN PRESIDENT MOHAMED KHATAMI LAST MONTH ORDERED A SPECIAL 
INVESTIGATION INTO THE MURDERS, WHICH BEGAN WHEN THE LEADER OF A 
SMALL SECULAR OPPOSITION PARTY, DARIUSH FAROUHAR, AND HIS WIFE 
WERE FOUND STABBED TO DEATH IN THEIR APARTMENT LAST NOVEMBER. MR.
FAROUHAR'S MURDER AROUSED SUSPICIONS BECAUSE HIS HOUSE, IN A 
QUIET NEIGHBORHOOD OF TEHRAN, WAS UNDER POLICE SURVEILLANCE AT 
THE TIME.

IN SUBSEQUENT WEEKS, THREE PROMINENT IRANIAN WRITERS WERE FOUND 
DEAD AFTER THEIR FAMILIES REPORTED THEY HAD DISAPPEARED UNDER 
MYSTERIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES. THE WRITERS WERE PART OF A GROUP OF 
GOVERNMENT CRITICS WHO WERE TRYING TO FORM AN INDEPENDENT WRITERS
UNION.

OBSERVERS SAY THE MURDERS WERE AIMED AT UNDERMINING PRESIDENT 
KHATAMI, WHOSE EFFORTS TO LIBERALIZE IRANIAN POLITICS AND SOCIETY
HAVE COME UNDER FIRE FROM CONSERVATIVE HARDLINERS WHO CONTROL THE
LEGAL SYSTEM AND NATIONAL ASSEMBLY.

AT THE SAME TIME, THE IRANIAN PRESIDENT HAS BEEN UNDER PRESSURE 
BECAUSE OF ASSASSINATION ATTEMPTS AGAINST CONSERVATIVE MEMBERS OF
THE GOVERNMENT.

THE HEAD OF THE IRANIAN JUDICIARY, ALI RAZINI, WAS SEVERELY 
INJURED TUESDAY IN A BOMB ATTACK ON HIS CAR.

A SENIOR ECONOMIST IN THE GOVERNMENT, MOHSEN RAFIQDOUST, SURVIVED
AN ATTACK FOUR MONTHS AGO. AND LAST AUGUST, THE FORMER HEAD OF 
IRAN'S PRISONS, ASSADOLLAH LAJEVARDI, WAS KILLED IN A MARKET IN 
TEHRAN. THE EXILED MUJAHEDEN GROUP CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE
ATTACK.

IRANIAN OBSERVERS HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERN OVER GROWING POLITICAL 
VIOLENCE IN THEIR COUNTRY, WHICH HAS INCLUDED BEATINGS OF 
OFFICIALS AND STUDENTS AND AN ATTACK ON A GROUP OF AMERICAN 
TOURISTS. THEY WORRY THAT THE DEBATE OVER WHETHER AND HOW MUCH TO
OPEN UP IRANIAN SOCIETY MAY BE TURNING VIOLENT AND THEY DECRY 
WHAT THEY CALL THE GROWING FACTIONALISM, AS THE IRANIAN 
REVOLUTION APPROACHES ITS 20TH ANNIVERSARY. (SIGNED)

NEB/SB/PCF/GE

06-Jan-99 9:37 AM EST (1437 UTC)
NNNN

Source: Voice of America
.