IRAN LINKED WITH THREE TERRORISM CASES.
Iran is being linked with recent and past incidents of
terrorism. The validity of such reports may be questionable
at the moment, however, because one case relies on
circumstantial evidence, another case relies on the testimony
of an international terrorist, and a third case relies on
claims by the attorney of two convicted terrorists.
It is not unreasonable to assume an Iranian role in a
new alliance between the Palestinian Authority, HAMAS, and
the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, nor is it unlikely that Iran
is connected with recent actions by Lebanese Hizballah in
support of the "new Intifada." Indeed, representatives from
these organizations, and Palestinian Authority chairman
Yassir Arafat himself, either visited Tehran or met with
Iranian officials in Beirut and Damascus in July, August,
September, and October.
HAMAS spokesman Mahmud Zahar said PIJ, HAMAS, Fatah, and
Palestinian Authority representatives meet regularly in the
High Committee Follow-Up Intifada of Nationalist Islamic
Organizations. In exchange for HAMAS and PIJ support, the
"Washington Post" reported on 25 October, the Palestinian
Authority has released jailed members of these groups over
the last four weeks. HAMAS founder Sheikh Ahmed Yassin added
that his organization is trying to revive its paramilitary
arm. Neither Yassin nor PIJ spokesman Abdallah Shami would
reject the possibility of renewed terrorist activities,
although they would not predict when they would begin. The
first prisoner releases probably occurred on 29 September,
and on 4 October Beirut's "Al-Mustaqbal" reported that HAMAS,
the PIJ, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine -
General Command, and Lebanese Hizballah had created an
"operations room" at Tehran's behest in order to monitor
developments in the "new Intifada."
Israeli observers also believe that Iran is behind the
October kidnapping of Israeli reservist Elhanan Tannenbaum by
Hizballah. Deputy Defense Minister Efraim Sne told CNN on 16
October that Iran has a global campaign of terrorism that
could facilitate such actions; and well-connected writer Zeev
Schiff wrote that Tannenbaum might be in Iran already.
Military commentator Ron Ben-Yishal wrote that although Tel
Aviv does not have specific evidence in this case, it has
substantial information on Tehran's creation of international
networks for hostile actions against Israel by Hizballah.
Hizballah is ready to provide the Palestinians with "money,
weapons, means of information, and political protection,"
Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah told Milan's "Il Giornale" on 21
October. One day earlier, Israeli "security sources" said
that Iran had increased its shipments of weapons to Hizballah
through Damascus. The weekly "Al-Wasat" reports that rumors
in the Lebanese capital have the Iranians "considering a
comeback."
Both Hizballah and Tehran deny Iranian involvement in
these latter incidents. Nasrallah said at the 16 October
press conference in which he discussed Tannenbaum's capture
that any accusations against Iran are "conjectures." And when
President Mohammad Khatami was asked if Iran would use its
influence over Hizballah to help secure the release of three
Israeli soldiers captured by Hizballah, he answered that Iran
has "no control over" Hizballah, Iranian state radio reported
on 22 October.
Despite these denials, and although there is not any
direct evidence of an Iranian hand in the region's violence,
Iran is the thread that appears to connect all these
organizations and events. Statements from Iran contribute to
suspicions that many there are not averse to a role in the
current hostilities.
The flag of Jihad has been hoisted in Palestine, Supreme
Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a 20 October speech. He
said, "There is only one remedy and there is only one cure"
to the Middle East crisis, and that is to "destroy the root
and cause of the crisis." "What is the root," Khamenei asked
rhetorically, "The answer is the Zionist regime; a regime
which has been imposed on the region." "The crisis will be
present as long as its root and cause remains intact."
Khamenei then urged his "Palestinian brothers and sisters to
continue their Jihad." He added that "the combatants of
HAMAS, the [PIJ], and Fatah ... they must not abandon the
arena." Khamenei told officials and ambassadors from Islamic
countries on 25 October that "all Muslims have a duty" to
help the Palestinians ñ "there are many different types of
help and assistance." And he reminded them that Israel is not
alone: "The partner to those crimes is undoubtedly the
government of the United States of America."
The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps called for "removing
the tumorous cancer Israel off the region's map (IRNA, 24
October). 110,000 student Basijis stated, in a 20 October
letter to Khamenei, that they are willing to go to "the
divine battlefields" of the occupied territories "in order to
defend the honor of Islam and the homeland as vanguards of
the liberators of Qods." The letter added that "America is
striving to extinguish the fire of the Islamic Intifada and
to delay the definite victory of God's soldiers against
Satan's party." A few days earlier, Basijis explained that
"all sufferings of Muslims come from the arrogant United
States."
Speaker of Parliament Mehdi Karrubi said the grounds for
confronting Israel are ready (Iran Daily, 17 October);
Judiciary chief Ayatollah Mahmud Hashemi-Shahrudi said it is
incumbent on all Muslims to support the Palestinian Jihad
(IRNA, 16 October); and Defense Minister Ali Shamkhani said
that Muslims states should support the Palestinians with all
their resources (IRNA, 17 October). Other condemnations of
Israel, as well as offers of aid, came from the pro-Khatami
2nd of Khordad Front, the Islamic Iran Participation Party
youth branch, the Executives of Construction Party, Grand
Ayatollah Mohammad Fazel-Lankarani (who also authorized aid
to the Palestinians from religious funds), and Friday prayer
leaders.
Events in Israel and the occupied territories may be
more newsworthy, but there are other cases connecting Iran
with terrorism. Ali A. Mohamed, who on 20 October pleaded
guilty to participating in a terrorist conspiracy against
U.S. citizens, was a close associate of Saudi terrorist Osama
Bin Laden. During his testimony, Mohamed linked Bin Laden
directly with the bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi.
Mohamed also described some of the intricate relationships
between international terrorist organizations, such as Bin
Laden's Al Qaida, Egypt's al-Jihad, and Lebanon's Hizballah.
Mohamed claimed that he arranged security for a meeting
between the "head of Hizballah" (presumably Sheikh Hassan
Nasrallah) and Bin Laden, and Hizballah gave demolitions
training to Al Qaida and al-Jihad. He added that Iran
provided the Egyptians with weapons. The Egyptian government
claims that Iran supports al-Jihad, and Iranian support for
Hizballah is a matter of record.
In the third case linking Iran with terrorism, the
attorney for two Palestinians convicted in England for the
1994 bombing of the Israeli Embassy claims that confidential
intelligence reports may show that the incident was linked
with a secret conflict between Iran and Israel, according to
the 25 October "Guardian." Michael Mansfield, QC, said, "We
believe there is more information that may link London to
Buenos Aires and to a secret war that has been going on
between Iran and Israel." A warning that an attack on the
Israeli facility would occur was shelved by Britain's
domestic security service, MI5, according to Mansfield, and
his efforts to get reports about the 1994 bombing of the
Jewish Mutual Association in Argentina have been turned down.
(Bill Samii)
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