Author Topic: Six Iranian Commanders Among 49 Killed in Suicide Bombing  (Read 16120 times)

nestopwar

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 842
    • View Profile
Six Iranian Commanders Among 49 Killed in Suicide Bombing
« on: October 20, 2009, 07:31:11 AM »
Six Iranian Commanders Among 49 Killed in Suicide Bombing
US-Backed Jundallah Reportedly Claims Credit
by Jason Ditz, October 18, 2009  Source Anti-war.com
Email This | Print This | Share This | Comment | Antiwar Forum
Last Updated 10/18 5:40 PM EST

At least 49 people were killed today, including six high ranking members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, and dozens of others were wounded in a suicide attack in Sistan-Balochistan.

The attack was the deadliest in the region since a May attack on a Shi’ite mosque in the mostly Sunni province. Iran’s state media is reporting that Jundallah has taken credit for today’s attack.

Jundallah is a Baloch separatist group which operates on both the Iranian and Pakistani sides of the border. The group, which once boasted of ties with al-Qaeda, has been supported by the United States since at least 2005.

The exact extent of US backing for Jundallah is a matter of some dispute. Officials who privately acknowledge the relationship insist everything was careful worked to avoid Congressional oversight and that the relationship was “appropriate”, but the captured brother of Jundallah’s leader insists the US directly funded the group and has ordered them to carry out attacks.

nestopwar

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 842
    • View Profile
Re: Six Iranian Commanders Among 49 Killed in Suicide Bombing
« Reply #1 on: October 20, 2009, 07:35:42 AM »
   
 
 
Iran blames 'satanic' U.S. for suicide attack, vows revenge 
 
By News Agencies 
 
Tags: Israel News, Iran   
 
 

The Iranian armed forces have accused the United States and Britain of involvement in a suicide bombing that targeted the Islamic Republic's Revolutionary Guard on Sunday, and warned of revenge.

The headquarters of the armed forces blamed the bombing on "terrorists" backed by "the Great Satan America and its ally Britain".

"Not in the distant future we (Iran) will take revenge ... and Baluchis will clear this region from terrorists and criminals," Fars quoted a statement as saying, referring to the inhabitants of Sistan-Baluchestan province, where the attack took place.
 Advertisement
 
Both the U.S. and Britain condemned the attack on Sunday and denied any involvement.

"We condemn this act of terrorism and mourn the loss of innocent lives. Reports of alleged US involvement are completely false," said State Department Spokesman Ian Kelly.


Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad earlier in the day vowed to strike back at the "criminals" behind the suicide bombing.

"The criminals will soon get the response for their anti-human crimes," IRNA quoted Ahmadinejad as saying. The Iranian leader also accused unspecified foreigners of involvement.

At least 35 people were killed in the attack including five senior commanders of the Guard, the country's official news agency reported.


Earlier Sunday, a Sunni rebel group claimed responsibility for the attack, Iranian state television said.

"Rigi's terrorist group has claimed responsibility for the attack," it said, referring to Abdolmalek Rigi, leader of Jundollah (God's soldiers).

The group, which has waged a low-level insurgency in recent years, accuses Iran's mostly Shi'ite government of persecution and has carried out attacks against the Revolutionary Guard and Shi'ite targets in southeastern Iran.

Meanwhile, Iranian state television cited informed sources as saying Britain was directly involved in the suicide attack.

The Guards had earlier blamed "foreign elements" linked to the United States for the attack in the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan.

The attack and the allegations of foreign involvement are likely to raise tension between Iran and the West, a day before nuclear talks in Vienna including Iranian, U.S., French and Russian officials.

"Some informed sources said the British government was directly involved in the terrorist attack ... by organizing, supplying equipment and employing professional terrorists," Iranian state television said.

The television report said analysts believed the aim of the attack was to "re-direct" parts of the West's problems in Afghanistan across the border to Iran.

Britain condemns bombing

A Foreign Office spokesman in London declined to comment directly on the Iranian comments and instead issued a statement, saying: "The British government condemns the terrorist attack in the province of Sistan and Baluchestan in Iran and the sad loss of life which it caused.

"Terrorism is abhorrent wherever it occurs. Our sympathies go to those who have been killed in the attack and to their families," it said.

The IRNA news agency said the dead included the deputy commander of the Guard's ground force, Gen. Noor Ali Shooshtari, as well as a chief provincial Guard commander for the area, Rajab Ali Mohammadzadeh. The other dead were Guard members or local tribal leaders. Dozens of others were wounded, the report said.

The commanders were inside a car on their way to a meeting in the Pishin region near Iran's border with Pakistan when an attacker with explosives blew himself up, IRNA said.

Iran's parliamentary speaker, Ali Larijani, also condemned the assassination of the Guard commanders, saying the bombing was aimed at disrupting security in southeastern Iran.

"We express our condolences for their martyrdom. ... The intention of the terrorists was definitely to disrupt security in Sistan-Baluchistan Province," Larijani told an open session of the parliament broadcast live on state radio.

In May, Jundallah took credit for a suicide bombing at a Shiite mosque that killed 25 people in Zahedan, the capital of Iran's Sistan-Baluchistan province, which has witnessed some of Jundallah's worst attacks. Thirteen members of the faction were convicted in the attack and hanged in July.

Jundallah, comprised of Sunnis from the Baluchi ethnic minority, has carried out bombings, kidnappings and other attacks against Iranian soldiers and other forces in recent years, including a car bombing in February 2007 that killed 11 members of the Revolutionary Guard near Zahedan.

Jundallah also claimed responsibility for the December 2006 kidnapping of seven Iranian soldiers in the Zahedan area. It threatened to kill them unless members of the group in Iranian prisons were released. The seven were released a month later, apparently after negotiations through tribal mediators.

The Revolutionary Guard was created after the 1979 Islamic Revolution as an ideological bulwark to defend Iran's clerical rule. The 120,000-strong elite force controls Iran's missile program and has its own ground, naval and air units. 
 
 

nestopwar

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 842
    • View Profile
Re: Six Iranian Commanders Among 49 Killed in Suicide Bombing
« Reply #2 on: October 20, 2009, 07:37:23 AM »
From Wikipedia

Jundallah (Arabic: جندالله‎) or People's Resistance Movement of Iran (PRMI) not to be confused with People's Mujahedin of Iran, is an insurgent Sunni Islamic organization based in Balochistan that claims to be fighting for the rights of Sunni Muslims in Iran. It was founded and is currently under the command of Abdolmalek Rigi. [1] It is believed to have 1,000 fighters and claims to have killed 400 Iranian soldiers.[2] and many more civilians.[3]. It is a part of the Baloch insurgency in Pakistan and in Iran's Sistan and Baluchistan Province. The group started under the name of Jundallah and later renamed itself as People's Resistance Movement of Iran. The group has been designated a terrorist organization by Iran, which accuses the group of being behind numerous acts of terror, kidnapping and smuggling narcotics.[4] Although it has been alleged to receive support from the US Government, the US denies any involvement even though several sources, such as Abdolmalek Rigi's own brother testify that the CIA is funding the budget, and that the ties are no longer to Al-Qaeda.[5][6][6][7][8]

nestopwar

  • Administrator
  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 842
    • View Profile
Re: Six Iranian Commanders Among 49 Killed in Suicide Bombing
« Reply #3 on: October 20, 2009, 07:40:43 AM »
Why are media failing to investigate the Iranian bombing?
 
Yesterday there was a bombing in Sistan Balochistan which claimed the lives of nearly 50 people, also killing members of Iran's Revolutionary Guard.
 
http://news.antiwar.com/2009/10/18/at-least-31-killed-in-iran-suicide-bombing/
 
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1121825.html
 
The group responsible are called Jundallah and are widely believed to have the backing of the US, UK, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jundallah
 
However, the media have mentioned the bombing but there has been little detailed discussion or analysis, and accusations made by the Iranian government and media has been dismissed as anti-western propaganda despite the fact that there is evidence of links between Jundallah and the US.
 
Take an opportunity to contact the following media outlets and ask;
1. Why they are failing to adequately report the bombing
2. Why no questions on whether the bombers are connected to the US, UK, Saudia Arabia and/or Pakistan
 
The above are example questions but please read articles and ask as many questions as you feel relevant
 
BBC complaints
 
http://www.bbc.co.uk/complaints/
 
ITV complaints and comments
 
http://www.itv.com/ContactUs/wheretofindus/default.html
 
Channel 4 Comments
 
http://help.channel4.com/SRVS/CGI-BIN/WEBCGI.EXE?New,Kb=C4_Author,Company={2EA1BB9C-510E-44A5-A481-01EB1DDA1669},VARSET_PA=sa_General,VARSET_TITLE=General,Case=Obj(2085),VARSET_OBJECTNAME=Contact%20Us
 
Sky News Feedback
 
http://news.sky.com/skynews/Static-Pages/Contact-Sky-News
 
 
Channel Five Feedback
 
http://www.five.tv/aboutfive/contact/general/
 
Fox News comments
 
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,77538,00.html
 
CNN feedback
 
http://edition.cnn.com/feedback/
 
ABC news feedback
 
http://abcnews.go.com/Site/page?id=3052660
 
Alternative News
 
News about conflicts across the globe
Antiwar http://www.antiwar.com/
 
Campaign groups opposed to war against  Iran
CASMII  http://www.campaigniran.org/casmii/
 
News from inside Iraq
Electronic Iraq http://electroniciraq.net/news/
 
News from inside Palestine
Electronic Intifada  http://electronicintifada.net/
 
News from Venezuela
Venezuela Analysis http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/