Xinhua - Iran foils al-Qaida conspiracies, 3000 members detained or expelled
Xinhua - English: "Iran foils al-Qaida conspiracies, 3000 members detained or expelled
www.chinaview.cn 2005-07-17 08:13:44
TEHRAN, July 16 (Xinhuanet) -- Iran has foiled five al-Qaida conspiracies against it and detained or expelled nearly 3,000 al-Qaida members, Intelligence Minister Ali Younesi said on Saturday.
"Currently some 200 al-Qaida members are in Iranian prisons," Younesi told the official IRNA news agency.
"Since the collapse of the Taliban in Afghanistan, al-Qaida made five waves of attempts against Iran which have all been thwarted," Younesi said.
Meanwhile, Younesi accused the United States and Israel of recruiting former al-Qaida members.
The statement is believed to be the most detailed and comprehensive official revelation on Tehran's al-Qaida crackdown so far.
The United States has repeatedly accused Iran of sponsoring terrorists, labeling it as a member of the "Axis of Evil."
Tehran has vehemently rejected the charge, saying Washington is to blame for the growth of many terrorist groups including al-Qaida.
Iran says that it strongly opposes any form of terrorism from which the Iranians also suffer greatly."
posted by JBOC @ 7:11 PM
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