Three agents involved in Zahedan bombing executed
May 31, 2009 - 0:0
ZAHEDAN, Sistan-Baluchestan Province - Three persons behind the deadly terrorist attack in Sistan-Baluchestan Province were publicly executed on Saturday morning in Zahedan.
“Three agents involved in the Zahedan terrorist bombing were executed in public on Saturday morning,” the Sistan-Baluchestan Province Police Department announced.The attack on the Ali ibn Abi Talib Mosque in the city of Zahedan in the southwestern province of Sistan-Baluchestan on Thursday left 25 people dead and 120 injured.
The attack took place during evening prayers on a public holiday marking the anniversary of the death of the daughter of Prophet Mohammad (S), Fatima (SA).
The three men were already in custody before the attack. The men were arrested before Thursday’s bombing in connection with other attacks, including a 2007 attack in Sistan-Baluchestan Province that killed 11 members of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps.
A spokesman for the Sistan-Baluchestan Province’s Judiciary said the three people “confessed to illegally bringing explosives into Iran and giving them to the main person behind the bombing.”
Leader says blood of Zahedan victims on interfering powers’ hands
Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has stated that the blood of the innocent people who were killed in the recent terrorist attack on a mosque in the city of Zahedan is on the hands of certain interfering powers and their spy agencies.
“Fomenting discord… among Muslims in the Middle East has always been one of the permanent goals of the Islamic Republic’s enemies,” he said in a message issued on Friday.
And Iranian citizens’ vigilance and officials’ efforts are necessary to prevent similar incidents, he added.
Ayyatollah Khamenei also expressed his condolences to the families of the victims.
The Supreme Leader urged the citizens of Zahedan and other cities in the province to be wary of the conspiracies of the enemies and to maintain unity.
He also urged Sunni religious leaders to denounce those who “under the name of defending Sunnis” perpetrate such criminal acts and to inform the public of the enemies’ intentions.
Ayatollah Khamenei called on the country’s political and security officials to defend the nation’s security and to bring the perpetrators of this criminal act to justice.
Rafsanjani urges Shia, Sunni scholars to identify conspirators
On Saturday, Expediency Council Chairman Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani urged Shia and Sunni scholars to identify the people who are conspiring against Muslims.
“The enemies of the Muslim world’s unity are seeking to create a rift… among the Islamic schools of jurisprudence,” he said at an Expediency Council meeting in Tehran.
Rafsanjani also expressed hope that decisive actions by the intelligence and security services will bring an end to the terrorist activities in the country.
Iran summons Pakistani envoy over Zahedan terrorist attack
On Saturday, the Iranian Foreign Ministry summoned Pakistani Ambassador M.B. Abbasi over the deadly bombing in Zahedan, which is located near the border with Pakistan.
The decision was made after Jundullah, whose operatives have a history of fleeing into Pakistan after committing terrorist acts in Iran, claimed responsibility for the bombing of the mosque in Zahedan, the capital of Sistan-Baluchestan Province.
The Foreign Ministry told the Pakistani ambassador that Iran is officially protesting over the continued activity of terrorists along the Iran-Pakistan border.
Ambassador Abbasi said he would promptly inform Pakistani officials about the matter. The ambassador denounced all acts of terrorism and reaffirmed Islamabad’s commitment to crack down on terrorist groups.
U.S. considers placing Jundullah on terrorist list
The State Department is seriously considering placing Jundullah, which is led by Abolmalek Rigi, on its terrorism list, according to U.S. officials, the Boston Globe said.
“We continue to work with the international community to prevent any attacks against innocent civilians anywhere,” State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said.
Jundullah, or Soldiers of God, has killed scores of Iranian soldiers and border guards since 2003 and brazenly attacked an Iranian police station in December.
On Friday, Jundullah claimed responsibility for the bombing of the mosque in Zahedan.