Iran cleric reveals details of Ashura unrest
My Name
Fri, 08 Jan 2010 15:48:51 GMT
Hojjatoleslam Kazem Seddiqi, Tehran's interim Friday Prayers leader
http://www.presstv.ir/photo/20100108/fathi20100108182956281.jpg
After Iran's Judiciary promised to "quickly and firmly"
follow up on the recent unrest that erupted in the country
during the Ashura mourning ceremony, a cleric on Friday gave
more details about the events.
"Eyewitnesses said a person chanted slogans in favor of one
of the defeated presidential candidates and threw Molotov
cocktails," said Hojjatoleslam Kazem Seddiqi during the
Friday prayers in Tehran, the Islamic Republic News Agency
(IRNA) reported.
"After his arrest, he admitted that he had received 200,000
toman [200 USD] to carry out moves against the Islamic
establishment," said Seddiqi, adding that every slogan
chanted would grant him an extra 50 dollars.
The cleric quoted another witness as saying a drunk man had
also been arrested on the Ashura day.
On December 27, anti-government protesters took to the
streets. During the demonstration, public property was
damaged and security forces clashed with the protesters.
Seven people were killed in the unrest.
Deputy Police Chief Ahmad-Reza Radan said the force had not
used violence against protesters, adding that the deaths
were being investigated by authorities.
In response to the Ashura riots, millions of Iranians took
to the streets on the following Wednesday, denouncing the
sacrilege of Ashura and demanding that rioters be brought to
justice.
Iran blames Western countries, who were quick to condemn
what they called the violence in the unrest, of
masterminding and supporting the riots that erupted after
the June 12, 2009, presidential election.
Seddiqi warned the Judiciary and police that the country
would lose patience should rioters continue violating the
law.
"I am concerned the Iranian people will lose their patience
when legal channels do not offer a proper solution in due
time," he said.
SF/HGH/MD
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=115645§ionid=351020101
Iran arrests banned Bahais over protests
TEHRAN (AFP) - Members of Iran's outlawed Bahai faith have
been arrested in connection with recent anti-government
protests and some weapons were seized, IRNA news agency
quoted the Tehran prosecutor as saying on Friday.
"They were arrested because they played a role in organising
the Ashura protests and namely for having sent abroad
pictures of the unrest," Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi said.
The prosecutor did not say how many Bahais were arrested
over the December 27 protests that coincided with the Shiite
religious commemoration of Ashura.
Iranian websites said 10 Bahais were arrested in recent
days.
"They were not arrested because they are Bahais," the
prosecutor said. "Arms and ammunition were seized in the
homes of some of them," he added.
IRNA also quoted the prosecutor as saying that "when their
cases are wrapped up, their files will be sent to the
revolutionary tribunal for a verdict."
Followers of the Bahai faith, founded in Iran in 1863, are
regarded as infidels and suffered persecution both before
and after the 1979 Islamic revolution.
The Bahais consider Bahaullah, born in 1817, to be the last
prophet sent by God. This is in direct conflict with Islam,
the religion of the vast majority of Iranians, which says
Mohammed was the last prophet.
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, whose disputed June re-
election triggered a wave of opposition protest, has accused
Iran's arch-foes the United States and Israel of staging the
latest anti-government demonstrations.
On December 27, eight people were killed in clashes between
security forces and opposition supporters who staged fresh
protests during Ashura ceremonies.
Hundreds of people were arrested during the protests, at
least 300 of whom are still being held in Tehran, police
say.
On Thursday ISNA news agency, quoting the Tehran prosecutor,
said Iran will put on trial five people arrested following
the Ashura protests, but it did not identify them.
Dolatabadi told IRNA that the five were members of the
People's Mujahedeen, Iran's main exiled opposition movement,
and are accused of committing "offences" during the Ashura
protests.
He described them as "moharebs," or enemies of God, who
could face the death penalty in line with Islamic sharia
law.
The prosecutor also announced that two foreigners detained
by the authorities -- a Syrian journalist and "a German
citizen" -- will soon be freed. He did not elaborate
There have been no official reports in Iran about the arrest
of a German but the authorities said they detained Syrian
journalist Reza al-Bacha, who works for Dubai TV, on
December 27.
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/afp/100108/world/iran_politics_opposition_bahai_arrest
Five Iranians facing trial belong to exile group: report
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Five detainees that Iran plans to put on
trial in connection with anti-government protests last month
are members of the armed People's Mujahideen Organization of
Iran (PMOI), a state news agency said on Friday.
The PMOI is an exile group opposed to Iran's Islamic system
of government.
It is the main faction of the Paris-based National Council
of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), which has thousands of
followers in Europe and the United states and was the first
group to expose Iran's covert nuclear program in 2002.
Last year the group was removed from a European Union list
of banned terrorist groups but it remains on a separate U.S.
list.
"The five accused whose files have been sent to
revolutionary court under the charge of 'moharebeh' are
members of the counterrevolutionary terrorist group," Tehran
general prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dolatabadi was cited on IRNA
as saying, in referring to the People's Mujahideen group.
IRNA said on Thursday that five unidentified detainees would
face the charge of 'moharebeh', an Islamic term meaning
warring against God that carries the death sentence.
Eight people were killed in clashes between security forces
and supporters of opposition leader Mirhossein Mousavi on
Ashura, the day of ritual Shi'ite mourning that fell on
December 27.
It was the worst violence since protests in the immediate
aftermath of a disputed presidential election in June.
Supporters of Mousavi and Mehdi Karoubi, who both lost to
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in the vote, say the result
was rigged. Authorities deny the allegations.
Dolatabadi said some members of the outlawed Baha'i faith
who were under arrest in connection with the December 27
riots had played a role in organizing the protests.
"These individuals were arrested both for organizing Ashura
riots as well as playing an effective role in the dispatch
of pictures of Ashura riots abroad," he said.
The opposition website Rahesabz said on Wednesday that more
than 180 people, including 17 journalists, 10 Mousavi aides
and some members of the outlawed Baha'i faith, had been
arrested in the aftermath of the protests.
The stakes are high because Ahmadinejad has championed a
nuclear energy policy that has led the country, a major oil
producer, into diplomatic conflict with the West, incurring
U.N. sanctions on a stretched economy.
Iran rejects U.S. allegations it plans to develop nuclear
weapons, saying its program is peaceful and intended to
produce electricity.
(Editing by Noah Barkin)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100108/wl_nm/us_iran_unrest_trial
Ahmadinejad urges unity, vigilance among Muslims
Fri, 08 Jan 2010 08:32:04 GMT
Bahrain's Parliament Speaker Khalifa Ahmad al-Zahrani (l)
and Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
http://www.presstv.ir/photo/20100108/ostovar20100108103213000.jpg
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has taken a swipe at
the bullying powers, blaming them for "sowing the seeds of
discord among the Islamic states."
"Vigilance, unity and cooperation of the Muslim nations will
foil the enemies' conspiracies and those who sow the seeds
of discord among Muslims and Islamic states are either
ignorant or traitor," said president Ahmadinejad in a
meeting with Bahrain's Parliament Speaker Khalifa Ahmad al-
Zahrani on Thursday.
President Ahmadinejad's remarks seem to be a direct
reference to the recent aggressions and offensive against
the Yemenis civilians in northern Yemen, where he held "the
enemies of Islam" accountable for Yemen developments. "
Enemies foment discord among Muslims in order to thwart
their efforts to make progress."
The conflict in northern Yemen began in 2004 between Sana'a
and Houthi fighters. It intensified in August 2009 when the
Yemeni army launched Operation Scorched Earth in an attempt
to crush Shia Houthi fighters in the northern province of
Sa'ada.
The government claims that the fighters, who are named after
their leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi, seek to restore the Shia
imamate system, which was overthrown in a 1962 military
coup.
The Houthis, however, say they are defending their people's
civil rights, which the government has undermined under
pressure from Saudi-backed Wahhabi extremists. Shias, who
form the clear majority in the north, make up approximately
half of Yemen's overall population.
Referring to the significance of unity among Muslim states,
the Iranian chief executive said the arrogant powers erected
Israel and waged wars in the region with the aim of
dominating the Muslims and the Islamic states.
"The unity and solidarity of the Islamic countries would
have prevented the massacre of millions of people in Iraq,
Afghanistan and Palestine," he opined.
The Bahraini parliament speaker, for his part, said that the
enemies' efforts to instigate violence in the Islamic
countries would go into reverse and "their plots would
consolidate Muslims' relations."
AO/DT
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=115632§ionid=351020101
Saudi warplanes hit N Yemen districts again
Fri, 08 Jan 2010 07:05:01 GMT
Saudi fighter jets have launched another round of aerial
bombardment of Houthi positions in northern parts of Yemen
along the border with the oil-rich kingdom.
http://www.presstv.ir/photo/20100108/pirhayati20100108103909062.jpg
According to a statement released by the fighters on
Thursday, Saudi forces carried out 13 aerial raids on Jebel
al-Madood as well as villages in close proximity to the
border region in northern Yemen.
The statement added that Saudi forces fired some 1400
rockets against the rugged area.
The conflict in northern Yemen began in 2004 between Sana'a
and Houthi fighters. It intensified in August 2009 when the
Yemeni army launched Operation Scorched Earth in an attempt
to crush the fighters in the northern province of Sa'ada.
Yemen claims the fighters are seeking to revive an imamate
that was toppled in 1962.
The Houthis accuse the Yemeni government of violation of
their civil rights, political, economic and religious
marginalization as well as large-scale corruption.
Houthi fighters say that Riyadh has also been pounding their
positions, and that Saudi forces strike Yemeni villages and
indiscriminately target civilians. According to the
fighters, Saudis use toxic materials, including white
phosphorus bombs, against civilians in northern Yemen.
Saudi forces began fighting with Yemeni Shia resistance
fighters, known as Huthis, and bombing their positions on
November 4 after accusing the fighters of killing Saudi
border guards.
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that since
2004, up to 175,000 people have been forced to leave their
homes in Sa'ada and take refuge at overcrowded camps set up
by the United Nations.
MP/DT
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=115629§ionid=351020206
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But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light:
for whatsoever doth make manifest is light. The light shineth in darkness;
and the darkness comprehended it not. The light of the body is the eye:
if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.
But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness.
If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead,
and Christ shall give thee light. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.