Iran to hit back at US ‘kidnaps’

[stephanie]

From The Sunday TimesMarch 18, 2007

Uzi Mahnaimi, Tel Aviv
IRAN is threatening to retaliate in Europe for what it claims is a daring undercover operation by western intelligence services to kidnap senior officers in its Revolutionary Guard.

According to Iranian sources, several officers have been abducted in the past three months and the United States has drawn up a list of other targets to be seized with the aim of destabilising Tehran’s military command.

In an article in Subhi Sadek, the Revolutionary Guard’s weekly paper, Reza Faker, a writer believed to have close links to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, warned that Iran would strike back.

“We’ve got the ability to capture a nice bunch of blue-eyed blond-haired officers and feed them to our fighting cocks,” he said. “Iran has enough people who can reach the heart of Europe and kidnap Americans and Israelis.”

The first sign of a possible campaign against high-ranking Iranian officers emerged earlier this month with the discovery that Ali Reza Asgari, former commander of the Revolutionary Guard’s elite Quds Force in Lebanon and deputy defence minister, had vanished, apparently during a trip to Istanbul.

Asgari’s disappearance shocked the Iranian regime as he is believed to possess some of its most closely guarded secrets. The Quds Force is responsible for operations outside Iran.

Last week it was revealed that Colonel Amir Muhammed Shirazi, another high-ranking Revolutionary Guard officer, had disappeared, probably in Iraq.

A third Iranian general is also understood to be missing — the head of the Revolutionary Guard in the Persian Gulf. Sources named him as Brigadier General Muhammed Soltani, but his identity could not be confirmed.

“This is no longer a coincidence, but rather an orchestrated operation to shake the higher echelons of the Revolutionary Guard,” said an Israeli source.

Other members of the Quds Force are said to have been seized in Irbil, in the Kurdish area of northern Iraq, by US special forces.

“The capture of Quds members in Irbil was essential for our understanding of Iranian activity in Iraq,” said an American official with knowledge of the operation.

One theory circulating in Israel is that a US taskforce known as the Iran Syria Policy and Operations Group (ISOG) is coordinating the campaign to take Revolutionary Guard commanders.

The Iranians have also accused the United States of being behind an attack on Revolutionary Guards in Iran last month in which at least 17 were killed.

Military analysts believe that Iranian threats of retaliation are credible. Tehran is notorious for settling scores. When the Israelis killed Abbas Mussawi, Hezbollah’s general secretary, in 1992 the Quds Force blew up the Israeli embassy in Argentina in revenge.

Despite the Iranian threat to retaliate in Europe, Iraq is seen by some analysts as a more likely place in which to attempt abductions.

“In Iraq, the Quds Force can easily get hold of American — and British — officers,” said a Jordanian intelligence source.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/new...cle1530527.ece

[Dilloduck]

From The Sunday TimesMarch 18, 2007

Uzi Mahnaimi, Tel Aviv
IRAN is threatening to retaliate in Europe for what it claims is a daring undercover operation by western intelligence services to kidnap senior officers in its Revolutionary Guard.

According to Iranian sources, several officers have been abducted in the past three months and the United States has drawn up a list of other targets to be seized with the aim of destabilising Tehran’s military command.

In an article in Subhi Sadek, the Revolutionary Guard’s weekly paper, Reza Faker, a writer believed to have close links to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, warned that Iran would strike back.

“We’ve got the ability to capture a nice bunch of blue-eyed blond-haired officers and feed them to our fighting cocks,” he said. “Iran has enough people who can reach the heart of Europe and kidnap Americans and Israelis.”

The first sign of a possible campaign against high-ranking Iranian officers emerged earlier this month with the discovery that Ali Reza Asgari, former commander of the Revolutionary Guard’s elite Quds Force in Lebanon and deputy defence minister, had vanished, apparently during a trip to Istanbul.

Asgari’s disappearance shocked the Iranian regime as he is believed to possess some of its most closely guarded secrets. The Quds Force is responsible for operations outside Iran.

Last week it was revealed that Colonel Amir Muhammed Shirazi, another high-ranking Revolutionary Guard officer, had disappeared, probably in Iraq.

A third Iranian general is also understood to be missing — the head of the Revolutionary Guard in the Persian Gulf. Sources named him as Brigadier General Muhammed Soltani, but his identity could not be confirmed.

“This is no longer a coincidence, but rather an orchestrated operation to shake the higher echelons of the Revolutionary Guard,” said an Israeli source.

Other members of the Quds Force are said to have been seized in Irbil, in the Kurdish area of northern Iraq, by US special forces.

“The capture of Quds members in Irbil was essential for our understanding of Iranian activity in Iraq,” said an American official with knowledge of the operation.

One theory circulating in Israel is that a US taskforce known as the Iran Syria Policy and Operations Group (ISOG) is coordinating the campaign to take Revolutionary Guard commanders.

The Iranians have also accused the United States of being behind an attack on Revolutionary Guards in Iran last month in which at least 17 were killed.

Military analysts believe that Iranian threats of retaliation are credible. Tehran is notorious for settling scores. When the Israelis killed Abbas Mussawi, Hezbollah’s general secretary, in 1992 the Quds Force blew up the Israeli embassy in Argentina in revenge.

Despite the Iranian threat to retaliate in Europe, Iraq is seen by some analysts as a more likely place in which to attempt abductions.

“In Iraq, the Quds Force can easily get hold of American — and British — officers,” said a Jordanian intelligence source.

Mighty nice of the Israelis to point the finger at Americans for this one. True or not isn't it something best left to guessing ?

[Gaffer]

I think its great no matter who is doing it. Most of the disappearances have been in iraq, so they are most likely in US custody. And spilling their guts about iran and the qods force plans.
Hope they keep snatching them up.

[Dilloduck]

I think its great no matter who is doing it. Most of the disappearances have been in iraq, so they are most likely in US custody. And spilling their guts about iran and the qods force plans.
Hope they keep snatching them up.

You have no problem with the Israelis saying Americans are doing it? Stuff like this feeds anti-Israeli sentiment.

[stephanie]

You have no problem with the Israelis saying Americans are doing it? Stuff like this feeds anti-Israeli sentiment.

I don't know Dillo..
You have to remember who wrote the article, maybe..
And as it said......An Israel source...

Don't know??

I saw another article on this from Fox I think, I'll look for it.

[stephanie]

Sunday, March 18, 2007
Still from the times, but this one has the threat against the Us and Israel....

Tel Aviv, Israel — Iranian forces are threatening to retaliate — against U.S. forces — for a series of suspected kidnappings of high-ranking officers of its elite Revolutionary Guards unit.

The Sunday Times of London reported that the Mideast nation may be planning to seize American, U.S., and Israeli personnel to strike back at western forces for possible clandestine operations to seize top tier commanders of the Iranian military structure for information on its activities in Iraq.

U.S. officials have accused the Iranians of providing material and planning support to Shiite militias operating inside Iraq. American military leaders have said many roadside explosives often employed to target allied military vehicles have Iranian origin.

“We’ve got the ability to capture a nice bunch of blue-eyed blond-haired officers and feed them to our fighting cocks,”said Reza Faker, a writer linked to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, in a Revolutionary Guard's weekly newspaper quote cited in the Times report. “Iran has enough people who can reach the heart of Europe and kidnap Americans and Israelis.”

Military analysts have called the threats credible and intelligence sources say it would be more likely for Iran to carry out revenge operations against British and U.S. troops in Iraq rather than in their home nations.

Ali Reza Asgari, a former commander of the Revolutionary Guard’s Quds Force and a deputy defense minister, was the first high-ranking Iranian known to have mysteriously vanished during a trip to Istanbul earlier this month.

Last week, Colonel Amir Muhammed Shirazi, another Revolutionary Guard official was reported missing, possibly in Iraq. Also, the head of the Revolutionary Guard in the Persian Gulf — believed to be Brigadier General Muhammed Soltani — is also reported missing, according to the Times.

Other members of the Quds Force, which handles military operations outside Iran, are believed to have been captured in the Kurdish area of northern Iraq, by U.S. special forces, the Times reported.

Israeil sources suspect a U.S. task force known as the Iran Syria Policy and Operations Group (ISOG) is spearheading the abductions of Revolution Guard commanders.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,259484,00.html

[Dilloduck]

Israeil sources suspect a U.S. task force known as the Iran Syria Policy and Operations Group (ISOG) is spearheading the abductions of Revolution Guard commanders.

but where do they get this?

[stephanie]

but where do they get this?

You think it could be that their saying this, to bait Iran to see how they will respond...Don't know if it is.............But if it is.........It worked..

[Gaffer]

I don't care who's doing it...keep it up. Israel and the US will both be blamed regardless. More than likely it's a joint effort.

[gabosaurus]

Too bad we can't figure out a way to destroy both Iran and Israel. That would get rid of a ton of the world's problems. And a lot of terrorist groups.

[Nukeman]

Too bad we can't figure out a way to destroy both Iran and Israel. That would get rid of a ton of the world's problems. And a lot of terrorist groups.

You are so predictable in your thought process or should I say lack of.....

[Gaffer]

Too bad we can't figure out a way to destroy both Iran and Israel. That would get rid of a ton of the world's problems. And a lot of terrorist groups.

your one of those jihadist posters aren't you.