New Home for Terror
March 3, 2003
By Toby Westerman
Copyright 2003 International News Analysis Today
www.inatoday.com
As America draws ever nearer to committing tens - or hundreds - of thousands of troops to an attack and occupation of Iraq, international terror has found a new home.
Building upon decades of cooperation with terrorist gangs, Iran is providing a safe haven for al Qaeda and Hezbollah terror networks, according to U.S. and Israeli intelligence sources, and reported in a recent article in the Internet version of the respected German daily Die Welt.
Teheran is offering al Qaeda technical assistance, transportation into neighboring countries, a base of operations within Iran, and is a link between al Qaeda and the Palestinian militant Hezbollah organization, according to Israeli intelligence.
"Hardliners" control key positions in Iran's intelligence and internal security services, and in the nation's military, Die Welt stated. The efforts of Iran's "reform" movement received a further blow in local elections held February 28, 2003, with Islamic fundamentalist politicians winning a substantial number of offices, according to press reports.
Iran assisted mid and top-level al Qaeda commanders to escape from Afghanistan, including Abu Musaab al Zarqawi, a central figure in al Qaeda's command structure.
Al Zarqawi most recently is connected with the October 28, 2002 murder of U.S. diplomat Laurence Foley. Two men arrested for Foley's killing stated that they received weapons, grenades, and false passports from al Zarqawi for the purpose of killing U.S. diplomatic personnel.
Al Zarqawi is known to have close relations with the Iranian government, as he operates under the protection of Iran's intelligence services, and is an expert in infiltration into Middle Eastern states, Die Welt reports.
Western intelligence sources credit al Zarqawi with bringing "up to 200 al Qaeda commanders and activists" - hunted by the U.S. -- from Afghanistan through Iran and Syria into Lebanon, stated Die Welt.
Despite intelligence reports of Iran's support of terror, an extension of U.S. military activity from Iraq to Iran is unlikely.
Iraq may possess biological and chemical weapons, but the Iraqi army is demoralized from years of sanctions and the rule of a hated tyrant. Iran, however, has a government with significant support, an effective military, and enjoys close military and technical (including nuclear) cooperation with Russia, America's "strategic ally" in the war on terror.
While Moscow is seeking to avoid an attack on its long-time friend, Iraq, Moscow considers Iran a firm partner in trade and military spheres.
Moscow has not only declared that Iran cannot be considered a member of U.S. President George Bush's "axis of evil," but Russia "considers Iran a member of the anti-terrorist coalition," according to statements carried by the Voice of Russia World Service, the official broadcasting service of the Russian government.
The conquest and occupation of Iraq - no matter how effectively executed - will still leave terror networks intact, protected by Iran, which, in turn, is supported by America's strategic ally, Russia.
Copyright 2003
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