Text 29071, 73 rader
Skriven 2007-06-06 22:49:00 av Jeff Binkley (1:226/600)
Ärende: Iran
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http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/2007/06/document_iran_c.html

Document: Iran Caught Red-Handed Shipping Arms to Taliban
June 06, 2007 6:00 PM

Brian Ross and Christopher Isham Report:

 NATO officials say they have caught Iran red-handed, shipping heavy 
arms, C4 explosives and advanced roadside bombs to the Taliban for use 
against NATO forces, in what the officials say is a dramatic escalation 
of Iran's proxy war against the United States and Great Britain.

"It is inconceivable that it is anyone other than the Iranian government 
that's doing it," said former White House counterterrorism official 
Richard Clarke, an ABC News consultant. 

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates stopped short earlier this week of 
blaming Iran, saying the U.S. did not have evidence "of the involvement 
of the Iranian government in support of the Taliban."

But an analysis by a senior coalition official, obtained by the Blotter 
on ABCNews.com, concludes there is clear evidence of Iran's involvement.

"This is part of a considered policy," says the analysis, "rather than 
the result of low-level corruption and weapons smuggling."    

Iran and the Taliban had been fierce enemies when the Taliban was in 
power in Afghanistan, and their apparent collaboration came as a 
surprise to some in the intelligence community.

"I think their goal is to make it very clear that Iran has the 
capability to make life worse for the United States on a variety of 
fronts," said Seth Jones of the Rand Institute, "even if they have to do 
some business with a group that has historically been their enemy."  

The coalition analysis says munitions recovered in two Iranian convoys, 
on April 11 and May 3, had "clear indications that they originated in 
Iran. Some were identical to Iranian supplied goods previously 
discovered in Iraq."

The April convoy was tracked from Iran into Helmand province and led a 
fierce firefight that destroyed one vehicle, according to the official 
analysis. A second vehicle was reportedly found to contain small arms 
ammunition, mortar rounds and more than 650 pounds of C4 demolition 
charges.

A second convoy of two vehicles was spotted on May 3 and led to the 
capture of five occupants and the seizure of RPG-7mm rockets and more 
than 1,000 pounds of C4, the analysis says. 

Also among the munitions are components for the lethal EFPs, or 
explosive formed projectiles, the roadside bombs that U.S. officials say 
Iran has provided to Iraqi insurgents with deadly results.

"These clearly have the hallmarks of the Iranian Revolution Guards' Quds 
force," said Jones.

The coalition diplomatic message says the demolition charges "contained 
the same fake U.S. markings found on explosives recovered from 
insurgents operating in the Baghdad area." 

"We believe these intercepted munitions are part of a much bigger flow 
of support from Iran to the Taliban," the message says.

The Taliban receives larger supplies of weapons through profits from 
opium dealing, officials say, but the Iranian presence could be 
significant.

"It means the insurgency in Afghanistan is likely to be prolonged," said 
Jones. "It would be a much more potent force."

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