BBC: Iran victor 'kidnap role' probe ~~ The US says it is examining reports....

BBC ^ | : Thursday, 30 June, 2005, 15:11 GMT 16:11 UK | staff

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Iran victor 'kidnap role' probe

The president denies being among the hostage-takers

The US says it is examining reports that Iranian President-elect Mahmoud Ahmadinejad took part in the 1979 hostage-taking at Tehran's US embassy.

Some of the former US hostages have said they recognise Mr Ahmadinejad as one of their captors.

But three Iranians involved in the action, as well as Mr Ahmadinejad's own staff, have denied that he took part.

Mohsen Mirdamadi, the hostage-takers' leader, told the BBC that the new president had not been there.

You could make him a blond and shave his whiskers, put him in a zoot suit and I'd still spot him Former US hostage Chuck Scott

Another top student leader, Abbas Abdi, also denied the allegations as did Hamid Reza Jalaiepour, a third hostage-taker.

The BBC's Frances Harrison in Tehran says the three former students are now reformists who oppose hardliners like Mr Ahmadinejad, and would have no reason to hide his involvement now.

Questions raised

Photographs have appeared on the internet showing a young bearded man leading a blindfolded American hostage - alleging that this was Mr Ahmadinejad a quarter of a century ago.

US hostages differ over whether the new president was their captor

But the man in the photograph appears much taller than Mr Ahmadinejad, and looks nothing like other pictures of him as a student which can be found on his website, Frances Harrison says.

White House spokesman Scott McClellan said the allegations should be taken seriously.

"I think the news reports and statements from several former American hostages raise many questions about his past," he said.

"We take them very seriously and we are looking into them to better understand the facts."

One former hostage said he was sure the man was Mr Ahmadinejad.

"This is the guy," retired army colonel Chuck Scott told AP news agency.

"There's no question about it. You could make him a blond and shave his whiskers, put him in a zoot suit and I'd still spot him."

Four other former hostages agreed with Mr Scott, but at least one disagrees.

A total of 52 US citizens were taken hostage after a group of young activists climbed over the embassy wall during the Islamic Revolution, which overthrew the Shah and brought Ayatollah Khomeini to power.

[axlhuckleberry]

I've never come across an Iranian blog. I had friends in college from Iran. I guess it depends on your class there, because none of them had the desire to have the USA be thier savior.

[Howlin]

I remember when that was on the cover of National Geographic.

I never forgot it.

And they went back and found her:

[DJ MacWoW]

They are so conditioned to be subservant, they almost have to be trained.

Aren't they disarmed? I know they can do the "same" things terrorists do but I thought it was harder in Iran to get the needed items to fight back.

Heck, I don't want all Muslims dead; just "some" of them.......LOL.

We even have pics of them! :)

[McGavin999]

Just think of what those eyes saw between the first picture and the last.

I hope you do read the Kite Runner, it'll give you just a small taste of what it must have been like and the ending is incredible.

[Howlin]

subservient
subservient
subservient
subservient
subservient
subservient

[Peach]

OMG. It makes me want to adopt them all.

I remember when all the pictures were coming out and the news coverage after 9/11, I'd look around my kitchen and think those people would be happy to live in my kitchen. They'd have water, heat, a/c, food, and most of all, safety.

[RaceBannon]

I swear, liberals are just insane, I dont get it, the total lack of coherent thinking on this stuff...

[Howlin]

I'm going to read that book.

[Peach]

I'm getting hostile too. They are undermining troop morale, amusing the jihadists and emboldening them, and dividing the country.

I have to leave before I start swearing and I don't sleep all night :-)

[McGavin999]

I usually hesitate to read books that one of my guys recommend (after pledging to read Blackhawk Down) but this one was great. I hope that someone who stayed through the entire thing writes a book someday.

[Peach]

I'll mail you my copy tomorrow if you want. Just freepmail me or e-mail me the particulars, if interested.

Off to dreamland...

[TheForceOfOne]

I don't know that you do, but if you do get all your information from the MSM it would be very misleading to you or anyone else as to the real success happening in Iraq.

If you consider how long it took us to win our freedom and form our government, they are miles ahead of us. These people want their freedom and I want their freedom too.

I don't hate Iraqi's and I don't hate Iranians either. I hate the radicals who control them, murder them, rape them, torture them, beat them, and fill mass graves with their bodies.

I hate those who hate freedom and those who deny it to anyone.

[McGavin999]

The friends you have in college are probably connected to the mad mullahs. They, of course, have no problem with the regime since they enjoy the fruits of the oppression of their fellow citizens.

[Howlin]

[Howlin]

Me either, Race.

And I'm to the point I cannot put up with it anymore; I do everything I can to avoid my inlaws in any situation that allows any kind of spontaneous conversation, because it ALWAYS leads to an argument.

[axlhuckleberry]

Of course. That must be it. They are the spawn of mad mullahs.

[McGavin999]

It's sort of like the kids of the Saddam supporters. Riverbend is one of them and is constantly complaining about how bad things are now that she doesn't have her Mercedes and the money she used to have. She is completely oblivious to the mass graves and think they don't matter because they were only Shiia and everyone knows that Shiia aren't human.

There are lots of middle eastern blogs out there, Iranian, Iraqi, Egyptian, Syrian and there even used to be a Saudi blog until the guy got scared enough to quit.

[danamco]

It's not the guy right holding the hostages arm. It's the guy to the far right.


I would agree with you if you look at his huge "Roman" nose!!!

[axlhuckleberry]

I guess I have more of a human perspective on Iraq than you. It seems your view is a product of the MSM.

[nuffsenuff]

I'm smelling ozone again.

You're taking a hostile tone towards people who CLEARLY know more about these things than you do.

That's the mark of a liberal with a chip on its shoulder.

Is that what you are?

[Howlin]

Well, this ought to set off the liberals:

Rumsfeld named Pepsi 400 grand marshal

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1434363/posts

[axlhuckleberry]

I don't get you. What is it with you and ozone? I know people from Iran and Iraq personally. That is what I posted.

It's arrogant to assume someone knows more than another person - especially on the Internet.

[TheForceOfOne]

Liberal: Rumsfeld has been named grand marshal at NASCAR! why that's just outrageous! um, what's NASCAR?

lol

[DJ MacWoW]

It seems your view is a product of the MSM.

Bingo! Only a liberal thinks this way.

[easonc52]

It's arrogant to assume someone knows more than another person - especially on the Internet.

I don't want to get in the middle of anything, but I was reading an Iraqi blogger before the war, and that one has now moved out of country. That one was very hot on US coming in and praised US. Not very encouraging.

[McGavin999]

What on earth are you talking about? Do you have a reading perception problem?

I'm very well aware of the giant strides we are making there, and I'm aware of 99.9% of the people who support us there. I was pointing out Riverbend to you because you're basing your opinions on Iran on a few rich kids you happened to meet in college. Riverbend is the equivalant of those rich kids only she lives in Iraq. She's was greatly pleased with the way things were run when Saddam was in charge. Of course, she represents 1% of the people of Iraq, just like your friends probably represent 1% of the people of Iran.

[nuffsenuff]

And how do you know that I don't know people from Iran or Iraq personally? (I do, by the way)

How do you know the other poster didn't?

[TheForceOfOne]

Go back and read post 146.

[McGavin999]

I know people from Iran and Iraq personally

Yeah, we're just starting to figure out just which of those people you know and what your little agenda is.

[McGavin999]

You misunderstood what I was saying. I was pointing out Riverbend as a example of someone who was content when Saddam ruled because her father was a bigwig in Saddam's Iraq. She's a hoot to read now because she moans about us being there. She's frequently quoted on the Iraqi blogs and everyone has a good laugh because we all know who her father was.

This kid was telling us that Iran must be OK because he goes to school with some Iranians who aren't unhappy with the mad mullahs.

[McGavin999]

LOL, I'll bet it's driving them NUTS!

[easonc52]

This kid was telling us that Iran must be OK because he goes to school with some Iranians who aren't unhappy with the mad mullahs.

I apologize if it seemed I was taking sides. I was just extremely surprised when I read from this blogger the other day, that had moved out of Iraq after being so pro-America before the war (keeping in mind this is only one person out of millions).

[cyncooper]

I guess I have more of a human perspective on Iraq than you.

Your "perspective" sounds cold as ice and inhuman.

But then again, I'm one of those who wants the good people of Iraq to be free. Iran, too.

[danamco]

Here it is.


It seems to me that we got a new "Taliban," the Iranian Taliban!!!

[cyncooper]

I'm very well aware of the giant strides we are making there

(pssssst...the "person" you're addressing is against the strides for people "like that"...)

[Howlin]

It's arrogant to assume someone knows more than another person - especially on the Internet.

Isn't that exactly what YOU are doing?

You've got a lot to learn, IMO.

[McGavin999]

Yeah, I figured that out. Sometimes it takes me awhile because I just can't conceive of anyone being that ignorant on purpose.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Nice!

Listening to Brit Hume on Foxnews and his leadoff is about the new facts on the new President of Iran!.....

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Very good !!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

YES!

Nailed Him!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Geez, now we are doing History lessons for the very young!!

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Damn, good looking kids!

[Grampa Dave]

From GLOBALSECURITY....

A younger Ahmadinejad from a photo from Global security is in the photo above.

Ahmadinejad is the dude on the right with the dark turtle neck, not the guy in the red circle.

[PhilDragoo]

[Howlin]

Bump.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Thanks for the addition.

[nuconvert]

I think you may be right, Race.
I'm sure Washington is analyzing any photos they have.

[nuconvert]

Thanks for the pics, Phil. There's a striking resemblance. Just not sure about that nose and chin.

[nuconvert]

The media has zero'd-in on the man that "Iran Focus" (an MEK/terrorist website) has circled and claimed to be Ahmadinejad.
Iran Focus has their own grudge with the regime, and they appear to be mistaken in this photo identity campaign. But their photo HAS lead to closer inspection of others in the photo.
Whether it's Ahmadinejad really makes no difference. It is fact that he was involved in the hostage crisis. It's part of his bio, and was known before he was 'elected'. Having a photo may be icing on the cake, but it isn't necessary.

[nuffsenuff]

True.

But I would like the media to show the right picture and focus on the right guy.

That's him. The one my photo and the others.

The new President of Iran was one of the people who took our hostages and photo evidence will solidify this in the minds of everyone.

Now we'll see who's with us in this war on terror.