Iraqi official says Iran behind failed assassination of governor

Iran Focus ^ | 2005 Nov 22

[Wiz]

Baghdad, Nov. 22 – The governor’s office in the southern Iraqi province of Basra accused Iran of being behind an attempted assassination of the current governor, a Baghdad daily reported on Monday.

The daily al-Watan wrote that in a statement, the governorate said, “There was cooperation between Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence and Security [MOIS] and certain Iraqis inside this city to assassinate the current provincial governor of Basra Mohammad Mesbah al-Waeli”.

The statement accused a prominent member of the Basra city council, a member of the Iraqi national assembly, and the secretary general of the pro-Iran Tharollah organisation, all of whom are under police investigation, of planning the “terrorist act”.

“A neighbouring country’s intelligence and official organs had planned a secret armed attack which was foiled”, the governorate said.

Dozens of Iraqi officials and personalities who have been outspoken in their criticism of the Iranian regime’s meddling in Iraq have been assassinated in recent months. Another former official, Abdullah al-Jabouri, was the target of a dozen assassination attempts while he was the governor of the strategically-located Diyala Province. Al-Jabouri repeatedly accused neighbouring Iran of sending gunmen, arms, and money into Iraq to support the insurgency.

[sgtbono2002]

Somehow I feel this story is BS, But if an Iraqui wanted to kill an Iranian can you really blame them when Iran is sending in arms , bombs and insurgents into Iraq every day?

Payback is hell

[Wiz]

ping

[humint]

Somehow I feel this story is BS, Why would you say that?... If the Iranian regime is involved in assaults on British forces in and around Basra why would it be unreasonable to believe the Iranian government is attempting to assassinate Iraqi officials who are trying to move their nation forward?

MoD names British soldier killed in Basra roadside blast: Richard Norton-Taylor - Tuesday November 22, 2005 - The Guardian

The British soldier killed by a roadside bomb in Basra on Sunday was named last night as Sergeant John Jones, 31, from 1st Battalion, the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers. He is the 98th British soldier to have died in Iraq since the invasion in 2003. ...Nine British soldiers were killed in roadside bomb attacks over the summer. British officials have accused Iran of supplying the hi-tech, improvised explosive devices used in the attacks - a charge denied by Tehran. There are also fears that radical Shia militias have infiltrated the police in Basra.