Iran said to have executed Arab trio for 'waging war on God'

The Scotsman ^ | December 21, 2006 | MICHAEL THEODOULOU

[MadIvan]

IRAN is said to have defied international pleas for clemency and hanged three ethnic Arabs convicted of "waging war on God".

Another 11 Iranian Arabs are awaiting execution after being convicted in secret trials of involvement in a bombing spree. Neil Durkin, of Amnesty International, told The Scotsman: "We are seeking more details, including whether any of those executed received proper trials and had the right to appeals."

Activists insist the men were innocent and had paid the price for merely hailing from the country's disadvantaged Arab minority, which is concentrated in Iran's oil-rich province of Khuzestan, bordering Iraq.

Tehran has blamed Britain, which has troops in southern Iraq, for fomenting instability in the remote province. London has vehemently denied the "ludicrous" accusations.

The 14 condemned men were convicted over explosions that killed more than 20 people in Khuzestan's capital, Ahwaz, last year. The British Ahwazi Friendship Society (BAFS) said it had learned from a students' news agency yesterday that three of the men had been hanged.

Heavily edited "confessions" by 11 of the men were broadcast on Iranian television last month. Iranian and foreign activists say the trials were flawed, the charges baseless and the sentencing based on a spurious interpretation of the law.

The trials were attacked by the European Parliament in a unanimous resolution last month as well as by 48 British MPs. Peter Tatchell, the human rights campaigner,

told The Scotsman last night: "If these executions are confirmed, it indicates that Tehran has blatantly ignored all international human rights conventions and pleas for clemency from ... around the world."

BAFS said: "The men were convicted following one-day trials in closed sessions of the Revolutionary Court in Ahwaz, with little or no access to lawyers and after being tortured into giving confessions."

One of the condemned men was in jail at the time of the bombings last year.

The condemned men come from three groups. Most are from a reformist ethnic Arab party seeking rights for Ahwazi Arabs through legal and constitutional means. The group was banned last month after the hardline Iranian judiciary accused it of inciting unrest and opposing the Islamic system.

[MadIvan]

With a bit of luck, the Iranians and Arabs will start killing each other (again).

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

Ping!

[LibKill]

With a bit of luck, the Iranians and Arabs will start killing each other (again).

" 'tis a consumation most devoutly to be wished."

When one's enemies start killing each other off, it's time to go to the pub and celebrate.

[mitch5501]

Just to get in first...

"...it indicates that Tehran has blatantly ignored all international human rights conventions and pleas..."

I'm shocked!!...SHOCKED I tell you!!!

[Jaysun]

The Arabs believe in a god and they always have, albeit a false one. It was only when we stopped believing in the true God that they thrived. And it's only when we start believing in the true God again that they will perish.

You can ask yourself "why this" or "why that" as much as you'd like. The answer seems so clear. We will not prevail as a people until we obey, as a people.

Our battle is from as much from within as anything else. Until we defeat liberalism we're doomed.

[Gay State Conservative]

I Slam is a 9th Century death cult.Nothing more....nothing less.

[American in Israel]

The fact that they are from the "disadvantaged minority" tends to indicate that they may have been innocent simply because bombers tend to be from the upper middle class in society.

I do find it odd that Irans Clerics feel they must execute those who "wage war on God". Their god must be very weak.

[MHGinTN]

The Iranians are already paying one group of Arabs to kill another group of Arabs. Apparently, Arabs can't learn a lesson so long as the Iranians couch their campaign in islamism noise.

[Fred Nerks]

City in Iran with 330,000 inhabitants (2005 estimate). Situated in the south-western corner of Iran, on the island of Abadan, that lies in the river of Shatt El Arab. The economic base of the city is petroleum refining and shipping. Oil is transported from the Iranian oil fields in the north, through pipelines, to Abadan. HISTORY 1847: The Agreement of Ezerum transfers Abadan from the Ottomans to Persia. 1908: Oil is discovered near Abadan. 1913: Abadan becomes the centre of oil refining for Persia. 1980-88: Much of the Iran-Iraq War is staged near Abadan, principally because the city's oil resources represent great wealth.

-----

Khuzestan is the territory, Abadan is the city that is the oil refining centre of Iran. The majority of the citizens of Khuzestan are arabs.

[Fred Nerks]

Major prize - on the border of Iran and Iraq.

[odds]

"With a bit of luck, the Iranians and Arabs will start killing each other (again)."

What do you precisely mean by that?

[mkjessup]

Iran said to have executed Arab trio for 'waging war on God'

Translation:

The moon-'god' (demon) calling itself 'allah' demanded additional human sacrifices, and it's earthly Iranian toadies were happy to comply.

[odds]

In the context of your post, those "Arabs" hanged are in fact ethnic "Iranian-Arabs" similar to Azeris, Baluchis and Persian ethnic groups within Iran, who fought on Iran side during Iran-Iraq War, not the "Arab" side. They consider themselves Iranian not Arab. But, they all hate the Mullahs and rightly so.

As for "Iranians", do differentiate between the Mullah regime, which is Arab in "ideology" vs. ethnicity & Iranian People. This is a War of ideologies. The so-called "Iranians" i.e. Mullah regime is Arab; the difference is their brand of Islam (Shiite vs. Sunnis, which are both part of the Arab religion and ideology), plus “Mullahs” ambition plays a significant role.

Mullahs do not believe in nationalism or Iran, only in Islam, unlike at least more than 50% Iranian People who believe in being Iranian minus Islam. Therefore, it is Arab vs. Arab, in fact. Islam is in Mecca in Saudi Arabia, not Iran.

Of course, I've heard many Iranian “people”, of all ethnicities & religions, say they would be grateful if Britain didn't utter some rhetoric against the Mullahs and then do all sorts of business and otherwise deals with them. You do realize that most VIP Ayatollahs have a carte blanche to frequently travel to the U.K. and have their best robes & turbans tailored made in the U.K. by the British?

[Jabba the Nutt]

Reportedly, the Iranian Regime is fomenting 4 civil wars in the Middle East (Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine and Bahrain). They ought to consider, that fomenting civil war isn't a one way street. Iran is about 50% Persia and 50% other ethnicities (Arab, Azeri, Baluchi and others).

If we are fighting a Global War on Terror and Iran is one of the leading fonts of these terror, we should be going to Tehran and reading them the riot act. If you don't do the following, your regime will be destroyed and Iran will be divided up. Then go to the Iranian military and look for patriots willing to destroy the regime to save Iran.

What the media never plays up is that Bush is losing support among the 30-40% of the population, who believes he's NOT taking the GWOT seriously and not doing what's necessary to win. Iran is the number one evidence of this view.

[odds]

I agree with your points.

Why not support dissidents and ALL ethnic groups who by majority absolutely despise the Mullah regime? Those who are silent do so because they see no external support. No point when you protest against the regime then it goes nowhere because it is ad hoc and you know the regime thugs will hunt you down and kill, torture, rape and maim you and your wife and kids?

Having said this, the Iranians want to get rid of the regime themselves, but they need political, military, economic support from America and its allies. It is these support mechanisms that haven't been available. Why? I honestly don't know, it mystifies. It's been 28 years.

Yes, "Islamic Republic" of Iran is a terrorist regime, no doubt about it. It has to go, the sooner the better. It should have gone before Iraq intervention, imho. In any case, I hope the New Year will bring some meaningful and tangible solutions. A "secular", democratic regime in Iran will significantly contribute to the stability of the region.

Last point: Those in/out of Iran who support the regime mostly have financial and/or political gain from the current Islamic regime. Of course, quite a lot of the "Basijee" militia in Iran are actually Palestinians.

[GingisK]

The god of Islam must be very weak to require men to wage war on his behalf.