Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Iran Dissidents: British Capture Ordered [Opposition Group Says Ayatollah Khamenei Ordered Capture]
AP via ABC News ^ | March 31, 2007 | DAVID STRINGER

Posted on 03/31/2007 8:33:43 PM PDT by jdm

LONDON Mar 31, 2007 (AP) — An Iranian opposition group claimed Saturday that Iran's capture of 15 British sailors and marines was planned in advance and carried out in retaliation for the U.N. sanctions imposed against the country, as an Iranian diplomat said the case had entered a legal phase.

Gholam-Reza Ansari, the Iranian ambassador to Russia, made his comments to Russian television Vesti-24 on Friday and was quoted by IRNA on its Web site as saying, "the case of the detention of British sailors has taken on a judicial form."

IRNA originally quoted the ambassador Saturday morning as saying the sailors could be "tried if there is enough evidence of guilt." But the agency published a correction later claiming Ansari's comments were incorrectly translated by Russian television. The Russian TV station could not immediately be reached for comment.

Asked about Ansari's remarks earlier Saturday before IRNA reported that he was misquoted, British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett urged Iran to resolve the crisis peacefully.

The National Council of Resistance of Iran the political wing of the Iranian MEK opposition group which is listed as a terrorist group by Britain, the U.S. and the European Union said the British crew's capture was planned in advance, but offered no evidence to support the claims.

The British sailors were detained by Iranian naval units March 23 while patrolling for smugglers near the mouth of the Shatt al-Arab, a waterway that has long been a disputed dividing line between Iraq and Iran. Iran claims the Britons were in its territory; Britain and the Iraqi government say they were taken captive in Iraqi waters.

Iran appears intent on sending a message of strength as it faces mounting U.N. Nations sanctions over its uranium enrichment program, which the U.S. and other nations suspect the Islamic Republic is using to develop nuclear weapons.

Hossein Abedini, a member of the opposition group's foreign affairs committee, claimed the group had obtained information from sources within Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard and had passed details to the British government. He did not provide any evidence or give further details.

Britain's Foreign Office said it could not comment on Abedini's allegation, or say if it had evidence the operation was pre-planned. A spokeswoman said the MEK was a banned organization under British anti-terrorism laws meaning the government had no dealings with the group.

Abedini told a London press conference that an Iranian Revolutionary Guard naval garrison had been on alert from the night before the kidnapping, to prepare for the operation.

Mohammad Mohaddessin, who handles foreign affairs for the council, said in a statement that Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had ordered the detention of the Britons in the hope of pressuring the British government over a threat to toughen U.N. sanctions.

"You can see that the clerical regime had in a premeditated act arrested British sailors in order to win concessions from the international community and divert attention from its nuclear project," Abedini said. "Claims that the sailors were arrested in Iranian territorial waters are baseless."

Britain's Foreign Office reiterated that the personnel "were in Iraqi waters and we continue to request immediate consular access to them and their immediate release."

Britain has frozen most contacts with Iran and referred the issue to the U.N. Security Council, which expressed "grave concern" on Thursday over Iran's seizure last week of the Britons.

Former Iranian President Mohammed Khatami told reporters on Saturday that he hopes the current standoff will be resolved peacefully "instead of facing a new disaster not only for Iranian-British relations, but for Iran internationally."


TOPICS: Breaking News; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: british; dissidents; iran; muhammadsminions; sailors
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-56 next last

1 posted on 03/31/2007 8:33:45 PM PDT by jdm
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: jdm

I guess the Iranian dissidents forgot to Google "Gulf of Tonkin"


2 posted on 03/31/2007 8:36:04 PM PDT by bygolly
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jdm
ADDITIONAL:

A senior British naval officer will leave for Tehran in efforts to negotiate an agreement with Iran for the release of 15 kidnapped British sailors, according to a report by the Sunday Telegraph. (Ynet)

3 posted on 03/31/2007 8:45:53 PM PDT by jdm
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jdm; pissant; Antoninus; neverdem; airborne

THIS IS AN ACT OF WAR!!!

Are there no men left who will stand up for what's right?!

What world am I growing up into?


4 posted on 03/31/2007 8:50:15 PM PDT by Ultra Sonic 007 (Vote for Duncan Hunter in 2008. Audio, Video, and Quotes in my profile.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jdm
Ministers Seek Deal With Iran For Release Of Captives

"Ministers are preparing a compromise deal to allow Iran to save face and release its 15 British military captives by promising that the Royal Navy will never knowingly enter Iranian waters without permission."

Note: They're 'captives' not hostages.

5 posted on 03/31/2007 9:17:35 PM PDT by blam
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jdm

This is like watching a train wreck in slow motion. By the way, has Hezbollah released that Israeli soldier yet?

I hate to say it, because I love the Britons, but what kind of military outfit surrenders to a bunch of thugs? First, the vaunted Israeli army lets Hezbollah eat their lunch, then the British can't muster the will to threaten military retaliation against a terrorist government, and now the U.S. Congress has issued its surrender to al Qaeda? who in the U.K. thinks that the way to deal with Iran is to pretend they give a crap about sanctions? Did the U.S. State Department all get jobs at 10 Downing? This is NUTS. These people WILL. NOT. STOP. Ahmadinejad has one immediate goal, and that's to control the shipping lanes of the Persian Gulf. After that, it's the conquest of Saudi Arabia. With a medium range nuclear weapon in his arsenal, he can hold Europe hostage and do what he wants.

This is not the time for everyone to go soft, but here we sit, sending special envoys to smooth over a tyrant. I fear greatly for the future. Greatly.


6 posted on 03/31/2007 9:20:39 PM PDT by Rutles4Ever (Ubi Petrus, ibi ecclesia, et ubi ecclesia vita eterna)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: blam

Or as the immigration treason lobby likes to call criminal illegal aliens - undocumentd entrants.


7 posted on 03/31/2007 9:26:42 PM PDT by baubau (BOYCOTT businesses that hire 3rd world illegal aliens.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: baubau

amen!!! i own a landscape company in massachusetts and I'm losing customers to ILLEGAL ALIENS who are here illegally working for ridiculously low fees. ALL illegals out NOW, and ENFORCE OUR BORDERS! america is selling out and falling apart FAST


8 posted on 03/31/2007 9:32:24 PM PDT by nocommies
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: jdm

But, but, but Rosie O said they were in Iranian waters and tried to get caught so the Brits could start WW3.


9 posted on 03/31/2007 9:34:52 PM PDT by Danette ("If we ever forget that we're one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Rutles4Ever
This is like watching a train wreck in slow motion.

No, really, this is watching the end of western civilization. We don't care to preserve what we've created any longer. So, like others before us, we are relegating ourselves to stuff of dusty museums and college students who write theses on our rise and fall.

10 posted on 03/31/2007 9:37:09 PM PDT by Scott from the Left Coast
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: nocommies

Same thing is happening in every city and town in the country. You are losing your business and American citizens are losing their jobs. But the worst part of it is America is losing its culture, heritage and freedom to massive hordes of invaders. Our children are losing their future.

Here where I live I can go down a major road and count at least a hundred or more of illegal aliens under bridges, overpasses, stop signs and shopping centers waiting for someone to pick them up for work. They even have signs for "Day Labor Pickup."

Illegal immigration has consequences.


11 posted on 03/31/2007 9:41:39 PM PDT by baubau (BOYCOTT businesses that hire 3rd world illegal aliens.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Rutles4Ever

"I fear greatly for the future---"

Do not fear---just read the Bible and know exactly where this world is headed---while I cannot tell you each and every move to come and the exact time they will happen, it is simple to understand what is to come to put an end to the wicked, sinful world we now live in---Keep the faith and you will lose any fears


12 posted on 03/31/2007 9:46:36 PM PDT by cmotormac44
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: jdm

What about the four or five senior Iranian military people missing in Turkey?


13 posted on 03/31/2007 9:48:15 PM PDT by Brad from Tennessee ("A politician can't give you anything he hasn't first stolen from you.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jdm

I still don't understand why they just didn't blow away those Iranians as soon as they were known to be unfriendly. Were they unarmed?


14 posted on 03/31/2007 9:49:57 PM PDT by KoRn (FRED THOMPSON FOR PRESIDENT!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: cmotormac44

I read your bio - I am awe-inspired.

I know that God will take care of us, but it's still frightening to witness the wholesale submission of the West to an Islamic tyrant.


15 posted on 03/31/2007 9:58:09 PM PDT by Rutles4Ever (Ubi Petrus, ibi ecclesia, et ubi ecclesia vita eterna)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: bygolly

Gulf of Tonkin...LOL

I will tell you. Liberals will never get out of the 60s in their minds.

hahaha


16 posted on 03/31/2007 11:34:12 PM PDT by se_ohio_young_conservative (An angry American. Mad as hell and cant take it anymore)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Rutles4Ever

There is no submission.

Just wait and see. The Americans and the Brits are starting to get fed up.


17 posted on 03/31/2007 11:37:47 PM PDT by se_ohio_young_conservative (An angry American. Mad as hell and cant take it anymore)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: cmotormac44

You are an 84 year old WW2 Vet ! I always wanted to walk up to one of you guys, give you a giant bear hug and say thank you.

God bless you my brother !


18 posted on 03/31/2007 11:44:35 PM PDT by se_ohio_young_conservative (An angry American. Mad as hell and cant take it anymore)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: jdm
"The National Council of Resistance of Iran the political wing of the Iranian MEK opposition group which is listed as a terrorist group by Britain, the U.S. and the European Union said the British crew's capture was planned in advance, but offered no evidence to support the claims." The enemy of my enemy is my friend?? Never heard of this group--shouldn't we be supporting those who are resisting Ahmagonnahaveajihad and his pals?
19 posted on 04/01/2007 1:18:53 AM PDT by pillut48 (CJ in TX (Bible Thumper and Proud!))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: cmotormac44

I, too, want to express my awe at the things your home page says about your accomplishments. I also want to express my appreciation. Your generation was made of sterner stuff.


20 posted on 04/01/2007 2:04:51 AM PDT by Lazamataz (God: Always, In All Ways.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-56 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson