Iranian Alert -- DAY 41 -- LIVE THREAD PING LIST

The Iranian Student Movement Up To The Minute Reports ^ | 7.20.2003 | DoctorZin

[DoctorZIn]

The regime is working hard to keep the news about the protest movment in Iran from being reported.

From jamming satellite broadcasts, to prohibiting news reporters from covering any demonstrations to shutting down all cell phones and even hiring foreign security to control the population, the regime is doing everything in its power to keep the popular movement from expressing its demand for an end of the regime.

These efforts by the regime, while successful in the short term, do not resolve the fundamental reasons why this regime is crumbling from within.

Iran is a country ready for a regime change. If you follow this thread you will witness, I believe, the transformation of a nation. This daily thread provides a central place where those interested in the events in Iran can find the best news and commentary.

Please continue to join us here, post your news stories and comments to this thread.

Thanks for all the help.

DoctorZin

[DoctorZIn]

This just in...

It appears that some Iranian websites are preparing to carry my editorial on CNN and the Iranian Student Hamid.

We need the US media to also cover this story.

DoctorZin

[DoctorZIn]

"IRAN WON'T TELL US WHO KILLED KAZEMI" BY AMIR TAHERI

NATIONAL POST
July 18, 2003
Who killed Zahra Kazemi? This is the question that Iran's President Muhammad Khatami is challenged to answer within the next week or so.

Zahra Kazemi was a 54-year old Canadian photographer of Iranian origin who disappeared in Tehran on June 23 while taking pictures of protestors in front of the Evin Prison where thousands of prisoners of conscience are held often without trial.

We now know that Ms. Kazemi arrived in Tehran in early June and was "tailed" by secret service agents from the first minute. When news of Kazemi's disappearance spread late last month, the authorities feigned ignorance and even tried one of their usual tricks of implying she had been involved in an illicit sexual escapade.

The regime was forced to abandon that line after more than a dozen witnesses came forward to attest that government agents had abducted Ms. Kazemi in broad daylight. A few days later, the Interior Ministry announced Ms. Kazemi's death, claiming, "internal bleeding" as its cause.

That claim provoked a chorus of denunciation even from elements of the regime itself. President Khatami ordered an investigation by the ministers of the interior, health, and security. The preliminary results of the investigation shows that the Canadian journalist died under torture and as a result of being repeatedly hit on the head with a blunt object.

"We know that Ms. Kazemi's death was not natural," says Muhammad-Ali Abtahi, an assistant to Khatami for media affairs. "She died of a brain hemorrhage caused by beating."

Abtahi tried to circumvent the real question: Who killed Kazemi? He claimed that no "serious hypothesis" could be formed at present. The Health Minister, Massoud Pezeshkian, went even further in trying to cover up the murder by rejecting Canada's demand to allow a Canadian medical team to carry out a post-mortem.

Ms. Kazemi is not the first journalist to be murdered by the Khomeinist regime. Between 1998 and 1999 a total of 18 journalists "disappeared" in various parts of Iran. Their dead bodies were eventually found and Khatami ordered a number of investigations into the circumstances of their death. But none of the cases were elucidated or brought to justice.

The Khomeinist regime started its life in 1979 by murdering journalists. In that year the Khomeinists executed the director of the country's principal news agency along with the publisher of a popular magazine, a prominent television commentator and the correspondent of the British Daily Telegraph in Tehran.

In the two decades that followed, the Khomeinists murdered 42 other journalists, disguising the deaths of some of them as accidents or even suicides. Rahman Hatefi, a Communist writer and editor, had his veins opened, and left to bleed to death in his cell in Evin. The murder was presented as suicide. The murder of Saeedi Sirjani, a nationalist writer, was presented as a fatal heart attack.

In some cases the victims were murdered in their homes, the whole thing being presented as crimes by burglars. Some of the victims had their throats slit and their heads cut off in the medieval punishment reserved for "enemies of Islam."

Tehran sources claim that the murders are carried out by hit squads operating on behalf of the Ministry for Intelligence and Security. Lebanese and other Arab Shiite militants, who were brought to Iran in the thousands after the Khomeinists seized power in 1979, mainly form these squads.

What is surprising in the Kazemi case is the ambiguous stance adopted by Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien. Ottawa seems to be under the illusion that the enquiry ordered by Khatami may discover the truth and bring the murderers to book. This will certainly not happen if only because Khatami has no power to arrest and punish the assassins who are ultimately controlled by the "Supreme Guide" Ali Khamenei.

Canada should demand an independent enquiry under a Canadian lawyer and with the participation of Western lawyers and criminologists. Otherwise we shall never know who murdered Zahra Kazemi.

Amir Taheri is an Iranian; journalist and author; of 10 books on; the Middle East and Islam.; amirtaheri@benadorassociates.com.

© Copyright 2003 National Post

http://www.benadorassociates.com/article/476

"If you want on or off this Iran ping list, Freepmail me”

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Thanks !

Bush Doctrine Unfolds :

To find all articles tagged or indexed using Bush Doctrine Unfold , click below:
	click here >>>	Bush Doctrine Unfold	<<< click here
(To view all FR Bump Lists, click here)

[DoctorZIn]

I continue to get reports such as the one on Hamid but they are all in Farsi.

If anyone reads Farsi and can translate these articles for me it would help us greatly to get these stories out.

Please email me privately if this is something you could help me with.

DoctorZin

"If you want on or off this Iran ping list, Freepmail me”

[McGavin999]

Wish I could help Doc, but I can't. Still, I hope someone steps forward. It's important to get all the news we can get.

[Madcelt]

I must take the time to thank you for pinging me to the Iranian threads. The Ayotallahs (eye - ot- Allahs) have much to answer for. They have abused Iran as their personal "pocket book" and playground. They can resist, they can struggle to hold power. But for naught...they will lose. They have tried to hide behind God. Bad mistake. I wonder if God will be as "generous" in handing out judgement to them as they were to the people of Iran.

[DoctorZIn]

My editorial was just posted on an Iranian website, Iran va Jahan.

http://iranvajahan.net/cgi-bin/news_en.pl?l=en&y=2003&m=07&d=20&a=5

Others are expressing interest in similar versions of it.

Now if we can find a US site to do so also.

DoctorZin

[nuconvert]

That's great. I've been emailing for hours. Hope it's helping.

[nuconvert]

Being Sunday it poses a bit of a problem. But I'll keep emailing...

[nuconvert]

Could you post the translation w/ your editorial on the forum so other people on FR could see it? Maybe you could ask for suggestions in your comment?

[DoctorZIn]

My story is in English.
Perhaps you are seeing the farsi website.

[the Real fifi]

I posted your English translation here..http://pub116.ezboard.com/ftimezone39828frm1.showMessageRange?topicID=1802.topic&start=301&stop=320 I've been doing a running post of the most significant parts of this thread there from Day 1.

[DoctorZIn]

Thanks,

The article was posted in English on the English portion of their website:

http://www.iranvajahan.net/english/

I hope this helps as well.

DoctorZIn

[nuconvert]

No, I've been emailing the English story. Coast to coast. Newspapers, Tv, blogs, websites, colleges.
Suppose we'll have to wait until tomorrow though to see if anyone picks it up. Also sent to UK.

[firewalk]

If anyone reads Farsi and can translate these articles for me it would help us greatly to get these stories out.

I don't, but here's a bttt
Thank you for the ping

[Valin]

First the complain that we didn't pay attention to intelligence we had but couldn't prove, and now they complain because we are paying attention to intelligence we have. Which one do they want?


I'd like to recomend "Terrorist Hunter" by Anonymous (aka Rita Katz, director of the Site Institute)
http://www.siteinstitute.org/

or
The Terrorist Hunter Speaks: An amazing story of an Iraqi Jew at the heart of dismantling terrorism
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/936368/posts

[firewalk]

Thanks for the ping

[DoctorZIn]

OFFICIAL REPORT ON Ms. KAZEMI’S DEATH NOT CONVINCING

By Safa Haeri

PARIS 20 July (IPS) As a five-member investigation committee confirmed Sunday that the Iranian-born Canadian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi died from physical attack, it was learnt that her mother has agreed that the body should be buried in Canada, as demanded by her grandson, Stephen Hachemi.

"In a document signed at the Canadian Embassy in Tehran with the presence of the Canadian ambassador, Mrs. Ezzat Kazemi, the mother of Zahra Kazemi has officially transferred all her rights to her grandson for transferring the body to Canada to rest near her son, thus removing all objections from the Iranian government for the action", Dr. Karim Lahiji, a lawyer for Stephen Hachemi told Iran Press Service.

So far, the Iranian authorities had rejected the demand on the basis that the slain photographer was an Iranian citizen in the one hand and that her mother wanted she be buried near her.

Meanwhile, in a report submitted to President Mohammad Khatami and released by the official news agency IRNA, ministers of Culture and Islamic Guidance, Information (Intelligence), Interior, Justice and Health concluded that the 54 years-old Kazemi died of brain haemorrhage caused by a break in her skull.

They confirmed that the public Prosecutor of Tehran and the Islamic Revolution tribunals (the notorious Judge Sa’id Mortazavi), believed to have hit Ms. Kazemi on her head, had been present "at times" at the interrogations, but failed to name any of the interrogators.

According to the report, the victim had been detained several days at the office of the Prosecutor, the Intelligence Unit of the Law Enforcement Forces and the Intelligence Ministry before being transferred to hospital, where she died on 10 July.

Thought the report says that the three organs which hold her have all confirmed that she behaved "aggressively and provocatively at all stages" of the interrogations, answering never "clearly" the questions, but it do not say why she "screamed" when, in Evin Prison, she heard the voice of one of the interrogator?

The report also make no mention of the reason for her arrest, made by agents of the public prosecutor near Evin Prison, but say that the area she was taking picture was clearly marked as prohibited for photography.

But according to various informed sources, Mr. Mortazavi had ordered the arrest, charging Ms. Kazemi with espionage.

Ms. Kazemi was arrested while taking photo from Evin prison compound where families of those arrested during the past month’s students-led popular anti-regime protests were staging demonstration on June 23.

Better known as "The Butcher of the press" for having placed behind bars more than 20 journalists and shut down hundred publications in the past two years, Judge Mortazavi had been promoted recently by the leader of the regime, Ayatollah Ali Khameneh'i to the post of public Prosecutor.

The report says that the fatal blow to the head of Ms. Kazemi took place three days after the arrest and probably 24 hours before, not making clear that on that time, she had been at the prosecutor’s office or at the hands of the LEF.

However, the report calls for the identification and interrogation of all those who, on that period, had been in contact with the photographer.

"All together, she spent 21 hours at the prosecutor’s office, 26 hours at the Intelligence Unit of the LEF and another 26 hours at the Intelligence Ministry", the report states, adding that once arrested and taken to Evin, she had "blackened" the films by taking them out of her camera.

Experts who read the report say it is "far from convincing" and added that the general undertone is to show that not only the photographer was guilty of misconduct, breach of the laws, but her provocative and aggressive attitude during interrogations might have led to some violence by the interrogators.

"The death of a foreign journalist is not a trivial matter. Mortazavi has to answer for his deeds. Mortazavi is not fit to be a judge", Mr. Mohsen Armin, an outspoken lawmaker told the Majles on Sunday.

"An investigation that merely states the cause of death is not enough", he told the embattled Khatami.

President Khatami had formed the four minister investigative committee, joined latter by the Health Minister, under mounting international and domestic pressures, vowing he would not compromise in confronting those responsible.

The death of Ms. Kazemi created an international outrage, with many international and Iranian human rights and press organization urging the Iranian authorities to promptly identify all those who ordered the arrest of Ms. Kazemi as well as all those who carried the interrogations and tortures.

"We know that Mortazavi is not a man to commit those illegalities if not having protection from more powerful men", Mr. Armin said in an indirect reference to Mr. Khameneh’i, as the direct responsible for the Islamic Judiciary.

Armin, who is both the Deputy Speaker and vice-Chairman of the Majles’ Security and Foreign Affairs Committee also blasted the Judiciary for allegedly killing the Canadian-Iranian photographer, saying heads should roll in the hard line bastion if the Islamic republic's reputation is to be restored.

Mr. Armin singled out Mr. Mortazavi as "the very man at the center of all recent crackdowns, illegal arrest of students, scholars, journalists and intellectuals, including the death of Ms. Kazemi".

"She was arrested and was hit and beaten. She had a brain hemorrhage because her skull was broken", Armin said, adding: "Instead of respecting the dignity of journalists and the reputation of the Islamic republic by punishing those who beat her, Mortazavi ordered her to stay in detention" -- despite recommendations to the contrary from the intelligence service, he alleged.

He said that Mortazavi had accused Ms. Kazemi of being a spy and then tried to cover up the killing, referring to the fact that the authorities had first said that the photographer died on brain stroke.

Informed sources revealed to Iran Press Service that Mortazavi had summoned the Guidance Ministry’s General Director in charge of the foreign press to state that Ms. Kazemi died of brain stroke and also told the official news agency IRNA to put out a similar statement.

Defending Judge Mortazavi, pro-conservative newspapers claimed Sunday that Ms. Kazemi had a precedence of brain stroke.

"Evidence shows the reformists' propaganda machine has begun its project aimed at removing Mortazavi" wrote Mr. Amir Mohebian, an editor of the pro-conservative daily "Resalat". "Mortazavi is the only Judge that stands to enemies of the regime", said a students group controlled by hard liners.

"Mortazavi ordered a story put out that she simply died of a brain stroke and ordered the family to urgently bury her", Armin told deputies in a barrage of criticism levelled against the judge over the Kazemi case and the recent jailing of a number of pro-reform journalists and pro-democracy students who were involved in a recent wave of anti-regime protests.

"If we stay silent and do nothing about this it will eventually lead to serial killings", Armin said, referring to a string of murders of prominent politicians and intellectuals at the end of November 1998.

Defying Ayatollah Khameneh’i, who had said at the time that the murders were to work of "foreign hands", President Khatami ordered the formation of an investigation committee that concluded that high-ranking agents of the Intelligence Ministry, then led by Hojjatoleslam Dorri Najafabadi, had carried out the assassinations.

Mrs. Elaheh Koula’i, another reformist MM and member of the National Security and Foreign Affairs Committee also condemned the "undignified attack on and beating up of Zahra Kazemi".

She said the killing was part of what has become "an atmosphere of censorship in the press and the halting of all criticism".

Majlis Speaker Mehdi Karroubi, a close ally of Khatami, Karroubi said the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) had decided in its Saturday meeting to forward the report on the Kazemi’s issue to Judiciary Chief Ayatollah Mahmoud Hashemi Shahroudi, the man who is both the boss and protector of Judge Mortazavi.

"The Judiciary chief will accordingly appoint a competent judge to immediately study the case, and report the results as soon as possible", he told journalists.

But most Iranian observers doubt that the case of Ms. Kazemi would go any further than that of the Serial Murders. ENDS JOURNALIST DIES 20703

http://www.iran-press-service.com/

[DoctorZIn]

Tense situation among military forces stationned in Esfahan

SMCCDI (Information Service)
Jul 20, 2003

The existing tension has increased in Esfahan and especially among the military forces, stationned in this city. More special troops have been transferred to the city in order to avoid a revolt of the population and the militaries.

This increase of the tension follows the arrest of the head of Ayatollah Jalaledin Taheri's offices, by members of the Intelligence Division of the Pasdaran Corp., and the confiscation of most of the documents and letters received by the dissident cleric. Several members of the local Bassidj force who were protecting Taheri's Office Manager were arrested as well during the rush attack as they tried to defend the offices premises and his home.

These forces were already disarmed since the beginning of this month and following the issuance of another strong letter, by Taheri, in support of the students and those seeking Freedom.

Taheri had defied, already and last year, in an unprecedented letter, the rule of the Supreme leader and condemned the existing conditions in Iran. In this first letter, he resigned publicly from his function of representing the Supreme Leader in this rebellious city.

The transferred members of the Special forces have been stationned in the casernes of the local militia and regular army and have been given the charge of controlling the city and its military forces.

It's to note that several demonstrators have been killed and hundreds injured in this city during the last 2 years.

http://www.daneshjoo.org/generalnews/article/publish/article_1264.shtml

"If you want on or off this Iran ping list, Freepmail me”

[McGavin999]

So Iran is technically occupied by a foreign army?