Covert action in Iran

[Tom Odom]

Certainly some Lebanese (usually Maronite) Christians claim not to be Arab— as they speak their Arabic (native) tongue, eat shawarma, etc.



Hamas is Sunni--there are hardly any Palestinian Shi'ites.

Agreed. The Phoenician tag is as much a poltiical/sectarian statement as it is anything else.

Arab today is a linguistic term most commonly meaning those who use Arabic. Trying to use it an ethnic group is really a non-starter. Where that really gets silly is in places like Sudan or North Africa. In Sudan the many of "Arabs" looked much like the southerners.

Correct on the Palestinian and Shia Islam; that was one of the reasons the Shia in Lebanon were at first happy to see the IDF kick out the PLO.

Pass the schwarma please

Tom

[William F. Owen]

Certainly some Lebanese (usually Maronite) Christians claim not to be Arab— as they speak their Arabic (native) tongue, eat shawarma, etc.

Quite a few of us eat Shwarma. I live on it. Not sure how happy I am with this new "Turkey" Shwarma, but apparently less fattening!

A lot of the Lebanese Christians I knew in London seemed to speak mostly French, and considered those of their community who did not, to be less sophisticated than themselves.

...but it's an interesting point taken about the linguistic snobbery in the Middle East. It's a minefield.

[George L. Singleton]

Certainly some Lebanese (usually Maronite) Christians claim not to be Arab— as they speak their Arabic (native) tongue, eat shawarma, etc.



Hamas is Sunni--there are hardly any Palestinian Shi'ites.

Rex, thanks for correcting me, as I make dumb typos. Of course Hamas is Sunni, so again we have the Shi'a and Sunni split which keeps the PLO from having a more homogeneous government, but serves the most anti-Israel lobby interests of fighting the recognition of Israel and accepting in modern times what was originally offered in UN Resolution 181.

Here is a snippet about Hamas I find interesting:

Where does Hamas’s money come from?

Since its electoral victory to lead the PA, Hamas has had public funds at its disposal, though it does not have access to the foreign-aid dollars traditionally provided by the United States and European Union to the PA. Historically, much of Hamas's funding came from Palestinian expatriates and private donors in Saudi Arabia and other oil-rich Persian Gulf states. Iran also provides significant support, which some diplomats say could amount to $20 million to $30 million per year. In addition, some Muslim charities in the United States, Canada, and Western Europe funnel money into Hamas-backed social service groups. In December 2001, the Bush administration seized the assets of the Holy Land Foundation, the largest Muslim charity in the United States, on suspicions it was funding Hamas.

Be interested to read some of your opinions on how the Shi'a vs. Sunni dicotomy works in Gaza and the West Bank and related areas in the effort to get a two state, Israel and Palestine settlement worked out.

[Tom Odom]

George,

Unliess Rex or Wilf knows differently I have never really found any significant population of Shia Palestinians. Don't see any Sunni-Shia role in Gaza.

Shia-Sunni had nothing to do with PLO fragmentation. That was driven more by Pan-Arab, Communist, Nationalist agendas as well as good old fashon personality-driven conflicts.

Tom

.

[William F. Owen]

Unliess Rex or Wilf knows differently I have never really found any significant population of Shia Palestinians. Don't see any Sunni-Shia role in Gaza.

Concur. I've never even heard it raised as an issue within the West Bank or Gaza.
It's just one of the characteristics of Hezbollah's make-up, - and that's only relevant to how Hezbollah behave in their own turf.

[Schmedlap]

From Uskowi on Iran...

IRGC Commanders Killed in Terrorist Attack - Updated

A suicide bomber attack killed at least 20 people Sunday, including five senior officers of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC پاسدارانانقلاب), in southeastern Iran.

IRNA news agency reported the dead included the deputy commander of the IRGC ground force, Brigadier General Noor Ali Shushtari, as well as IRGC provincial commander for Sistan-Baluchistan and the Amir al-Momenin unit, Brigadier General Rajab Ali Mohammad-Zadeh. Also killed were the IRGC commanders of Iranshahr, Sarbaz and the Pishin region. Dozens of additional casualties were also reported.

[Much more at the link.]

Also now being reported in the Wall Street Journal...

Suicide Bomb Kills Revolutionary Guard Commanders

Two blasts in Iran's restive southeast on Sunday killed more than a dozen people, including at least two senior Revolutionary Guard Corps officers, and injured as many as 60 others, according to state media.

[More at the link]

See also, related threads on Jundallah...
Secret War Against Iran
A Semi-Involved Question Regarding the Recent Bombing in Shiraz, Iran…

To my surprise, they are blaming it on the British, rather than us or Israel.

Added:
On Oct 14, IRGC Deputy Commander gave a public speech, saying "Iran is Invincible". Not so invincible now, I guess.

[Tom Odom]

I will now offer a nano second of silent respect...

Nanoo, Nanoo...

Mork

[William F. Owen]

To my surprise, they are blaming it on the British, rather than us or Israel.

Eyh!... give them time. Eventually they'll get around to blaming both my teams!

[REMF]

May I make a bold conjecture that, like most bold conjectures, may well be full of crap?

Press TV's elaborate and unusually crazy allegation that the Brits are giving air support to the Taliban (witness the s**tness here) looks like it has something to do with the Jundallah, allegedly supported by the British.

Opinions?

[davidbfpo]

A comment on Iran that provides some scene-setting by a UK-based US analyst: http://www.acus.org/new_atlanticist/...e-front-attack

davidbfpo

[Schmedlap]

I did a country risk assessment on Iran two years ago in which I highlighted three significant political risks (in addition to the myraid of economic and financial ones). The threat of sanctions for moving ahead with their nuclear program and failing to remedy human rights abuses (largely against the Bahai), the threat posed by the several possible insurgencies whose grievances stem from inequality and persecution (Kurds, Baloch, groups in the NE, and maybe even a terrorist threat from outsider Sunni extremists like Ansar al-Islam), and the huge demographic youth bulge that is composed largely of youngsters who are frustrated with the ruling elite, with their politicized brand of religion, and already surprised the Mullahs at the polls about ten years ago and may do so again.

I think that jibes with the article. However, those are only the three major political risks. I think their economic and financial challenges are just as problematic. Their economy is heavily dependent upon petroleum exports, their unemployment is high despite the relatively high educational level of their youths, and their currency is basically monopoly money with fancier graphics.

[davidbfpo]

Schmedlap,

No worries I only posted the article as it might help in an area I have no expertise.

I did find - thanks to jihadica.com - a hat tip for a Norwegian report on the Jundallah, pub. July 2009: http://www.mil.no/multimedia/archive...01_128873a.pdf

davidbfpo

[omarali50]

Eyh!... give them time. Eventually they'll get around to blaming both my teams!

Iranians of all stripes (left, liberal, moderate Muslim, radical Muslim) tend to have Britain on or near the top of their enemies list. Its decades since Britain had an empire that could seriously screw with them, but logic is not always paramount in these matters. ANYTHING bad happens in Iran, expect Britain to be listed in the bad guy list....

[Jedburgh]

RFE/RL, 23 Feb 10: Iran Accuses West Of Supporting Detained Sunni Rebel Leader

Iranian officials have accused Western countries of supporting the leader of the Jundallah Sunni Muslim rebel group, whose arrest was announced earlier today.

Iran described the capture of its most wanted fugitive as a "great defeat" for the United States and Britain.

Intelligence Minister Heydar Moslehi made the comment after Iranian state media announced that security forces had arrested Abdulmalik Rigi, whose group has been waging a low-level insurgency in southeastern Iran.....

[davidbfpo]

Some more apparent details on the arrest, after an airliner forced to land whilst crossing Iranian airspace:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...an-flight.html

Curious the Dubai aspect.

[davidbfpo]

From an Israeli think tank:

At a press conference called by Intelligence Minister Haidar Moslehi, he reported that the operation to arrest Rigi had been carried out without the cooperation of foreign intelligence services; however, the Iranian Diplomacy website reported that the Pakistani intelligence service had taken part in it as well. Rigi’s trial is scheduled to begin soon and will be open to public (various news agencies, February 23).

Link:http://www.terrorism-info.org.il/mal.../iran_e054.htm

[Schmedlap]

From today's Financial Times, Separatist rebel organiser executed in Iran...

A senior commander of the largest armed opposition group within Iran’s borders was hanged on Monday for his involvement in bomb attacks and the killing of government officials.

Abdolhamid Rigi, a senior member of Jundollah, a militant group responsible for numerous violent attacks, was executed in prison in the south-eastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan.
...
Abdolhamid Rigi was arrested two years ago for allegedly smuggling drugs and killing at least 20 Iranians. But the regime had declined to sentence him for fear of stirring more violence by Jundollah and retaliation by his brother.
...

From the Baloch Hal, Iran executes Jundullah leader Rigi's brother

Abdulhamid Rigi allegedly told Iranian interrogators he was to meet in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, with a high-ranking U.S. official to discuss new attacks on Iranian territory, Fars reported.
The United States has denied any connection to the Rigi brothers and their group.

And from PressTV, Jundallah terrorist executed in Iran

Earlier confessions made by Abdolhamid confirmed reports that Washington aided and abetted the armed terrorist group in carrying out its terror activities in Iran.

In a 2009 interview with Press TV, Abdol-hamid revealed that since 2005, his brother had repeatedly met with US agents in the Pakistani cities of Islamabad and Karachi and maintained communication with them through a common link.

His brother, Abdolmalek Rigi, the captured ring leader of the Jundallah terrorist group, is also charged with carrying out assassinations and bomb attacks.

Abdolmalek has also spoken of links with suspected Israeli or US agents who had offered him money and given him a list of people to assassinate in the Iranian capital of Tehran

[bourbon]

Designation of Jundallah Global Terrorist, Federal Register: November 4, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 213).