[Excerpt: But, according to Al Nueimi, what makes the issue suspicious and shows it was a "conspiracy" is the way it erupted and ended, as well as the fact that the "letter which was distributed in the city from the Presidential office carried a name of an official who left his post some two years earlier," he said.]
http://www.gulf-news.com/Articles/RegionNF.asp?ArticleID=161245 Iran investigates cause of clashes By Jumana Al Tamimi, GCC & Middle East Editor Dubai: After two days of violent demonstrations, the situation in the largely Arab Iranian southern city of Ahwaz was back to normal yesterday. The situation in the city was chaotic after a "fabricated" letter calling for a decrease in ints Arab population was circulated, Iranian journalists said. "Practically, the (tense) situation is almost over," said Musaib Al Nueimi, Editor-in-Chief of Al Wefaq newspaper in the Iranian capital. "However, its aftermath is still there," he added in a telephone interview with Gulf News from Tehran. In reference to the violent demonstrations that hit the oil-rich area near the Iraqi border, Al Nueimi added the timing of the development "is not in the interest of the region. Secondly, there are many Arabs based in the Khuzestan who had no role whatsoever in the riots." But, according to Al Nueimi, what makes the issue suspicious and shows it was a "conspiracy" is the way it erupted and ended, as well as the fact that the "letter which was distributed in the city from the Presidential office carried a name of an official who left his post some two years earlier," he said. The violence was sparked after a copy of a letter allegedly signed by former Vice-President Mohammad Ali Abtahi was circulated in Ahvaz and other cities in Khuzestan. The letter describes a plan to relocate non-Arabs to the city to make them the majority population. Violence erupted on Friday after hundreds of Arab residents of Ahvaz, the capital of Khuzestan province, gathered to chant slogans against an alleged government plan to move more non-Arabs into the city. However, Abtahi denied writing such a letter. "I have never had the prerogative to order a change of the demographic composition," he added in a statement carried by the official Iranian News Agency (Irna). Arabs make up about 3 per cent of Iran's population and Persians account for 51 per cent of the population of 69 million. About 250 protesters were arrested after banks and police stations were set ablaze. A government source said an investigation is underway into the causes. "Most of them (arrested) were not from the city's inhabitants, nor from the Arabs," said Al Nueimi. "The investigations are still going on, and within days, all details will be known". But the possibility of "foreign intervention" or "hands that want to harm Iran", are not ruled out, added the head of the paper that is related to Irna, and was the first Arabic-language newspaper in Iran. He refused to speculate on the factions suspected of being behind the violence, which resulted in the killing of one person, injured three and inflicted material damage in properties, according to official iranian sources. However, the Iranian opposition in exile claimed the death of 30 people in what it said were continued clashes until yesterday. enditem ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> DonorsChoose. A simple way to provide underprivileged children resources often lacking in public schools. Fund a student project in NYC/NC today! http://us.click.yahoo.com/EHLuJD/.WnJAA/cUmLAA/TySplB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. OSINT, as a part of The Intelligence Network, is making it available without profit to OSINT YahooGroups members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of intelligence and law enforcement organizations, their activities, methods, techniques, human rights, civil liberties, social justice and other intelligence related issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. We believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
