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Iran detains 50 suspects over blasts
TEHERAN - Iran said on Monday it had arrested about 50 suspects in connection with last weeks twin bomb attack in the southwestern oil city of Ahvaz, the official news agency IRNA reported. The restive citys deputy governor, Abdolrahim Fazilatpour, also said some clues have been found about the main bombers. Last Tuesdays explosions killed eight people and wounded 46, with regime officials putting the blame on Britain and its troops based just across the border in southern Iraq. London has angrily denied the allegations.Different groups have claimed responsibility for the explosions, he said, but suggested the claims may not be credible given that these groups do not have a certain and defined identity. Ahvaz is the capital of Khuzestan province, home to a large community of ethnic minority Iranian Arabs and the scene of a wave of unrest over the past year -- including ethnic riots in April 2005, a string of bombings in June and October and several pipeline blasts. On Saturday Irans Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said Britain would be sent intelligence documents concerning the bombings, adding that he hoped this we will prevent any future incidents. Teheran and London have seen their relations steadily deteriorate in recent years, notably over Irans nuclear programme and alleged Iranian meddling in Iraq. Posted by: 2006-01-30 |
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