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With Irans help, Hizbollah trains Iraqi Shiite militiamen
WASHINGTON - A senior American intelligence official said on Monday that the Iranian-backed group Hizbollah had been training members of the Mahdi Army, the Shiite militia in Iraq that is headed by Muqtada al-Sadr. The official said that between 1,000 and 2,000 fighters from the Mahdi Army and other Shiite militia groups from Iraq had been trained by Hizbollah in Lebanon, mostly in small groups. A small number of Hizbollah operatives have also visited Iraq to help with training there, the official said. Iran has facilitated the link between Hizbollah and the Shiite militias in Iraq, the official said. Syrian officials have also cooperated, though there is debate among intelligence officials about whether it has the blessing of the senior leadership in Syria, the official said. The intelligence official spoke on condition of anonymity under rules set by his agency, and discussed Irans role in response to questions from a reporter. The interview occurred at a time of intense debate over whether the United States should enlist Irans help in stabilizing Iraq. A commission headed by James A. Baker III, a former secretary of state, and Lee Hamilton, a former Democratic Party lawmaker, is expected to call for direct talks with Tehran. The claim about Hizbollahs role in training Shiite militias could strengthen the hand of those within the Bush administration who oppose talks with Iran. The new American account is consistent with a claim made in Iraq this summer by a mid-level commander of the Mahdi Army, who said his organization had sent 300 fighters to Lebanon, ostensibly to fight with Hizbollah forces there. They are the best-trained fighters in the Mahdi Army, the militia commander said in an interview in Iraq. He spoke on condition of anonymity. The specific assertions about Irans role went beyond those made publicly by senior American officials, though Gen. Michael V. Hayden, the director of the Central Intelligence Agency, did tell Congress earlier this month that the Iranian hand is stoking violence in Iraq. The American intelligence on Hizbollahs role is based on human sources, technical means, and interviews with detainees captured in Iraq, American officials said. American officials say that the Iranians have also provided direct support to Shiite militias in Iraq, including explosives and trigger devices for roadside bombs, and training for several thousand fighters, mostly in Iran. The training is carried out by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Ministry of Intelligence and Security, they say. American officials also suspect that in some cases the Iranians may have provided guidance to the Shiite militias to attack specific targets in Iraq. Posted by: anonymous5089 2006-11-30 |
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