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| Axis of Evil |
| Iran has extradited more than 400 al-Qaeda suspects |
| 2002-08-15 |
| Iran has arrested and extradited to their countries of origin more than 400 al-Qaeda suspects, a website managed by former journalists of the suspended reformist daily Nourooz reported Thurday. The Emruz site, quoting an unidentified source, said "more than 400 members of al-Qaeda have been arrested and extradited by Iran". In February, Iran spoke of the arrest of 150 al-Qaeda suspects and said all of them were deported to their countries of origin, mostly Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. "In addition to the 16 Saudis, nationals from Yemen, Kuwait and Pakistan as well as Westerners — British, French, Dutch and Belgians — have been arrested and handed over to their embassies before being extradited," Emruz said quoting its source. The press reported earlier this year that 200 Pakistanis were also rounded up, but the information was never confirmed by the Iranian authorities or the Pakistani embassy in Tehran. I imagine they sorted through them and decided which ones they wanted to keep. The ones dumped would be cannon fodder... President Mohammad Khatami promised during a visit to neighboring Afghanistan on Tuesday that Iran would never become a haven for al-Qaeda and that militants from the group would be arrested and deported. Unless they find employment locally. |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |