Arutz Sheva IsraelNationalNews.com
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The Hebrew news site Ynet contains a detailed
account of the testimonies of the three Iranian
exiles who said they saw Ron Arad. According to
the picture drawn by the three - which is being
treated respectfully but cautiously by Israeli
intelligence - Arad, unable to walk, was held at
least until three years ago in a small and secret
prison cell in northern-Teheran.

The testimonies of the three Iranians, which were
gathered at different times over the past three
years and mostly within the last three months,
tell many heretofore unknown details of Ron Arad´s
tribulations over the past ten years. In mid-´94,
the Iranians purchased him from Mustafa Dirani,
who took cruel control of him in Lebanon, has
since been captured by special IDF forces, and is
now being held in Israel.

The Iranians brought him to Hizbullah headquarters
in Lebanon, and later took him to Iran for a
security interrogation. Arad was dressed in an
Iranian Revolutionary Guard uniform and placed on
a well-guarded truck bound for Damascus.

One source said that while still in Syria, a cruel
operation paralyzing him at his knees and down was
performed on him, in order to prevent him from
trying to escape. He had apparently tried to do
just that while still in Lebanon. The operation
left Arad bound to a wheelchair. He was flown from
Syria to Iran, held in various tightly-guarded
buildings, and underwent some long interrogations
sessions. No details on the interrogations were
provided.

About five years ago, he was transferred to the
prison in which he was seen three years ago and in
which he might still be today. Each cell in the
complex is 20 square meters in area, with no
windows but with an air conditioning system. Two
24-hour video cameras are installed in each room,
and the prisoners are taken out - one at a time -
to breath fresh air twice a day.

One source said that he once asked Ron how he was
doing, and received a short reply in Arabic, "with
maybe a word in Hebrew as well." Arad was
hospitalized at least twice because of heart
problems.

Ron Arad was described as very thin and gaunt,
with a sad and hollow expression, and as one who
underwent tremendous hardships but has strong
standing power.

Israeli sources say that the report has "more than
an iota of truth."

A rally on behalf of Ron Arad will be held
Thursday evening, October 16, at 19:30 at the Tel
Aviv Museum Plaza in Tel Aviv.