Tournantes

Duni, Sonntag, 26. Oktober 2003, 10:46 (vor 7873 Tagen) @ Abu Afak@Cont´d

Iranian spies roam Britain ´to locate synagogues
for attack by al-Qa´eda´
By David Bamber, Home Affairs Editor
(Filed: 26/10/2003)


Iranian spies have been photographing synagogues
and other Jewish buildings in Britain, seemingly
in preparation for terrorist attacks.

MI5, the security service, and Special Branch
officers have discovered Iranians photographing
such buildings in London and the Home Counties for
some time, with an upsurge of activity over the
past two months.

Up to 20 Iranians, most studying here legally as
students at universities, are involved in the
surveillance and two men have been asked to leave
the country as a result.

Mike Whine, the security spokesman for the Board
of Deputies of British Jews, said that the
authorities were taking the threat seriously.

"We have been aware for some time that Iranians
are monitoring synagogues and Jewish community
buildings," he said. "They have been seen taking
photographs and most synagogues are now aware of
the threat and keep a look-out.

"We understand from intelligence received that
they are photographing them as possible terrorist
targets. We don´t know for definite but there
could be a link with al-Qa´eda."

He said the activities of the Iranians had caused
considerable worry to the Jewish community. Among
the buildings photographed were synagogues in
Finchley, north London, an area that is home to
one of Britain´s largest Jewish communities.

British security officials are convinced that Iran
is sheltering members of al-Qa´eda, including one
of Osama bin Laden´s sons. Since May 2002,
communication interceptions have suggested that
al-Qa´eda is using Iranians in Europe to target
Jews.

Al-Qa´eda leaders have urged followers repeatedly
to seek out synagogues and Jewish institutions for
attack. One intercepted message, heard time and
time again, informs members: "You must have faith,
do not worry, there will be a major strike." It is
believed to have originated from a new base for
the terror group in Iran, close to the Afghan
border.

Abu Qatada, the north London Islamic cleric being
held under the Terrorism Act who has been
described as bin Laden´s "ambassador" in Europe,
also has links to Iran.

In August, it was revealed that Hadi Soleimanpour,
the former Iranian ambassador to Argentina, had
been arrested in Britain on an extradition warrant
from Buenos Aires. He is wanted in connection with
the bombing of a Jewish community centre in Buenos
Aires in 1994 which killed 85 people. The
Metropolitan Police do not think, however, that
the Iranians in Britain are planning an imminent
terrorist attack, but they remain concerned that
some outrage is being planned within the next few
months. Their intelligence has been shared with
the US State Department and the CIA.

Diplomatic relations between Britain and Iran were
restored in 1988, eight years after the infamous
six-day siege of its London embassy at Prince´s
Gate, south Kensington, was ended in dramatic
fashion by the SAS.

The Iranian embassy last week refused to comment
on the activities of its citizens.