Saturday, August 3, 1996
Vol. 2 - 216
ORGANIZED TERRORISM; "Movement for Islamic Change"
By Steve Macko, ENN Editor
The USA Today reported on Friday that classified U.S. intelligence documents indicate that the rogue state of Iran has a network of eleven camps to train terrorists. It is believed, according to the documents, that the bombers who conducted the attacks on the U.S. military sites in Saudi Arabia in November of 1995 and on 25 June 1996 were trained at these Iranian terror camps.
The largest of the eleven sites is the Imam Ali camp, which is located east of Tehran. Other large camps are located northeast of Tehran in Qazvim; Qom, located south of Tehran; and another is located southwest of Tehran in Hamadan. All of the camps are said to be designed to look like small villages, with houses, shops and mosques. However, these small villages all closed to the general public. The camps were discovered through satellite obsevation, intelligence gathered by the National Security Agency and through HUMINT sources.
Two organizations known as the Organization of Islamic Revolution and the Hezbollah of Hejaz are said to have received bomb training at the Imam Ali camp. U.S. intelligence believes that most of Iran's terrorist attacks are planned from Imam Ali.
The classified documents allegedly indicated that the camps teach students how to assemble bombs and carry out assassinations. Up to 5,000 men and women have been trained at the camps. It is believed that at least 500 people have been taught such skills as how to make suicide bombs Trainees for the camps are said to have come from: Algeria, Egypt, Gaza, Iran, Jordan, Lebannon, Libya, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, and Turkey.
According to the documents, Iranian president Hasemi Rafsanjani set up the camps two years ago. The instructors in the camps are from Iran's Revolutionary Guard and intelligence service. All of the terrorist attacks are said to be approved by Iran's Supreme Council. A spokesman for Iran's Foreign Ministry, of course, denied the charges. He, in turn, accused the United States of "backing Israel's state terrorism."
All of this news is very disturbing and fits into other intelligence that ENN has been gathering about the activities of Iran. Three or four sources have been telling ENN of a "terrorist summit" that has recently taken place in Tehran. Israeli intelligence sources have said that attacks "to be directed primarily against U.S. targets." were discussed at the meeting.
French sources say that the main goal is the annihilation of Israel and the United States. Discussed were ways to improve the terror camps, propaganda -- it has been seen that Iranian and Libyan rhetoric against the U.S. has been increased as of late, and financing.
An official international terrorist organization, represented by Iran, Libya and Syria, was said to have been formed. It is to be called the "Movement for Islamic Change." Other members are said to be from the Hezbollah terrorist organization in Lebanon and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
Later in the day on Friday, U.S. Secretary of Defense William Perry warned that "strong action" will be taken against any nation that is linked to the bombing of U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia. In an interview, Perry said that Great Britain and France have already been briefed "in general terms" about U.S. plans.
The Secretary was asked if that there may be a connection to Iran and he replied, "Possibly ... we know that Iran is very active in international terrorism, some of it linked against the United States. It's no secret, they have announced that themselves. The Saudis, I think, are close to completing their investigation on that case and will be announcing that soon. I anticipate that we will find, when they announce it ... there will be an international connection, yes."
The SecDef said that he, himself, has not yet come to a final conclusion about who was responsible for the bombing attack on 25 June 1996, but he called Iran "the leading candidate" for international terrorism that is directed against the United States. He said, "If we have compelling evidence of international sponsorship of that bombing, we will take strong action."
Perry also said that the United States has a vital interest in the Persian Gulf region and will maintain the free flow of oil from the Gulf. He said that there are elements that would "like to drive us out of the Gulf." Adding, "They cannot confront us militarily and therefore they are trying to do it indirectly by weakening public support in the U.S. or weakening public support in Saudi Arabia for the force being there. We cannot let them succeed."
According to the Defense Secretary, the U.S. is watching several different groups in the Gulf region very closely, including militant groups in the Saudi kingdom. He said, "There is direct evidence that some of these groups are internationally supported. They have support in training, in the funding, in providing materials to them, maybe even in planning and directing their operations."
ERRI analysts are saying that recent activities in Washington are ringing "alarm bells", in several quarters throughout the world.
Related ENN Report of 06/25/96: Click here to see initial ENN reports of the Dhahran Bombing