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Jundullah/Iranian Press Round up by Booz-Allen Persia House. Rigi Claims U.S. Assistance to Jundallah

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Jundullah/Iranian Press Round up by Booz-Allen Persia House. Rigi Claims U.S. Assistance to Jundallah Jundullah/Iranian Press Round up by Booz-Allen Persia House. Rigi Claims U.S. Assistance to Jundallah Aryan News - Summary translation by Persia House August 27, 2009 Abdolhamid Rigi, brother of Jundallah leader In an interview conducted on August 25 in Zahedan, Abdolhamid Rigi, the arrested brother of Jundullah’s Pakistan- based leader Abdolmalek Rigi, publicly remarked that during meetings Abdolmalek had held with a representative of the US government—in both Islamabad and Quetta—the US representative had promised Abdolmalek and Jundullah many types of assistance. This promised assistance included financial help and journalistic coverage via satellite television programs. Abdolhamid noted that parts of Jundullah’s budget had come from the US, and parts of it had been derived from hostage-taking activities and trafficking of narcotics. He identified himself as an uneducated and ignorant individual, who had been born in 1980 in Zahedan, Iran, and had committed numerous criminal acts in the course of his cooperation with Jundullah. With tearful eyes, he asked forgiveness from the families of people killed as a result of his terrorist activities. Abdolhamid commented that until 2004, the various ethnic minorities had lived in peace with each other in Sistan-Baluchestan province. But since then, there has been ethnic and religious fighting among different groups. While calling the US an “enemy of Muslims”, he blamed the US for the ongoing religious and ethnic fighting in the province that had left numerous people dead and injured. He also noted that the main aim of Jundullah was to create religious and ethnic rifts in the country. For the original article in Persian, click here . Persia House Note: Abdolhamid Rigi was arrested by Pakistani forces in 2008 and extradited to Iran. He has been sentenced to death by the Islamic Republic for his involvement in various insurgent activities. However, his death sentence has not yet been carried out due to his ongoing intelligence value to the Iranian government. His August 25 inter-view and public confessions are an attempt by the Iranian authorities to discredit Jundullah and blame the US for the group’s ongoing activities in the Sistan-Baluchistan province. Jundullah is a Sunni-based insurgent group that operates mainly in proximity to the Iran-Pakistan border. Its stated objective is to strengthen the status of the Baluch minority within the Islamic Republic. Persia House News Brief 28 Security Issues Arrest of Four-Man Jundallah Team In Zahedan (Fars News – Summary translation by Persia House) August 12 – The Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS) announced that it has successfully arrested a four-man team from the terrorist organization Jundullah in Zahedan, and discovered a noticeable amount of arms and explosives in the process. The arrests were made possible by reports from private citizens, the expansion of intelligence networks, and the monitoring of the activities of suspected Jundullah members. According to the MOIS, this team was Official Banner of the MOIS planning to create rifts among the Sunnis and Shiites and carry out bombings in pre-designated locations. For the original article in Persian, click here Jundullah Chief Expresses Readiness to Negotiate with Iran (Farda News – Summary translation by Persia House) August 12 – In an interview with Al-Arabiya News Agency, the head of the Sunni-based Jundullah terrorist organization, Abdolmalek Rigi, noted his readiness to begin negotiations with Iran. As Jundullah’s highest-ranking member, he said that if the Iranian government were to identify and nominate a fully authorized official representative for starting a dialogue with the organization, he would welcome that opportunity. Jundullah is interested in establishing a formal dialogue [with Iran] in the presence of internationally recognized parties. Rigi also has asked Iran that, despite Jundullah’s longtime terrorist activities Head of Jundallah, Abdol-Malek Rigi [against Iranian interests], his organization be granted civil rights. Although he remarked, in response to a question concerning the establishment of an armed group [Jundullah] involved in the kidnapping and murder of the people, that “road to negotiations is open,” Rigi answered that the establishment of such an organization was certainly justified from a religious and rational perspective due to the lack of any other viable options. Although he entertained the idea of negotiations with Iran, Rigi also attacked the Iranian Revolution, labeling it an “ominous revolution.” While persisting on his attacks against the Iranian government, he asked it to recognize his organization as an official party. Rigi denied any cooperation between Jundullah and Al-Qaeda. He also emphasized the fact that Muslims in general—and Iran’s Sunni population in particular—detest the US due to its hypocritical policies. The issues related to the Sunni people do not have anything to do with the US, and there are no links between the Baluchi people and the US government. Nobody favors the presence of the US and its forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, and Jundullah does not support the way the US is trying to fight terrorism in the world. In case of a US invasion of Iran, Rigi noted that he would discuss that possibility with his people. However, their fight is not limited to armed struggle only. They have many demands, and it would be possible that they would make the same demands from the US. It would be good if the US guaranteed their rights. Otherwise, the “sword” would decide between them and the Americans. While conceding that Iran is undoubtedly an important power, Rigi supported the idea of “ends justifying the means.” Although he was located in Pakistan during the interview, he noted that they were trying, to the extent possible, not to cross the Pakistani border, and not to use the territories of any neighboring countries against Iran. He refuted the allegation of moving Iranian hostages to Pakistan, but confessed to training and deploying Jundullah members into Iran since the creation of his movement. He added that the majority of the Iranian people supported his group’s activities, which have led to the killing of many Iranians. The Iranian people’s support for Jundullah is based on their desire for the destruction of the Iranian system of government as well, he added. Al-Arabiya’s Islamabad Bureau Chief was able to interview Rigi, despite the latter’s being “wanted” by Iran for his terrorist activities, which have led to the killing of ordinary citizens in Iran. For the original article in Persian, click here . Persia House note : Jundullah is a Sunni-based insurgent group, operating mainly out of Iran’s Sistan and Baluchistan province, that the Islamic Republic has labeled a terrorist group. In recent years, Jundullah has conducted several deadly terrorist operations, mainly in Shiite sites, that have led to numerous deaths and injuries of both government officials and civilians. In response, the Iranian government has arrested a number of Jundullah members, including Abdolhamid Rigi, the brother of the organization’s leader Abdolmalek Rigi (who is now based in Pakistan’s Baluchistan region). Although the Iranian government has sentenced Abdolhamid to death, it has not yet carried out the sentence, likely due to his continuing intelligence value for Iranian officials. Despite the denial by the Chief of the Sistan and Baluchistan Judiciary (in the article below), Abdolmalek's decision to reach out to the Iranian government for negotiations is, in all likelihood, an attempt to save his brother's life. It also points to the possibility of a weakened Jundullah because the organization has, to date, never entertained the idea of negotiating with the Iranian government. Hamidi: Death Sentence Against Rigi’s Brother Will Not Be Overturned. (Fars News – Summary translation by Persia House) August 12 – In response to a recent interview by the Jundullah Chief, Abdolmalek Rigi, concerning his readiness to negotiate with Iran, the Chief of the Sistan- Baluchistan Judiciary, Abraham Hamidi, noted that negotiations would take place only if the other party were a recognized entity. The Iranian government does not recognize this individual [Rigi] and his terrorist organization. Abraham denied any possibility that the Chief of Sistan-Baluchestan Judiciary, Ebrahim death sentence against Rigi’s brother, who is in Iranian Hamidi custody, will be overturned. Abraham also does not think that by proposing negotiations, Rigi is trying to save his brother from being executed. For the original article in Persian, click here . Discovery of Several Bomb Plots in Sistan and Baluchestan Fars News Agency - Summary translation by Persia House July 22, 2009 According to Ebrahim Hamidi, the Head of the Judiciary in Sistan and Baluchestan province, Iranian authorities have succeeded in discovering and neutralizing several bomb plots as a result of the confessions obtained from the arrested members of the Jundullah terrorist group. These confessions were instrumental in preventing several terrorist plans, and in disco-vering large amounts of explosives in addition to several of the group’s safe-houses. Hamidi added that, although they were prepared to carry out the death sentence against Abdulhamid Rigi—the brother of the Jundullah leader Abdulmalek Rigi—they were still interrogating Abdulhamid to obtain additional information on several ongoing cases and activities of this group. Hamidi noted that in recent weeks, 13 members of the terrorist group have been executed in the Zahedan jail. For the original article in Persian, click here . Persia House Note: Jundullah is a Sunni-based Iranian insurgent group with separatist aspirations, operating primarily in the Sistan and Baluchestan province of eastern Iran. The Islamic Republic considers it to be a terrorist organization. Abdulmalek Rigi, the group’s leader, is located in Pakistan, from where he directs terrorist operations inside Iran. Several weeks ago, this group claimed responsibility for the bombing of a Shiite mosque in Zahedan that resulted in the deaths and injuries of several worshippers.
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