Remember the "kidnapped" Iranian? (MERGED) (1 Viewer)

[BullDawg]

He's talking.

This could get interesting.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/07/AR2007030702241_pf.html

 

[blackadder]

He's talking.

This could get interesting.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/07/AR2007030702241_pf.html

In the Cold War we'd spend a year trying to determine if he was a provacateur, or if he lost his mind like Rudolf Hess.

 

[SWJJ]

Former Iranian Defense Official Talks to Western Intelligence

Former Iranian Defense Official Talks to Western Intelligence

By Dafna Linzer
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, March 8, 2007; A16



A former Iranian deputy defense minister who once commanded the Revolutionary Guard has left his country and is cooperating with Western intelligence agencies, providing information on Hezbollah and Iran's ties to the organization, according to a senior U.S. official.

Ali Rez Asgari disappeared last month during a visit to Turkey. Iranian officials suggested yesterday that he may have been kidnapped by Israel or the United States. The U.S. official said Asgari is willingly cooperating. He did not divulge Asgari's whereabouts or specify who is questioning him, but made clear that the information Asgari is offering is fully available to U.S. intelligence.

Asgari served in the Iranian government until early 2005 under then-President Mohammad Khatami. Asgari's background suggests that he would have deep knowledge of Iran's national security infrastructure, conventional weapons arsenal and ties to Hezbollah in south Lebanon. Iranian officials said he was not involved in the country's nuclear program, and the senior U.S. official said Asgari is not being questioned about it. Former officers with Israel's Mossad spy agency said yesterday that Asgari had been instrumental in the founding of Hezbollah in the 1980s, around the time of the bombing of the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut.

Iran's official news agency, IRNA, quoted the country's top police chief, Brig. Gen. Esmaeil Ahmadi-Moqaddam, as saying that Asgari was probably kidnapped by agents working for Western intelligence agencies. The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that Asgari was in the United States.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/07/AR2007030702241_pf.html

 

[blackadder]

Former Iranian Defense Official Talks to Western Intelligence

By Dafna Linzer
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, March 8, 2007; A16



A former Iranian deputy defense minister who once commanded the Revolutionary Guard has left his country and is cooperating with Western intelligence agencies, providing information on Hezbollah and Iran's ties to the organization, according to a senior U.S. official.

Ali Rez Asgari disappeared last month during a visit to Turkey. Iranian officials suggested yesterday that he may have been kidnapped by Israel or the United States. The U.S. official said Asgari is willingly cooperating. He did not divulge Asgari's whereabouts or specify who is questioning him, but made clear that the information Asgari is offering is fully available to U.S. intelligence.

Asgari served in the Iranian government until early 2005 under then-President Mohammad Khatami. Asgari's background suggests that he would have deep knowledge of Iran's national security infrastructure, conventional weapons arsenal and ties to Hezbollah in south Lebanon. Iranian officials said he was not involved in the country's nuclear program, and the senior U.S. official said Asgari is not being questioned about it. Former officers with Israel's Mossad spy agency said yesterday that Asgari had been instrumental in the founding of Hezbollah in the 1980s, around the time of the bombing of the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut.

Iran's official news agency, IRNA, quoted the country's top police chief, Brig. Gen. Esmaeil Ahmadi-Moqaddam, as saying that Asgari was probably kidnapped by agents working for Western intelligence agencies. The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that Asgari was in the United States.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/07/AR2007030702241_pf.html

So far there is no commentary that indicates this guy has any knowledge of the nuclear program.

Intelligence on the Revolutionary Guard and Hezbollah seems to be what he potentially offers, which will benefit Israel and perhaps give information on RG targets and response plans in the event Iran is attacked.

The other angle might be if they can get him to provide evidence of a direct Iranian role in the Beirut barracks bombing in 1983, which will be added to the case for attacking Iran. The question then, will be assessing the veracity of whatever information he provides.

 

[superchuck500]

I think he said and the US officials have said that he has no knowledge of the nuclear program.