[Mb-civic] FW: Terror Convention In Iran

[Golsorkhi]

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From: Samii Shahla <shahla at thesamiis.com>
Date: Thu, 28 Apr 2005 10:03:26 -0400
Subject: Terror Convention In Iran

VOA

Terror Convention In Iran

28 April 2005


The group called the Committee for the Commemoration of Martyrs of the
Global Islamic Campaign held a registration meeting recently in Iran's
capital, Tehran. The group's aim is to boost its roll of volunteers
willing to carry out suicide attacks in Israel and Iraq.

The Committee for the Commemoration of Martyrs is often described as "a
shadowy group" with no official Iranian government backing. But the
Reuters news agency says that "the presence of President Mohammad
Khatami's adviser on women's affairs and a representative of Supreme
Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei leant some official backing" to the
group's latest meeting.

A so-called religious decree by Ayatollah Hossein Nuri Hamedani was
read aloud at the meeting. Echoing previous statements by Supreme
Leader Khamenei, the decree said that suicide attacks are "permitted
and relevant in the holy war for the good of Allah."

U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says that recruiting suicide
bombers in the name of Islam violates the fundamental tenets of "a
great world religion." This violent cause "has nothing to do with
Islam," says Ms. Rice:

"Islam is a peaceful religion. And so the notion that somehow flying
airplanes into buildings or strapping a belt on yourself and blowing up
other people is in the service of Islam is something, I think, that
clearly perverts the religion and is resented by most respected Islamic
scholars for very good reason. By the way, I think probably rejected
too by most people, because who wants that to be the future for your
children?"

President George W. Bush envisions a far different future for the
people of Iran than signing up for missions of death:

"I believe that the Iranian people ought to be allowed to freely
discuss opinion, read a free press, have free votes, be able to choose
among political parties."

"I believe," said Mr. Bush, "that Iranians should adopt democracy;
that's what I believe."

The preceding was an editorial reflecting the views of the United
States government.
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URL: http://www.voanews.com/uspolicy/2005-04-28-voa4.cfm




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