UPDATED: IRANIAN "DOCTORS' PLOT"?

Iran: Israeli-operated spy cell caught By MATTHEW GUTMAN
The Iranian intelligence services issued a vague statement Sunday indicating that they have uncovered a spy ring of eight people suspected of collecting intelligence information for Israel. The statement follows a bizarre series of espionage charges leveled in recent months by the Islamic Republic at unnammed suspects accused of crimes varying from "nuclear espionage" to setting up fake nuclear companies in an effort to "damage Iran's international commitments."

An Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman declared the affair "serious," but did not reveal the suspect's identity, Israel Radio reported. Israel, on the other hand, responded that "this is not a serious episode," with the Prime Minister's Office calling Iran's claim "ridiculous." The radio's Persian broadcast reported that the Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson made the initial announcement in the daily ministry press conference after being prodded by local journalists. The journalists are reported to have asked for clarification on rumors that the intelligence ministry had uncovered a "serious" espionage case.

While the official Islamic Republic News Agency statement stated that "eight people" had been arrested in connection with the spy ring, the semi-official Iranian Students News Agency said that "eight Zionists" were arrested. Safa Haeri, editor of the dissident Iranian Press Agency, noted that the latter designation is generally reserved for Israelis or Jews. Former Iranian Intelligence Minister Ali Fallahian is slated to release more details of the spy ring - and possibly the identity of those arrested - at a later date.

The Jews of Iran have often needed to defend themselves from accusation that they are in contact with "Zionists," an act that is punishable by death. Iranian security agents have arrested local Jews several times in the past on allegations of spying for Israel. In 1999, 13 Jews from the cities of Shiraz and Isfahan were arrested and accused of spying for Israel. The group included several community leaders and an underage boy.

The suspects were subjected to what international jurists believed was a rigged trial in a closed courtroom in 2000, and 10 were meted prison sentences. The three others were acquitted. Bowing to international pressure, Iran first eased the prison sentences of the 10 accused. Then, starting March 2001, the Iranian regime began releasing the prisoners. On February 2003, Iranian officials announced that they had released the five last remaining imprisoned Jews before the end of their prison terms.

The Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) has in the past uncovered attempts by Iranian intelligence to recruit spies in Israel, as well as build a terrorist infrastructure in Israel. On December 7, Israel Police made public the arrest of Muhammad Ghanem, an Israeli Arab from Baka al- Gharbiya, for allegedly joining Iran's intelligence service and attempting to recruit Israeli Arab students to join Iranian terrorist organizations.

Ghanem, 56, a travel agent, was arrested on November 9 following a yearlong investigation involving the Shin Bet and the police's International Crimes Unit. He was indicted in the Haifa District Court on charges of aiding the enemy in wartime, passing information to the enemy, maintaining contact with a foreign agent and conspiring to commit a crime. Police said they suspect that Ghanem was recruited into the Iranian intelligence by Nabil Mahzuma, a resident of Syria he knew from Ramle Prison, where they had done time together in 1973, and whom he met again in 2001 during a trip he arranged for Israeli Arabs visiting Mecca. Ghanem was incarcerated in the Ramle Prison for six years after being convicted of attacking a soldier and stealing his gun.

UPDATE: Iran: Israel, U.S. Rigging Iraq Election.
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Israeli and U.S. agents were behind bombings in Iraq’s Shi’ite holy cities of Kerbala and Najaf, Iran’s Supreme Leader said Monday, accusing Tehran’s arch-foes of trying to rig Iraq’s elections for their own ends. Shi’ite Muslim Iran was quick to condemn Sunday’s car bombings in Najaf and Kerbala, which killed 66 people.

“I am sure Israeli and American spy services were behind these events. This is a plot which aims at keeping the Iraqis so busy that they will miss the exceptional chance to participate in the January 30 elections,” Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said, speaking to Mecca pilgrimage organizers on state TV.

“The British and Americans want to hold elections on the surface but in reality they want to bring their own agents to power by holding superficial elections,” added the Supreme Leader, who has the last word on all state matters. Officials from oil-rich Iran have called for fully democratic elections next year in Iraq, where the majority of people are their Shi’ite coreligionists.