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US admits Iranian arrests
mistake
BBC
Wednesday Aug 29, 2007
The US military has admitted to what it called a "regrettable
incident" after it arrested a group of eight Iranians in
Baghdad.
The Iranians were held at a checkpoint and detained
overnight. They were freed after the Iraqi government intervened.
Iran says the men were in the city at the invitation of Iraq's
government, and that the US action was unjustified.
An aide to the top US commander in Iraq later said the US accepted
that the Iranians were on official business.
Dr Saadi Othman, adviser to Gen David Petraeus, told BBC News
that the incident had "nothing to do" with US President
George W Bush's speech on Tuesday, in which he strongly criticised
Iran for its alleged interference in Iraq.
(Article continues below)
Blindfolded
The Iranians were detained after they had been stopped in the
company of seven Iraqis carrying unauthorised weapons on Tuesday
night, the US military said.
It said an AK-47 assault rifle and two pistols were confiscated
from the Iraqis. The group was then taken to the Sheraton Ishtar
Hotel, where US troops searched the Iranians' rooms, seizing a computer,
mobile phones and a briefcase full of money.
The men were also taken away for questioning, with video footage
showing soldiers leading them out blindfolded and in handcuffs.
All the Iranians were later handed over to the Iraqi government.
It later emerged that the men were energy experts and were in
the Iraqi capital to help rebuild the local electricity system.
Two of them were found to have diplomatic credentials.
Iran has said it is preparing a formal protest to Iraq.
'Murderous activities'
The arrests followed President Bush's speech, in which he criticised
Iranian interference in Iraq.
Tensions between the US and Iran are running high, with the US
accusing Iran of providing arms, money and military training to
Shia militias in Iraq.
President Bush stated that he had authorised his military commanders
in Iraq to confront what he called Iran's "murderous activities"
in the country.
"Iran's actions threaten the security of nations everywhere.
We will confront this danger before it is too late," Mr Bush
said.
The president also said the entire region would be under the
shadow of a "nuclear holocaust" if Iran developed nuclear
weapons. Tehran insists its nuclear programme is peaceful.
Earlier on Tuesday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said
US power in Iraq was on the verge of collapse and this would lead
to "a huge vacuum" which Iran would be willing to fill.
In January, five Iranians - who the US said were linked to Iran's
Revolutionary Guard and were training militants in Iraq - were
captured in the northern city of Irbil. They remain in US custody.
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