Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Iran Election Diary

Basij 'Impostors' Blamed For Havoc

A very real threat, anyway.
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A very real threat, anyway.
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June 29, 2009

As officials prepare to slam the door shut on any effort to revisit the June 12 election, they appear to be going on the offensive over allegations of thuggery and killing on the part of security forces.

Iran's English-language Press TV quotes police officials saying they've uncovered and arrested "armed impostors who posed as security forces during postelection violence in the country."

Basij commander Hossein Taib says the aim was to infiltrate rallies to create havoc:

Taib added that the recent antigovernment riots have killed eight members of the Basij and wounded 300 others.

Iranian security officials -- and in particularly the Basij volunteer forces -- have been accused of killing and injuring protestors who took to the streets to protest the outcome of the June 12 election -- which saw incumbent President Mahmud Ahmadinejad win by a landslide.

"Basij forces are not authorized to carry weapons," said Taib, asserting that armed groups are the main culprit behind the killings.

-- Andy Heil
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About This Diary

Controversy continues to swirl around Iran's June 12 presidential election. Three candidates, all current or former senior officials, were looking to unseat incumbent Mahmud Ahmadinejad, who was deemed the outright winner within hours of the polls closing. RFE/RL correspondents follow the Iranian public's saga through dispatches of their own, as well as by highlighting some of the viewpoints emerging from Iran through Facebook, Twitter, and other online resources (in orange).

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www.radiofarda.com