The Iranian judiciary announces that bombs were found before the Kerman bombing, but the “Guards” deny it
Iranian media reported that a judicial official said that the security services arrested 32 people in connection with the two suicide attacks in the southern city of Kerman, speaking about the discovery of 64 bombs across the country before the commemoration of Qassem Soleimani, which was quickly denied by the Revolutionary Guards.
The two suicide bombings, which took place on Wednesday in the city of Kerman in southern Iran and were claimed by ISIS, killed at least 91 people, including 23 school students. The two bombings occurred near the shrine of Qassem Soleimani, the official in charge of foreign operations for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, during a ceremony commemorating the fourth anniversary of his killing by a US air strike in Iraq.
Despite the adoption of ISIS, Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi and the commander of the Revolutionary Guard, Hossein Salami, accused Israel and America, while internal criticism escalated over the failure of the security services to protect ceremonies, gatherings, and nuclear and military facilities.
In an implicit criticism of the security services, the President of the Supreme Court of Iran, Mohammad Jaafar Montazeri, said: “The security and intelligence services must expand their activities during such ceremonies (in memory of Soleimani) in order to avoid events of this kind.” He added: “Israel is primarily responsible for the terrorist crime in Kerman.”
Kerman Public Prosecutor Mehdi Bakhshi said that the security services found 16 bombs in Kerman before the fourth anniversary of Soleimani’s killing, pointing out that the power of these bombs exceeds the power of the explosive belts worn by the suicide bombers.
A screenshot from a video circulated of the suicide bombers’ pledge of allegiance to the ISIS attack in Kerman
Bakhshi added that the security services “arrested two suicide bombers who intended to blow themselves up in Kerman with explosive belts” last Thursday, 24 hours before the funeral of those killed in the Kerman bombings. He added: “They were planning to carry out other terrorist operations, during the funeral ceremonies for those killed in the two bombings.” He talked about “neutralizing every bombing team in Kerman.”
Bakhshi explained: “32 people have been arrested in the Kerman terrorist crime case, and the investigations and preliminary stages are still ongoing,” according to the “Fars” agency affiliated with the “Revolutionary Guard.”
In part of his statements, he referred to reports of “various groups, including ISIS and the hypocrites (the opposition Mujahideen-e-Khalq) seeking to carry out actions.” He continued: “In addition to the Ministry of Intelligence and the (Revolutionary Guard) intelligence service, the army was monitoring drones kilometers away, and there were dogs trained to detect explosives.”
Bakhshi said: “This year we faced a special situation. There was a volume of threats due to Israel’s miserable failure and the defeat of the Zionist entity in the Al-Aqsa Flood operation. They tried to take revenge on General Soleimani (…) and these groups were cohesive and united and had a plan to pursue this terrorist attack.” ».
He added: “In recent months, we arrested 23 ISIS members preparing for suicide operations in Kerman Province.”
Iranian authorities said on Friday that security forces arrested 11 individuals on suspicion of involvement in two bombings.
64 bombs across Iran
Bakhshi’s statements came after the head of the military court in Kerman, Ali Tavakoli, denied any negligence in protecting the memorial ceremony of Qasem Soleimani, stressing that the security services “took all security measures.”
Tawakkoli said: “Earlier, 16 bombs were found ready to explode in General Soleimani’s cemetery,” adding: “More than 64 bombs were found across the country that were scheduled to explode at Qasem Soleimani’s ceremony.” He stated: “We arrested all the factors.”
The government ISNA agency quoted Tavakoli as saying: “All previous actions were thwarted, the suspects were arrested, and the file was closed, but the threats were in place, and one of the times to implement them was during the memorial ceremony for General Soleimani.”
Tawakkoli pointed out that the two explosions occurred outside the inspection gate. He said: “The two suicide bombers were looking for a place crowded with crowds; That’s why they approached the gate,” he said, noting that one of the explosions occurred 1,700 meters away and the second 2,200 meters away from the cemetery. IRNA reported earlier that the first attack occurred 700 meters away, and the second one one kilometer away.
Hours after the statements of judicial officials, the Public Relations Department of the Revolutionary Guards in Kerman Province published a statement denying that bombs had been found before Soleimani’s memorial ceremony.
The statement described the “finding of bombs” as “rumors and slander,” according to the Fars Agency, affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards.
The statement said: “During recent days, on the basis of some reports indicating the presence of bombs, a bomb disposal unit was sent, but in none of the mentioned cases was a bomb found.”
Division in the street
The Kerman attack sparked division among Iranians on social media, which prompted the Iranian Public Prosecutor to issue orders to prosecute those who published sarcastic tweets or information that questioned the official Iranian narrative.
Some channels affiliated with the Revolutionary Guard reported that the security services suspended 35 accounts “publishing false news or insulting content for those killed in the Kerman bombing,” noting that their owners would be referred to the judicial system.
Tehran’s representative in Parliament, MP Mojtaba Twanger, said on the “X” platform: “I followed the latest situations of the abusers and supporters of the Kerman attack on social media, and I took good measures with support and follow-up.”
Iranian websites reported that the Public Prosecutor in Tehran filed charges against 7 famous figures because of their comments on social media, including university professor Sadiq Ziba Kalam, who sparked the anger of conservative circles after he downplayed the accusations against Israel.
Meanwhile, Jam Jam newspaper, the print edition of Iranian television, protested the headline of the newspaper Sazandaki, affiliated with the faction of former President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. After adopting ISIS, the reformist newspaper titled “The Return of ISIS,” in an implicit reference to Qassem Soleimani, who informed the Iranian leader of the end of ISIS, in a well-known letter he addressed to Khamenei in November 2017.
Front page of the newspaper “Sazandki”
“Jam Jam” wrote: “With this title, who are you specifically mocking?” On the general and the thousands of dead defending the sanctuary, who sacrificed their lives for the end of the state of terror and crime (ISIS)? Iran calls the dead of its forces in Syria and Iraq “defenders of the Holy Mosque.”
Jam Jam added, “The group of reformists who are protesting the Iranian presence in Syria and Iraq, how are they concerned about the return of ISIS?” She continued: “If Iran’s regional policy had followed their policy, the Kerman bombing would have turned into a daily routine throughout the country.”
Meanwhile, a group of activists in the Modarres University Student Union in Tehran said that they “condemn the terrorist attack in Kerman, along with terrorist attacks on school students and terrorist attacks on demonstrators in the streets.”
The signatories of the statement believed that “the Islamic Republic is not in a moral position to condemn ISIS attacks in Kerman.” They added, “The path to maintaining security and combating terrorism does not pass through the path of the Islamic Republic, but through the path of the people, rule by the people, and the establishment of democracy in Iran.”
The students said in their statement, “The Islamic Republic is a security government that supports terrorist groups throughout the region, conducts proxy or direct terrorist attacks, and commits terrorist acts against Iranians, of any belief and orientation, whether they agree with it or oppose it.”
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2024-01-09 00:58:19
