Iran says 11 members of Jundallah hanged
Head of justice department says those hanged were identified and arrested by Iranian security and intelligence forces.
TEHRAN:
Iran on Monday hanged 11 members of militant group Jundallah which claimed last week's devastating suicide bombing of a Shiite mourning procession, a judiciary official said.
"This morning 11 members of those belonging to (Jundallah), who in recent months were involved in terrorist attacks in the province (Sistan-Baluchestan), fighting with police, and martyring several innocent people have been hanged in Zahedan jail," Ebrahim Hamidi, head of the provincial justice department, told state news agency IRNA. Zahedan is the capital of Sistan-Baluchestan.
Jundallah (Army of God) is a shadowy Sunni militant group which has claimed several deadly attacks in Sistan-Baluchestan province which borders Afghanistan and Pakistan, including a December 15 suicide bombing in the city of Chabahar that killed 39 people and wounded dozens.
Hamidi said those hanged were identified and arrested by Iranian security and intelligence forces.
"These corrupt and Mohareb (waging war against God) elements... went through all the legal and religious procedures of receiving a fair and public trial," he said.
Hamidi said they were charged with "corruption on earth, fighting against God and the Prophet and confronting the sacred regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran." Under Iranian penal code these crimes are punishable by death.
"Thus they were convicted and sentenced to hanging. The sentence was carried out after receiving confirmation from the judiciary," he added.
Jundallah, whose leader Abdolmalek Rigi was hanged in June, says it is fighting for the rights of the ethnic Sunni Baluchis who make up a significant population in Sistan-Baluchestan.
Iranian officials charged that the group is receiving support from the intelligence services of the United States and Britain.
Those hanged included some who had carried out attacks against Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards members, a regular target of Jundallah, IRNA reported.
Three of them were convicted of killing nearly 30 Guards in separate attacks, while another was hanged for providing logistical support during a bombing of a mosque in Zahedan.
Two Shiite mosques in Zahedan were targeted with bomb attacks in the past two years killing more than 50 people.
Jundallah also claimed the December 15 suicide attack at a Shiite religious procession in the city of Chabahar which was condemned internationally.
The bomber struck in a central square as worshippers took part in the procession marking the eve of the last day of Ashura.
Jundallah said the Chabahar bombing was to avenge the hanging of its leader Rigi.
Iran has cracked down hard on the group and last month the United States officially designated Jundallah a foreign terrorist organisation. That drew a cautious welcome from Iran, which accuses Washington of supporting the group.
Iran on Monday hanged 11 members of militant group Jundallah which claimed last week's devastating suicide bombing of a Shiite mourning procession, a judiciary official said.
"This morning 11 members of those belonging to (Jundallah), who in recent months were involved in terrorist attacks in the province (Sistan-Baluchestan), fighting with police, and martyring several innocent people have been hanged in Zahedan jail," Ebrahim Hamidi, head of the provincial justice department, told state news agency IRNA. Zahedan is the capital of Sistan-Baluchestan.
Jundallah (Army of God) is a shadowy Sunni militant group which has claimed several deadly attacks in Sistan-Baluchestan province which borders Afghanistan and Pakistan, including a December 15 suicide bombing in the city of Chabahar that killed 39 people and wounded dozens.
Hamidi said those hanged were identified and arrested by Iranian security and intelligence forces.
"These corrupt and Mohareb (waging war against God) elements... went through all the legal and religious procedures of receiving a fair and public trial," he said.
Hamidi said they were charged with "corruption on earth, fighting against God and the Prophet and confronting the sacred regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran." Under Iranian penal code these crimes are punishable by death.
"Thus they were convicted and sentenced to hanging. The sentence was carried out after receiving confirmation from the judiciary," he added.
Jundallah, whose leader Abdolmalek Rigi was hanged in June, says it is fighting for the rights of the ethnic Sunni Baluchis who make up a significant population in Sistan-Baluchestan.
Iranian officials charged that the group is receiving support from the intelligence services of the United States and Britain.
Those hanged included some who had carried out attacks against Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards members, a regular target of Jundallah, IRNA reported.
Three of them were convicted of killing nearly 30 Guards in separate attacks, while another was hanged for providing logistical support during a bombing of a mosque in Zahedan.
Two Shiite mosques in Zahedan were targeted with bomb attacks in the past two years killing more than 50 people.
Jundallah also claimed the December 15 suicide attack at a Shiite religious procession in the city of Chabahar which was condemned internationally.
The bomber struck in a central square as worshippers took part in the procession marking the eve of the last day of Ashura.
Jundallah said the Chabahar bombing was to avenge the hanging of its leader Rigi.
Iran has cracked down hard on the group and last month the United States officially designated Jundallah a foreign terrorist organisation. That drew a cautious welcome from Iran, which accuses Washington of supporting the group.