Iran says it has deported 500 al-Qaida operatives over 3 years

CNews:

Iran has arrested nearly 500 al-Qaida operatives over the past three years and handed them over to their countries, the head of the powerful National Security Council said Monday.

Hasan Rowhani denied recent allegations that leading terror suspects have been living in Iran. READ MORE

"I don't think any country could claim superiority over us (in combatting al-Qaida)," he told reporters on a visit to Kuwait.

He said Iran had given the names of the detainees to the United Nations.

A number of al-Qaida operatives remain in Iranian jails for crimes they committed against national security in Iran and will be eventually tried in the country, he said. Those in custody are not wanted internationally.

U.S. and foreign intelligence agencies have recently said that mounting evidence gathered over several years showed that leading terror suspects have been living in Iran.

The evidence includes communications by a fugitive mastermind of the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia and the capture of a Saudi militant who appeared in a video in which Osama bin Laden confirmed he ordered the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, according to U.S. and foreign officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because much of the evidence remains classified.

Rowhani denied the allegations, saying his country has been co-operating in combatting terrorism and received praise from international bodies. Iran first said in mid-2003 that it had detained and deported hundreds of al-Qaida suspects and kept some in custody.

U.S. officials said Iran refuses to identify the al-Qaida operatives that are still in its custody.