Tuesday's Daily Briefing on Iran

DoctorZin reports, 11.1.2005:

Tehran's 'Rewards' for Rocket Attacks

The Australian:

Iran has promised a reward of $US10,000 ($13,300) to Islamic Jihad if the militant group launches rockets from the West Bank towards Tel Aviv, a senior Palestinian intelligence official says.

Speaking in his Ramallah office, the official produced a fat wad of $US100 notes which he said had been confiscated from a pro-Iranian Islamic Jihad activist. The money was said to have gone from Iran to Damascus, the Syrian capital, from where Ibrahim Shehadeh, Islamic Jihad's head of overseas operations, transferred it to the West Bank.

According to the intelligence official, the Palestinian Authority has located workshops where rockets are being made and has given their co-ordinates to the Israelis. "We understand they destroyed some of them," he said. ...

Israeli intelligence officials said Iran was threatening the country on three fronts: through long-range missiles based in Lebanon; through terrorist networks around the world; and through the new arsenals of the West Bank.

Islamic Jihad is the only Palestinian group that calls for the destruction of the state of Israel. Based in Damascus, it has an annual budget of several million dollars -- provided by Iran. Ramadan Shalah, its leader, has a PhD in economics from Durham University. READ MORE

Here are a few other news items you may have missed.

• Yahoo News reported that former reformist president Mohammad Khatami criticized Ahmadinejad, saying "those words have created hundreds of political and economic problems for us in the world."
• Ryan Mauro, The Global Politician reviewed the facts and rumors of Iran's nuclear program.
• Iran Focus reported that Ahmadinejad angered by what he saw as his envoys’ meek reaction to the global condemnation of his Wednesday speech against "Israel and the West” fired the ambassadors to Berlin, London, and Paris.
• Iran Focus reported that Iran’s Supreme Leader reaffirmed that the state of Israel would eventually be toppled.
• Iran Focus reported that Police in Iran have launched a new crackdown on alluring mannequins rounding up 65 feminine mannequins. Truth is stranger than fiction.
• Agence France Presse reported that Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani, reacting to the threat of war or sanctions over its disputed nuclear program said: They must understand that such an attitude will only persuade us more to have nuclear technology.
• Peter Brooks, The New York Sun reported that the most immediate threat Iran poses to American national security isn't its nuclear (weapons) program. It's the safe haven Tehran is giving al Qaeda terrorists.
• The Financial Times reported that Iran’s supreme leader condemned international reaction to last week’s speech by President Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad calling for Israel to be “wiped off the map”.
• Shirin Ebadi, Rooz Online shared her concerns that Ahamdinejad's administration wants to make NGO's (non-governmental organizations) governmental.
• Seyed Mojtaba Alavi, Rooz Online reported that Iran's leaders are alarmed over Ahmadinejad.
• Michael Ledeen, The National Review said: Surprise! Iran wants the destruction of Israel (and America, England, France, Italy...)
• SMCCDI repprted that the Islamic republic's security forces attacked and wounded tens of protesters in the northern City of Babolsar.
• SMCCDI reported that a student activist named, "Ali Rasti" was killed, yesterday evening, at the Yoosef-Abad dorm located in Tehran. Ali seems to have been pushed from the six floor's balcony by members of the repressive Harrasat (University's Intelligence) or Bassij.
• And finally, DryBones.blogspot.com published a cartoon: Which Map Is Ahmadinejad Reading?