DATE=1/6/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-243839
TITLE=IRAN MURDER ARRESTS (L)
BYLINE=SCOTT BOBB
DATELINE=CAIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE GOVERNMENT OF IRAN SAYS IT HAS ARRESTED A NUMBER OF
SECURITY OFFICIALS IN CONNECTION WITH A SERIES OF UNSOLVED
MURDERS OF SECULAR INTELLECTUALS LAST YEAR. MIDEAST
CORRESPONDENT SCOTT BOBB REPORTS FROM CAIRO THAT IRANIAN
REFORMIST LEADERS SAY THE ARRESTS CONFIRM THEIR CHARGE THAT
HARDLINE CONSERVATIVES ARE BEHIND THE MURDERS.
TEXT: REFORMIST LEADERS IN IRAN WEDNESDAY REACTED WITH
SATISFACTION TO UHE ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE IRANIAN NEWS AGENCY THAT
A NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES OF THE INFORMATION MINISTRY, WHICH IS IN
CHARGE OF SECURITY, WERE ARRESTED FOR INVOLVEMENT IN THE MURDERS.
SOME CALLED FOR THE DISMISSAL OF INTELLIGENCE OFFICIALS, WHO THEY
SAID ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE KILLINGS.
THE MINISTRY ANNOUNCED THE ARRESTS, SAYING IT REGRETTED THAT WHAT
IT CALLED A FEW IRRESPONSIBLE AND DEVIOUS COLLEAGUES WERE AMONG
THE KILLERS. IT SAID THE AGENTS WERE ACTING IN THE INTEREST OF
FOREIGNERS -- WHOM IT DID NOT IDENTIFY -- AND SAID THEIR
PURPOSE WAS DESTROYING THE REPUTATION OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF
IRAN.
IRANIAN PRESIDENT MOHAMED KHATAMI LAST MONTH ORDERED A SPECIAL
INVESTIGATION INTO THE MURDERS, WHICH BEGAN WHEN THE LEADER OF A
SMALL SECULAR OPPOSITION PARTY, DARIUSH FAROUHAR, AND HIS WIFE
WERE FOUND STABBED TO DEATH IN THEIR APARTMENT LAST NOVEMBER. MR.
FAROUHAR'S MURDER AROUSED SUSPICIONS BECAUSE HIS HOUSE, IN A
QUIET NEIGHBORHOOD OF TEHRAN, WAS UNDER POLICE SURVEILLANCE AT
THE TIME.
IN SUBSEQUENT WEEKS, THREE PROMINENT IRANIAN WRITERS WERE FOUND
DEAD AFTER THEIR FAMILIES REPORTED THEY HAD DISAPPEARED UNDER
MYSTERIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES. THE WRITERS WERE PART OF A GROUP OF
GOVERNMENT CRITICS WHO WERE TRYING TO FORM AN INDEPENDENT WRITERS
UNION.
OBSERVERS SAY THE MURDERS WERE AIMED AT UNDERMINING PRESIDENT
KHATAMI, WHOSE EFFORTS TO LIBERALIZE IRANIAN POLITICS AND SOCIETY
HAVE COME UNDER FIRE FROM CONSERVATIVE HARDLINERS WHO CONTROL THE
LEGAL SYSTEM AND NATIONAL ASSEMBLY.
AT THE SAME TIME, THE IRANIAN PRESIDENT HAS BEEN UNDER PRESSURE
BECAUSE OF ASSASSINATION ATTEMPTS AGAINST CONSERVATIVE MEMBERS OF
THE GOVERNMENT.
THE HEAD OF THE IRANIAN JUDICIARY, ALI RAZINI, WAS SEVERELY
INJURED TUESDAY IN A BOMB ATTACK ON HIS CAR.
A SENIOR ECONOMIST IN THE GOVERNMENT, MOHSEN RAFIQDOUST, SURVIVED
AN ATTACK FOUR MONTHS AGO. AND LAST AUGUST, THE FORMER HEAD OF
IRAN'S PRISONS, ASSADOLLAH LAJEVARDI, WAS KILLED IN A MARKET IN
TEHRAN. THE EXILED MUJAHEDEN GROUP CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE
ATTACK.
IRANIAN OBSERVERS HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERN OVER GROWING POLITICAL
VIOLENCE IN THEIR COUNTRY, WHICH HAS INCLUDED BEATINGS OF
OFFICIALS AND STUDENTS AND AN ATTACK ON A GROUP OF AMERICAN
TOURISTS. THEY WORRY THAT THE DEBATE OVER WHETHER AND HOW MUCH TO
OPEN UP IRANIAN SOCIETY MAY BE TURNING VIOLENT AND THEY DECRY
WHAT THEY CALL THE GROWING FACTIONALISM, AS THE IRANIAN
REVOLUTION APPROACHES ITS 20TH ANNIVERSARY. (SIGNED)
NEB/SB/PCF/GE
06-Jan-99 9:37 AM EST (1437 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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