DATE=6/21/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-234279
TITLE=IRAQ / ASSASSINATION (L ONLY)
BYLINE=RICHARD ENGEL
DATELINE=CAIRO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: IRAQ IS BLAMING WHAT IT CALLS -- OUTSIDE FORCES -- FOR
THE MURDER LAST WEEK OF AN IRANIAN CLERIC WHO WORKED AS A PRAYER
LEADER AT A HOLY SITE NEAR BAGHDAD. BUT, AS RICHARD ENGEL
REPORTS, IRAN SAYS IRAQ'S GOVERNMENT MAY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED.
TEXT: THIS WAS THE SECOND KILLING OF AN IRANIAN RELIGIOUS
OFFICIAL IN THE SAME IRAQI TOWN IN THE PAST TWO MONTHS -- A FACT
THAT HAS LED MANY IRANIANS TO BLAME THE IRAQI GOVERNMENT.
THE IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SUMMONED IRAQ'S CHARGE DE AFFAIRS IN
TEHRAN AND DEMANDED AN IMMEDIATE EXPLANATION. IRAN'S OFFICIAL
NEWS AGENCY REPORTS THE FOREIGN MINISTRY SAID THE IRAQI
GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN IMPLICATED IN THE KILLING OF SHIITE RELIGIOUS
OFFICIALS IN THE PAST.
IN THE LATEST INCIDENT, IRAN'S NEWS AGENCY REPORTS A GUNMAN
SPRAYED BULLETS AT THE CAR OF IRANIAN CLERIC AYATOLLAH ALL
GHARAVI, KILLING HIM, HIS SON-IN-LAW, AND THEIR DRIVER.
IRAQ BLAMED THE ATTACK (THURSDAY) ON WHAT IT CALLS HATEFUL
OUTSIDE PARTIES AND IT VOWED TO HUNT DOWN THOSE RESPONSIBLE.
IN APRIL, A GUNMAN KILLED AYATOLLAH ALL MOHAMMED BORUJERDI. HE
HAD WORKED AS A PRAYER LEADER IN THE SAME MOSQUE WITH AYATOLLAH
GHARAVI. IN RECENT YEARS, SEVERAL OTHER SHIITE CLERGYMEN HAVE
BEEN KILLED IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS IN IRAQ.
THE LATEST KILLING TOOK PLACE AS A DELEGATION OF IRANIAN
OFFICIALS WAS VISITING BAGHDAD. RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO
COUNTRIES HAVE REMAINED TENSE SINCE THEY FOUGHT A DEVASTATING
EIGHT-YEAR WAR IN THE 1980'S. THE TALKS WERE AIMED AT SPEEDING
THE EXCHANGE OF MORE THAN 20-THOUSAND PRISONERS STILL HELD BY
IRAN AND IRAQ. (SIGNED)
NEB/RE/JWH/RAE
21-Jun-98 9:31 AM EDT (1331 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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