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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| US links Iran to attack in Iraq | US links Iran to attack in Iraq |
| (19 minutes later) | |
| The US military in Iraq has accused Iran of orchestrating an attack that killed five US soldiers and of using Lebanese militants to train insurgents. | The US military in Iraq has accused Iran of orchestrating an attack that killed five US soldiers and of using Lebanese militants to train insurgents. |
| The information came from a top Hezbollah fighter recently captured in southern Iraq, an army spokesman said. | The information came from a top Hezbollah fighter recently captured in southern Iraq, an army spokesman said. |
| Brig-Gen Kevin Bergner said the suspect admitted working with the Quds Force, linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guards. | |
| Iranian officials have always denied involvement in anti-US and anti-British attacks in Iraq. | |
| Tehran says it supports the US-backed Iraqi government, and blames the violence on the myriad conflicts within the country since US-led forces toppled Saddam Hussein in 2003. | |
| But Gen Bergner insisted that the Quds Force knew of and helped plan the attack on a Karbala government compound in January. | |
| 'Prior knowledge' | 'Prior knowledge' |
| Gen Bergner said the Quds Force and the Iranian-backed Lebanese Shia organisation Hezbollah were jointly operating camps near Tehran in which they trained Iraqi fighters before sending them back to Iraq to conduct attacks. | Gen Bergner said the Quds Force and the Iranian-backed Lebanese Shia organisation Hezbollah were jointly operating camps near Tehran in which they trained Iraqi fighters before sending them back to Iraq to conduct attacks. |
| Gen Bergner said Hezbollah's Ali Moussa Dakdouk - who he said was captured in southern Iraq in March - was the liaison between Iran's shadowy Quds Force and a breakaway Shia group. | Gen Bergner said Hezbollah's Ali Moussa Dakdouk - who he said was captured in southern Iraq in March - was the liaison between Iran's shadowy Quds Force and a breakaway Shia group. |
| Gen Bergner said it was this group - led by Qays al-Khazaali, a former spokesman for cleric Moqtada Sadr - that carried out the attack against the provincial government building in Karbala in January. | Gen Bergner said it was this group - led by Qays al-Khazaali, a former spokesman for cleric Moqtada Sadr - that carried out the attack against the provincial government building in Karbala in January. |
| Mr Dakdouk "was directed by the Iranian Quds Force to move Iraqis in and out of Iraq and report on the training and operations of Iraqi special groups," Gen Bergner said. | Mr Dakdouk "was directed by the Iranian Quds Force to move Iraqis in and out of Iraq and report on the training and operations of Iraqi special groups," Gen Bergner said. |
| "They were being taught how to use EFPs (explosively-formed penetrators), mortars, rockets, as well as intelligence, sniper, and kidnapping operations," he added. | "They were being taught how to use EFPs (explosively-formed penetrators), mortars, rockets, as well as intelligence, sniper, and kidnapping operations," he added. |
| Correspondents say the accusations appear to be part of a continuing campaign by the US military to link Iran with insurgency violence in Iraq. | Correspondents say the accusations appear to be part of a continuing campaign by the US military to link Iran with insurgency violence in Iraq. |
| US commanders have long accused Tehran of financing and anti-US militants, but this is the first time they have accused Iranians of prior knowledge of the Karbala attack. | US commanders have long accused Tehran of financing and anti-US militants, but this is the first time they have accused Iranians of prior knowledge of the Karbala attack. |
| Sophisticated assault | Sophisticated assault |
| Gen Bergner said Mr Dakdouk had told his US interrogators that the Karbala attackers "could not have conducted this complex operation without the support and direction of the Quds force". | Gen Bergner said Mr Dakdouk had told his US interrogators that the Karbala attackers "could not have conducted this complex operation without the support and direction of the Quds force". |
| Five Americans were killed in the Karbala assault, a bold and sophisticated assault in which up to a dozen gunmen posed as a US security team to gain access to the government compound. | Five Americans were killed in the Karbala assault, a bold and sophisticated assault in which up to a dozen gunmen posed as a US security team to gain access to the government compound. |
| Mr Khazaali and his brother were captured with Mr Dakdouk, Gen Bergner said | Mr Khazaali and his brother were captured with Mr Dakdouk, Gen Bergner said |
| Hezbollah officials said they would not comment until they had checked claims that Mr Dakdouk was a member of their group. | Hezbollah officials said they would not comment until they had checked claims that Mr Dakdouk was a member of their group. |
| Hundreds of US-led forces in Iraq have fallen victims to EFPs. Hezbollah used the same weapons to deadly effect in its conflict with Israeli forces in southern Lebanon in 2006. | Hundreds of US-led forces in Iraq have fallen victims to EFPs. Hezbollah used the same weapons to deadly effect in its conflict with Israeli forces in southern Lebanon in 2006. |