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Iran: Baha'is confessed to taking orders from Israel By Haaretz Correspondent and Reuters , By Yoav Stern Seven Baha'i believers detained by the Iranian authorities have confessed to setting up an illegal organization in Iran that took orders from Israel and others for the purpose of undermining the Islamic system, an Iranian newspaper reported yesterday. The seven will apparently be charged with illegal acts against the Islamic regime in Iran and of taking orders from Israel and other countries. Advertisement The heads of the world Baha'i community yesterday rejected the Iranian accusations as "ridiculous." Douglas Moore, director of the Baha'i public information office, at the Baha'i World Center in Haifa, told Haaretz yesterday that the Iranian claim was an excuse to harm the heads of the Baha'i community. Moore said the Baha'i International Community categorically rejected the charges and viewed them as religious persecution. He said it was very easy to accuse them of spying for Israel because hatred of Israel is so great in Iran. Moore told Israel Radio: "We see this as another trumped-up charge against the Baha'is in order for the government to go through the motions of setting them up on charges and convicting them on charges." The initial report, in the Iranian newspaper Resalat, appeared to refer to a group of Baha'is, most of whom were detained in May, but it did not spell this out. Judicial officials in Iran had no immediate comment. Resalat quoted an official in charge of security affairs for Tehran's revolutionary court, named only as Mr. Haddad, as saying that the seven latest arrested individuals had confessed. "They have all confessed to the formation of an illegal organisation, including [having ties] with Israel," the paper added. The seven are expected to stand trial before a revolutionary court, which could sentence them to death. Revolutionary courts handle matters of national security. Baha'is say hundreds of their faith have been jailed and executed since Iran's 1979 Islamic revolution, a charge that is denied by the Iranian government. For many years, the Iranian regime has allowed the Baha'i community to tend to its needs by way of a council of seven to eight members. The Baha'i International Community had said those detained were members of the committee. It said the group of six were detained in May and a seventh member was detained in March. The families of the detainees do not know where they are being held. About six weeks ago, the detainees were each permitted to make a minute-long phone call to their families, but since then there has been no contact with them. The Baha'i International Community represents the faith worldwide, operating under a governing council that has its base in Israel. Baha'is say the faith has 5 million adherents worldwide, including an estimated 300,000 or more in Iran. Baha'is regard their faith's 19th-century founder, Baha'ullah (1817-1892), as the latest in a line of prophets including Abraham, Moses, Buddha, Jesus and Mohammed. Islam views Baha'is as heretics because they defy the Islamic principle that Mohammed was the last of the prophets. Baha'ullah was exiled from Persia to Acre by the Ottoman Turks because of the religious status he had attained in Persia. He is buried near the house where he lived, north of Acre. The disseminator of the faith, known as the Bab, is buried in Haifa. To avoid religious persecution, the Baha'is conduct no religious or political activity in Israel. They have a presence in almost every country in the world, and suffer persecution from the regimes of other Islamic countries too, such as Egypt. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Shin Bet exploitation Is spying for Israel a fair swap for receiving medical treatment? A French feud French satirist denies making anti-Semitic remarks towards President Sarkozy's son.

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