Subscribe to Print Edition | Wed., May 07, 2008 Iyyar 2, 5768 | | Israel Time: 03:26 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Rosner's Domain
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Advertising
Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File
Last update - 18:31 05/05/2008
U.S.: Hezbollah training Iraqi Shi'ite extremists in Iran
By The Associated Press
Tags: Israel, Hezbollah, Iraq, U.S.

Iraqi Shi'ite extremists are being trained by members of the Lebanese guerilla group Hezbollah in camps near Tehran, a U.S. military spokesman said Monday.

Iraqis are receiving the training at camps operated by the Quds Force, an elite unit of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps that has been accused of training and funneling weapons to Shi'ite extremists in Iraq.

The group is also known as the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps-Quds Force, or IRGC-QF. Al-Quds is the Arabic name for Jerusalem.
Advertisement
The Quds Force is believed to operate overseas, helping to create the militant Shi'ite Hezbollah group in 1982 in Lebanon and to arm Bosnian Muslims during the Balkan wars.

"We have multiple detainees who state Lebanese Hezbollah are providing training to Iraqis in Iranian IRGC-QF training camps near Tehran, Air Force Col. Donald Bacon, a U.S. military spokesman in Baghdad," told The Associated Press.

The U.S. has accused Iran of supporting Shiite militias in Iraq. But Iran, which is predominantly Shi'ite like Iraq, has blamed violence in the war-torn country on the U.S. presence.

U.S. and Iraqi forces have for the past six weeks battled Shi'ite extremists in Baghdad and the southern city of Basra. Hundreds of people have been killed in the fighting against members of so-called special groups that have broken away from Muqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi Army militia.

Iran said Monday it would not hold a new round of talks with the U.S. on security in Iraq until American forces end their current assault against Shi'ite militias.

A five-member Iraqi delegation was sent to Tehran last week to try to choke off suspected Iranian aid to militiamen. They met with Gen. Ghassem Soleimani, commander of the Quds Force, but no clear details emerged from the meeting.

The first reports of Hezbollah training emerged in March 2007, when U.S. forces captured Qais Khazali, the senior Special Groups leader for Iraq, and Ali Mussa Daqduq, a senior Lebanese Hezbollah commander captured along with him. The arrests took place in the Shiite holy city of Karbala.

Ali Mussa Daqduq confirmed Lebanese Hezbollah were providing training to Iraqi Special Group members in Iran and that his role was to assess the quality of training and make recommendations on how the training could be improved. In this role, he traveled to Iraq on four occasions and was captured on his fourth trip, Bacon told AP in an e-mail.

Since then, Bacon said that, "we have captured other Iraqis who have discussed their training in Iran and who state many of their instructors were Lebanese Hezbollah."



Related articles:
  • Abducted soldier's father slams PM, military for son's capture
  • Israel fears Iran may ship Hezbollah arms via Beirut port
  • U.S. alleges Iran using Lebanese Hezbollah as 'proxy' in Iraq
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    Raining on the parade
    World Likud chief calls for cancellation of Nakba Day procession.
    Perfect match
    TA court sentences 'DNA Rapist' to 25 years in prison.
      1.   Watch out for Bush/Cheney`s last war woody 19:25  |  Clickfool 05/05/08
      2.   They kill more Muslims than Americans by far 19:28  |  Gina 05/05/08
      3.   gina you lack it 19:48  |  teflon moslem 05/05/08
      4.   In a related story...... 19:54  |  tadchase 05/05/08
      5.   Iran trains us in Lebanon, we train Iraqis in Teheran?? 20:07  |  Hizbullahi 05/05/08
      6.   Clickfool and teflon Muslim... 20:12  |  DR 05/05/08
      7.   The Israeli hallucinations about Iran keep growing 20:18  |  Aounist 05/05/08
      8.   DR 20:46  |  Imad 05/05/08
      9.   so....? 20:49  |  ravi 05/05/08
      10.   #8 Imad, great post! 20:54  |  DR 05/05/08
      11.   dR 21:16  |  Imad 05/05/08
      12.   Iran trains Hiz, then Hiz goes to Iran to train others? 21:21  |  Natallie Durson 05/05/08
      13.   dR 21:33  |  Imad 05/05/08
      14.   remove all shite hydra heads at once 22:14  |  frenz 05/05/08
      15.   Imad, and natalie D...complete morons! 22:38  |  DR 05/05/08
      16.   #9 Ravioli...resistance to what? 22:41  |  DR 05/05/08
      17.   Hi Natalie 22:57  |  Ben Katz 05/05/08
      18.   # 5 Hezbully.....like Islamist nutters have any? 23:06  |  Jenna 05/05/08
      19.   It`s so simple: people helping people to... 23:06  |  ManintheMiddle 05/05/08
      20.   ravi....... yes, indeed 23:08  |  Lynn 05/05/08
      21.   Haaretz ..Hezbollah training camp in Iran??? 23:14  |  maoriboy 05/05/08
      22.   This article is proof that Israel lost the war with Hezbollah 23:27  |  Sadiq M 05/05/08
      23.   Iraqi FM says the same thing explicitly 23:40  |  Fortuna Benmayor 05/05/08
      24.   Stop hallucinating, Aounist # 7 23:42  |  Fortuna Benmayor 05/05/08
      25.   teflon 23:42  |  Gina 05/05/08
      26.   Without counting injured or pointing out kids especially... 23:46  |  Citizen Zero 05/05/08
      27.   DR - Iran has more of an interest in Iraq than the US 00:12  |  American 06/05/08
      28.   What Rubbish. Keeping the pot boiling 00:21  |  American Patriot 06/05/08
      29.   #21 Fortuna Benmayor 00:36  |  maoriboy 06/05/08
      30.   Clickfool and war 00:48  |  Sam C 06/05/08
      31.   none of this matters, Hizbullah`s case will solve itself 01:10  |  Living in Beirut 06/05/08
      32.   @"American": You`re dead wrong 02:00  |  U.S. President 06/05/08
      33.   more LIES from the U.S 02:40  |  VIPER 06/05/08
      34.   dr 8 02:43  |  Anthony 06/05/08
      35.   dr 14 02:46  |  anthony 06/05/08
      36.   Teflon - you need to look inside 02:56  |  Rory 06/05/08
      37.   U.S. President 03:50  |  American 06/05/08
      38.   The Tortured Prisoners Will Say Anything the US Wants 03:51  |  Lev Bronstein 06/05/08
      39.   #3 Teflon Muslim; The same would have happened 03:58  |  Murray the Mongoose 06/05/08
      40.   ARAFAT A TRUE ZERO 05:31  |  HISTORY 06/05/08
      41.   #6, DR(of idiots) ON CLICKFOOL 02:41  |  VIPER 07/05/08
     Read & React
    PA official: No Israeli partner in light of latest Olmert probe
    Responses: 111
    Moshe Arens: Is Olmert pushing for peace at any price?
    Responses: 72
    Daphna Golan: When will we listen to the Palestinians' suffering?
    Responses: 202
    Soldier killed in Lebanon War 'finally promoted to rank of Jew'
    Responses: 100
    Rosner's Domain
    Why progressives don't like Israel (WTR)
    Poll: If Olmert is gone, who should be PM?
    The Democrats are fighting over Iran
    Carter is helping Hamas achieve their strategic goal
    How people die in Gaza? (WTR)


    More Headlines
    00:47 IDF Chief: 63 years after Holocaust state's existence still questioned
    00:41 Police: Gag order on probe against Olmert losing significance
    23:45 PA official: No Israeli partner in light of latest Olmert probe
    02:22 ANALYSIS: Gag order on PM case against public interest
    02:51 Security tightens in face of Independence Day terror alerts
    00:28 Fifth alternative Memorial Day ceremony held in Jerusalem
    01:52 Fox clothing chain, Bar Rafaeli to fight IDF draft-dodgers
    01:29 Foreign Ministry sending first aid package to Myanmar
    02:54 Sderot will celebrate Israel's 60th, in spite of everything
    19:24 Court orders state to explain why citizenship law won't be reversed
    00:52 Israel at 60: Population nears 7.3 million, 76% Jewish
    Previous Editions
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    Dead Sea Products
    Buy Dead Sea mineral skin care and beauty products. Coupon code Haaretz for 10% off.
    Together Celebrating Israel's 60th
    The Jewish Agency and world Jewry shaping the destiny of Israel and the Jewish people.
    Pardes Institute Summer Sessions
    http://www.pardes.org.il/
    FAREWELL ISRAEL New Film
    The Coming War for Islamic Revival - View Movie Trailer
    The interest rates haven't changed
    But your profits will!
    Learn Hebrew online
    with Israel's best teachers Sign up for a trial lesson today
    Free the Palestinians from:
    Corrupt Kleptocracy, Tyrannical Theocracy, Abysmal Anarchy
    Fattal Hotel Chain
    Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel.
    ISRAEL BONDS Build Israel
    Israel bonds - a multi-purpose way to celebrate Israel's 60th
    Eldan Rent a Car
    Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations
    Junkyard
    Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
    Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |
    Real Estate in Israel
    Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
    © Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved