Baghdad kidnapping of Iranian diplomat (February 2007)
Encyclopedia
Gunmen kidnapped Jalal Sharafi, the second secretary of the Iran
ian embassy, as he drove through Karrada district in central Baghdad
, Iraq
on 6 February 2007. The gunmen wore uniforms of the Iraqi 36th Commando Battalion uniforms. - a special Iraqi unit under U.S. direction. The U.S. military denied any involvement in the kidnapping. After his release on April 3, the diplomat claimed he was torture
d by CIA operatives.
They also killed an Iranian citizen who escorted the diplomat. Iran said it held the United States
responsible for the diplomats "safety and life." Iran harshly condemned the kidnapping of an Iranian diplomat as a "terrorist act."
After his release, Sharafi reported severe torture, stating he was subjected to different forms of torture day and night while being kept in a CIA base, in order for him to confess to Iran's "presence and influence in Iraq". He stated: "I explained I was unable to do anything outside my legal responsibilities ... Later, they released me under pressure from Iraqi government officials. They dropped me near the back of the airport." The U.S. government responded by claiming that the CIA "does not conduct or condone torture." One day after Sharafi was released, the 15 sailors captured by Iran during the 2007 Iranian seizure of Royal Navy personnel
were released, leading to speculation that there was a connection in the events, though all governments officially deny this.
government insisted they didn't have any involvement in this incident and does not condone torture. The International Committee of the Red Cross
, who examined Sharafi, confirmed the wounds were caused in the recent past, but refused to conclude that it was as a result of torture during his detainment.
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian embassy, as he drove through Karrada district in central Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
, Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
on 6 February 2007. The gunmen wore uniforms of the Iraqi 36th Commando Battalion uniforms. - a special Iraqi unit under U.S. direction. The U.S. military denied any involvement in the kidnapping. After his release on April 3, the diplomat claimed he was torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
d by CIA operatives.
Background
The event happened amid U.S.-Iranian tension over alleged Iranian activities in Iraq. In December 2006, US forces detained several Iranians in Iraq who were suspected by the Americans of planning attacks. Iran said two were diplomats, and they were later freed. On 2007-01-10, U.S. President Bush stated in a major speech that he will take a tough stance on Iran, whom he accuses of destabilising Iraq. On 2007-01-11 US troops in Irbil raided a building Iran said was a consulate, arresting five men. On 2007-01-18 Iran demanded the release of the five Iranians claimed as diplomats. The U.S. government says they are Revolutionary Guardsmen arming Shi'a Iraqi fighters.Iran
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Mohammad-Ali Hosseini said, "elements related to the Iraqi defence ministry who are known to be under U.S. control" were responsible for the kidnapping and the U.S. government has "violated all international and diplomatic norms by launching such operations which will in general have negative impacts on diplomatic norms around the world."They also killed an Iranian citizen who escorted the diplomat. Iran said it held the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
responsible for the diplomats "safety and life." Iran harshly condemned the kidnapping of an Iranian diplomat as a "terrorist act."
France
The French Foreign Ministry said in a statement, "We learned with concern about the kidnapping of a member of the Iranian embassy in Baghdad. We condemn this unacceptable act."Release
On April 3, 2007, almost two months after Sharafi was taken, Iranian news agencies reported his release. This has been linked with the simultaneous release by Iran of the 15 British sailors who had been arrested for allegedly entering Iranian territorial waters.After his release, Sharafi reported severe torture, stating he was subjected to different forms of torture day and night while being kept in a CIA base, in order for him to confess to Iran's "presence and influence in Iraq". He stated: "I explained I was unable to do anything outside my legal responsibilities ... Later, they released me under pressure from Iraqi government officials. They dropped me near the back of the airport." The U.S. government responded by claiming that the CIA "does not conduct or condone torture." One day after Sharafi was released, the 15 sailors captured by Iran during the 2007 Iranian seizure of Royal Navy personnel
2007 Iranian seizure of Royal Navy personnel
Iranian military personnel seized 15 Royal Navy personnel during 2007 and held them for 13 days. On 23 March 2007, 15 British Royal Navy personnel, from HMS Cornwall, searching a merchant vessel were surrounded by the Navy of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards and subsequently detained off the...
were released, leading to speculation that there was a connection in the events, though all governments officially deny this.
Press conference
On April 11, a clearly thin Sharafi, while in a wheelchair and receiving intravenous fluids, attended a press conference with the help of doctors. Sharafi stated that the representative of the American embassy, who was in charge "first had a peaceful message but then when I did not answer his baseless accusations he and the Iraqi translator started beating me ... Then they brought on a machine to drill holes into my feet. They tied my feet and hands and lashed my soles hundreds of times with cables and kicked and punched me ... They performed mock executions while my eyes were blindfolded and my hands and feet were bound." The United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
government insisted they didn't have any involvement in this incident and does not condone torture. The International Committee of the Red Cross
International Committee of the Red Cross
The International Committee of the Red Cross is a private humanitarian institution based in Geneva, Switzerland. States parties to the four Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols of 1977 and 2005, have given the ICRC a mandate to protect the victims of international and...
, who examined Sharafi, confirmed the wounds were caused in the recent past, but refused to conclude that it was as a result of torture during his detainment.
External links
- How did the kidnapping of Iranian diplomat happen? (RoozRoozRooz is a Persian and English news website. It is mostly staffed by exiled Iranian journalists including Masoud Behnoud, Ebrahim Nabavi and Nikahang Kowsar with occasional articles by activists and journalists inside Iran, including Shirin Ebadi and Ahmad Zeidabadi...
online: in Persian) - US behind terrorist attacks in Iraq: Iranian ambassador
- Iran blames US for abduction
- Four Iraqi Military Officers Detained in Kidnapping of Iranian Diplomat
- U.S. responsible for diplomat kidnapping: Larijani