Special Dispatch - Iran/Jihad and Terrorism
June 11, 2002
No. 387

Iran Increases Funding and Training for Suicide Bombings
Islamic Jihad Leader: The Intifada Foiled the American Plots Against Iraq
A Hizbullah Leader on the Iranian-Syrian-Lebanese-Palestinian Axis

Correspondent 'Ali Nouri Zadeh, of the the Saudi London-based
Arabic-language daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat reports from London on recent
developments regarding Iranian support of Palestinian organizations:

Islamic Jihad, Hamas, and the Palestinian Authority Meet in Iran
"Iran has decided to increase its financial aid to some organizations that
oppose peace efforts in the Middle East. Iran has allocated a special
budget for the support of some Palestinian groups who lost their sources of
funding when the Soviet Union and the communist bloc collapsed, and when
Libya stopped providing material support to the Palestinian organizations."

"A source very close to the Revolutionary Guards said that the leader of the
[Palestinian] Islamic Jihad movement, Ramadhan Shalah, had visited Iran last
week heading a large delegation that included the Islamic Jihad leadership,
Hamas representatives, and Ahmad Jibril, leader of the PFLP - General
Command, to participate in a symposium held in Tehran in support of the
Intifada.

The Palestinian Authority was represented by PA Communication Minister Imad
Al-Falluji.

[The symposium] was overseen by 'Ali Akbar Muhtashemi, former Iranian
ambassador to Syria and interior minister, known as 'the midwife of
Hizbullah' due to his role in the movement's off shoot from Syrian backed
Lebanese movement.

"[Shalah] met twice with Supreme [Iranian] Leader 'Ali Khamenei who promised
him that his movement's budget would be separated from the Hizbullah budget,
and would be expanded by 70% to cover the expense of recruiting young
Palestinians for suicide operations."

Iranian Support of Islamic Jihad Separated from Hizbullah
"Iran has taken upon itself financing the Islamic Jihad movement, since its
founding... However, the movement's budget was transferred to it via
Hizbullah, whose budget (disbursed through Iranian institutions such as
Al-Wali Al-Faqih office, and the Liberation Organizations Bureau of the
Revolutionary Guards, in addition to the Al-Quds Forces) - exceeded $200
million."

"Last year, disagreement broke out between Hizbullah's financial apparatus
and the person in charge of funds in the Islamic Jihad organization. As a
result, the Islamic Jihad heads demanded that the Iranian institutions
funding them draw up a movement budget that would be under its leadership's
direct supervision."

"Al-Sharq Al-Awsat learned that the Supreme Leader [Khamenei] ordered the
immediate transfer of a huge sum to the financial apparatus of the Islamic
Jihad. The anticipated aid will be passed on to several Palestinian figures
who visited Tehran in recent weeks."

"According to a Revolutionary Guards source, the Al-Quds Forces will
continue training Islamic Jihad fighters inside Iran, while Col. 'Ali Reza
Tamiz, one of the commanders of the Al-Quds Forces' technological team, will
remain responsible for training Hizbullah members and training them in the
use of advanced equipment and weaponry, including Ra'ad missiles, Shahin
launchers, and surface-to-air missiles recently received by Hizbullah."

"With regard to the Hizbullah budget increase, the source said, the
[Hizbullah] receives, in addition to its annual budget diverse aid from
religious, economic, and government institutions in Iran. Every month,
institutions such as Al-Shahid, Imdad Al-Imam, and Al-Mustaz'afin Fund
transfer phenomenal financial aid to the families of the Hizbullah martyrs,
wounded, and handicapped."(1)

An Islamic Jihad leader denied the Al-Sharq Al-Awsat report, saying that his
movement "does not work for any regime in the world."(2)

Islamic Jihad Leader: "Allah... Anger America and Make Us Blow Up in the
Heart of this Cursed Zionist Entity"
Islamic Jihad leader Ramadan Abdallah Shalah, focused in his speech on
President Bush's statements against suicide bombings: "...If America is the
one to divide the world into the 'camp of the good' and the 'camp of the
evil,' and if it puts the Palestinian people and its Jihad fighters on the
evil side, claiming that the martyrs are evil, then we say: 'Allah, make us
all evil, [make us all] anger America and blow up in the heart of this
cursed Zionist entity...'"

"America, the West, or any country in the world, has no moral right to
decide whether a Palestinian has the right to blow himself up... or not.
Why isn't America objecting when someone American or European contributes
millions of dollars for dogs and cats? No one tells him - why are you
giving up your wealth for the sake of dogs and cats? We are the owners of
our souls... no one has the right to object to us giving away our souls and
turning them into human bombs for a cause we consider more important and
more sacred than our lives."

Referring to American calls for reform in the Palestinian Authority, Shalah
said: "Who amongst us doesn't want reform? Who amongst us isn't against
corruption? But when reform is raised today - it is [only] a cover for the
American-Israeli plan to dismantle the unity of the Palestinian people...
This kind of reform, we reject. We all know the PA... we all blamed Arafat
for corruption... But [now] we say, if for the sake of reform, we have to
give up the Intifada, the resistance, and the Jihad warriors - then we would
rather have Arafat's corruption continue... We have suffered many years from
corruption and will continue to suffer more and more in order to have the
resistance continue."

The Intifada Defended Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon
Shalah also referred to the postponement of the American plan to attack
Iraq, as a result of the escalation in the Palestinian territories: "The
Intifada foiled the American plots and defended the whole Arab nation. It
defended Iraq, Syria, Lebanon ..."

Deputy Secretary General of Hizbullah, Sheik Na'im Qasem quoted Imam
Khomeini in a speech:

"All of Palestine is plundered. There is no difference between the '48
territories and the '67 territories. I ask the Muslims, why are you
fighting over the Jordan River when all of Palestine is plundered?"

Muslims Should Annihilate Israel
"Israel's danger is not limited to Palestine... It spreads to the whole
region. Imam Khomeini said: 'The goal of this virus [Israel] that was
planted in the heart of the Islamic world, is not only to annihilate the
Arab nation... The danger is to the whole Middle East... and the solution
is in annihilating the virus. There is no other treatment... The Islamic
states and the Muslims should initiate the annihilation of this den of
corruption [Israel] in every possible way... It is permitted to use
charity money for that purpose. Imam Khomeini led this way... All [Western]
hopes in every Iranian election to see a change in this direction have
failed... President Khatami upholds the same position [despite]
international pressures."

"The struggle against Israel is no picnic. It demands great sacrifices, but
when I see a mother saying goodbye to her son, awaiting his return as a
shahid, [I know that] the Palestinian people is a people of Jihad warriors
and it will surely win."

"We have to maintain the Iranian-Syrian-Lebanese-Palestinian axis. Our
enemy cannot counter us when we are united..."(3)

In an event hosted by the Iranian-Palestinian Friendship Society,(4) Iranian
Deputy Foreign Minister Muhammad Sadr said: "The Islamic Republic of Iran
placed Palestine as a top priority in its strategic policy."(5)

The Intifada is a New Phase of the Iranian Revolution
Imam Khomeini's grandson Hassan Khomeini, who moderated the event, also
referred to the connection between the Iranian regime and the Palestinian
struggle:

"There is a strong connection between the Intifada and the Islamic
revolution in Iran. It is a connection between two revolutions... The huge
Iranian Islamic revolution had an impact on the whole history, it revived
religious conviction and stated that religion can play a meaningful role in
all aspects of life."

"The Intifada of the Muslim Palestinian people should be looked upon from
the Islamic perspective after all nationalistic movements and communist
trends have been defeated after reaching a dead end. The Intifada is the
beginning of the way towards a new phase in the historic revolution of Imam
Khomeini. We say, as Imam Khomeini said, that Israel should be wiped off
the face of the earth and Jerusalem should go back to the Muslims because it
belongs to them..."(6)

Endnotes:

(1) Al-Sharq Al-Awsat (London), June 8, 2002.
(2) Al-Sharq Al-Awsat (London), June 9, 2002.
(3) Al Manar Television (Lebanon-Hizbullah), June 2, 2002.
(4) The creation of this association reflects Iran's enhanced involvement in
the Palestinian issue. It was inaugurated on June 6th, the day in which the
Six Day War broke out and is headed by former Iranian ambassador to Beirut
Humayun Ali Zadeh.
(5) Al-Hayat (London), June 7, 2002.
(6) Al-Hayat (London), June 7, 2002.

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