Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Iran training Iraqis in Lebanon - U.S. intelligence
Security
(Reuters) Iran is training Iraqi Shi'ites to use armor-piercing munitions inside Iran and at camps in Lebanon run by the Shi'ite militant group Hezbollah, the top U.S. intelligence official said on Tuesday. In testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee, newly installed U.S. intelligence chief Mike McConnell said it was "probable" that Iranian leaders including Ayatollah Ali Khamenei were aware that weapons known as explosively formed penetrators, or EFPs, had been supplied to Iraqi Shi'ites.
The Pentagon blames EFPs for the deaths of 170 U.S. troops since 2004. But McConnell, in his first congressional testimony as the U.S. director of national intelligence, stopped short of saying Iran was directing the EFP attacks against U.S. forces in Iraq. "We know there are Iranian weapons manufactured in Iran. We know that Quds Forces (of Iran's Revolutionary Guards) are bringing them (into Iraq)," McConnell said at a panel hearing on world threats facing the United States.
"Is there a direct link from Quds Forces delivering weapons, to the most senior leadership in Iran?" he said. "I would phrase it as 'probable' but, again, no direct link ... I am comfortable saying it's probable." McConnell took over the intelligence chief's job a week ago to replace John Negroponte, who is now deputy secretary of state.
"Is there a direct link from Quds Forces delivering weapons, to the most senior leadership in Iran?" he said. "I would phrase it as 'probable' but, again, no direct link ... I am comfortable saying it's probable." McConnell took over the intelligence chief's job a week ago to replace John Negroponte, who is now deputy secretary of state.
Labels: Hezbollah, Iran, Lebanon, Michael McConnell, training
