The Iranian
government has dismissed allegations it was behind an emergent terrorist cell
in Nigeria, targeting American and Israeli interests, saying the claim was
sponsored by Israel and the US, its ark enemies, to incite anger against Iran.
A statement
from the Iranian embassy in Abuja, Nigeria, said, the allegation by
Nigeria’s secret police was an attempt at “Iranophobia”, sponsored by the U.S.
and Israel. “Due to the situation and position of the Islamic Republic of
Iran,” the embassy said, “some powerful and domineering states by resorting to
the illegitimate means and by organising and supporting terrorism and
delinquent groups, have attempted to work out and implement the Iranophobia
project in countries which enjoy good capacity in terms of cooperation with
Iran,” Iran “strongly rejected” the claims, the statement said.
The
State Security Services, SSS, said on Wednesday it arrested a Nigerian,
Abdullahi Mustapha Berende, who was reportedly trained by Iranian militants
belonging to international terrorist groups, to set up cells in Lagos and
target American and Israeli interests. Mr. Berende said he underwent trainings
in 2006 and later in 2011, and received funding to start business as a cover
for his operations in Lagos. Besides hotels frequented by Americans and
Israelis in Lagos, the U.S. aid organization, USAID, organisations such as Max,
Zim international shipping company, A. A. consulting, Peace corp. and the
Jewish cultural centre, Chabad at Ikoyi, were all targeted in the attack.
“Lagos
was preferred because his handlers believed that the Israelis have an
intelligence facility there that is used in spying on Iran,” spokesperson for
the service, Marilyn Ogar said on Wednesday at a news conference. Mr. Berende
was arrested alongside two other suspects, and are to be charged to court soon,
the service said. But Iranian embassy in Abuja did not respond to specific
questions such as whether Mr. Berende ever got a visa to travel to Iran from
the Embassy, and whether the embassy shared information with the SSS during the
investigation. Iran’s first reaction to the allegation came on Friday with its
Deputy Foreign Minister, Hussein Amir-Abdollahian, quoted by Iranian state
television as saying the allegations were “made up as the result of the ill
will of the enemies of the two countries’ good relations”.
“Iran
and Nigeria have friendly and close relations and despite the vast efforts of
the two countries’ enemies in recent years, relations and cooperation’s have
always improved,” Mr. Amir-Abdllahian said. In the statement from the embassy,
Iran said it considered Nigeria an “important and effective” country that
deserved her cooperation and expansion of interest. “The Islamic Republic of
Iran firmly believes that the federal government of Nigeria through wise and
foresighted approach and with the support of the people can identify the roots
of unrest and terrorism in the country and eliminate them and the government of
the Islamic Republic of Iran will spare no efforts to assists and accompany
Nigeria,” it said.
The
statement added that with “good office and wise approach” such allegations will
no longer arise to the dismay of the enemies of Iran, an apparent reference to
the US and Israel. The diplomatic spat is not the first between Nigerian and
Iran. In 2004, Israeli sources said an Iranian diplomat was arrested on
suspicion of spying on the Israeli embassy in Nigeria’s capital Abuja. Tehran
denied any arrest. In 2010, authorities at a Lagos port found a hidden shipment
of rockets, rifle rounds and other weapons from Iran, supposedly bound for
Gambia. A Nigerian and an Iranian face criminal charges over the shipment.
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