Iran said Friday that it would try a dozen suspected members of Al Qaeda, but Iranian officials declined to identify the suspects. The United States demanded they be turned over to their countries of origin.
Iran’s intention to put the Al Qaeda suspects on trial was disclosed by Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi in Davos, Switzerland, where he is attending the World Economic Forum. The dozen suspects from Osama bin Laden’s terrorist network “are currently in prison,” he said. “Their relations are cut off from outside, and they are going to be tried.”
Kharrazi said he could not name any of the suspects for security reasons. Nor could he say when the trials would begin.
The United States has accused Iran of harboring Al Qaeda members who fled from neighboring Afghanistan after the U.S. intervened in that country after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Bin Laden’s organization operated from Afghanistan under the protection of the Taliban government.
U.S. officials also have charged that Al Qaeda militants based in Iran were behind suicide bombings in Saudi Arabia in May. Washington has demanded that Iran bring these militants to justice, but Iran has denied that Al Qaeda members are operating from its territory.
A senior Iranian diplomat said Friday that the Al Qaeda suspects will be tried for violations of Iranian law.
“Our legal system has to prosecute them, some for very serious offenses,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. He said the charges stem mostly from the operatives’ illegal entry into Iran from neighboring countries and clashes with Iranian security forces.
White House spokesman Scott McClellan said Tehran should immediately turn over any Al Qaeda suspects to their countries of origin.
“There are a number of countries that have approached Iran, asking that Al Qaeda rank-and-file members reportedly under detention be turned over to them, where indictments on terrorism charges are pending,” McClellan said.