Defectors Claim Iranian Role in 9/11 Attacks

Defectors from Iran's intelligence service have testified that Iranian officials "had foreknowledge of the 9/11 attacks," according to a federal lawsuit filed in New York against Iran on behalf of families of 9/11 victims. The testimony is being submitted to a judge under seal, thus complicating efforts to conduct a comprehensive independent analysis of its contents.

Nevertheless, the suit is said to seek damages for Iran's "direct support for, and sponsorship of, the most deadly act of terrorism in American history," and alleges that Iran and its Lebanese proxy, Hizballah, provided training and travel for the 9/11 hijackers as well as help for al-Qaida operatives in escaping after the attacks. In addition to naming Iran in the $100 billion civil suit, the victims' families also targeted al-Qaida, the Taliban, and "others."

According to defector testimony, top officials from al-Qaida, Hizballah and Iran met several times Iran in the months before the attacks. The unnamed defector also claims his allegations are "supported by government letters and memoranda, photographs and organizational charts."

Suggestions of Iranian complicity in the 9/11 attacks first surfaced in the national 9/11 Commission, though the topic has long been debated given the ideological divide between the Shiite regime in Tehran and the radical Sunni al-Qaida group. Despite their differences, intelligence officials have asserted for some time that the two entities have cooperated to a limited extent against their common enemy, the United States.

The current court filing includes 10 reports from former 9/11 commission staff members as well as ex-CIA officers. These officers reviewed the defectors' testimony and determined it to be credible, according to Janice Kephart, a former lawyer with the 9/11 Commission and expert witness in the suit.

Thomas E. Mellon Jr., a lawyer for the families, said "these experts make it clear that 9/11 depended upon Iranian assistance to al-Qaida in acquiring clean passports and visas to enter the United States." However, the reports fail to support the defectors' claim that Iran had prior knowledge of the attacks.

The defectors, whose identities and testimonies are not disclosed in the court filing for security reasons, worked in Iran's Ministry of Information and Security "in positions that gave them access to sensitive information regarding Iran's state sponsorship of terrorism."

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Pasdaran and Sunni Extremists

Submitted by John C. Lamoreaux, Jun 25, 2011 07:54

The NYT article says that Iran and Sunni militants have "cooperated to a limited extent." This reflects a weak understanding of events in the 1980s and 1990s, and even at present. Revolutionary Iran had its own, indigenous Sunni militants. Not all Iran is Persian or Twelver Shiite. The Pasdaran also frequently cooperated with Sunnis, both before and after 9/11.

The evidence is pretty clear on Libya and the shared responsibility for getting the first cadres of militants to the Beqaa. So too, the links with Sudan throughout this period are extensive. I've not worked recently on Iranian connections with the various Sunni militants who merged to form al-Qaeda, but given what is known about Iranian assistance to militants in Chechnya and Kashmir, there's no prima facie reason to reject the claim.

The smuggling of weapons, fighters, and drugs, and the laundering of money, are all pursuits in which both Sunnis and Iran stood to benefit by cooperation.

The same pattern continues to the present day. Even after Zarqawi's bloodsport in Iraq, Iran has had absolutely no qualms about working with a motley assortment of non-Twelvers, especially when they're not just killing people for fun.

Hamas is said to be getting arms and training from Iran. They're Sunni of the ikhwan variety.

Iran also works closely with the Syrian regime, which is neither Sunni or Twelver, but Alawi.

Also, it shouldn't be forgotten that AQ is diverse on the question of Shiism. The Saudi/Wahhabi members tend to prefer killing them. The Egyptian/Ikhwani/Deobandi members have always been more ecumenical.

Sayf al-Adl and Zawahiri belong to the latter camp.

Sayf himself (with other AQ members) is said to have been under house arrest in Iran until fairly recently.

I'd have to check my notes for more details, but there's nothing unusual about Iran working with Sunnis on militant operations. Took place before 9/11 and continues to take place to this day. Whether Iran also participated in the planning or funding 9/11 is another question, but they're being Shiites and Sunnis does not entail that the claim is hard to believe.

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