Zahedan deputies withdraw their Rigi resignations

Iran Times International July 30, 2010:The three Majlis deputies from Zahedan who sub mitted their resignations after last week’s double suicide-bombing at a Zahedan mosque have withdrawn their resignations after making their point about government ineptitude in providing security. Supreme Leader Ali Kha-menehi, meanwhile, joined the chorus blaming the bombings on the United States and assorted other foreign forces. He said nothing about any government responsibility for providing security. “One of the enemy’s main objectives behind this terrorist attack was to spark religious strife and division” between Sunnis and Shias, Khamenehi said. “This blind and savage terrorism is born out of the evil policies of the United States, Britain and their state and non-state mercenaries,” he said in a statement marking the seventh day of mourning for the 28 people killed in the bombing that was claimed by the Jundollah rebel band. The three deputies representing Zahedan in the Majlis—Abbas-Ali Nura, Hossain-Ali Shahriari and Peyman Foruzesh—have said nothing about any foreign hand behind the bombing. They have complained that the government is doing too little too protect the populace from terrorists. Two days before the bombing, Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad-Najjar claimed that his forces had ended the Jundollah threat when Jundollah founder and leader Abdelmalek Rigi was executed June 20. But according to the daily Sharq, one of the Zahedan deputies complained that the people of Zahedan “are fed up with slogans” while another said he was too ashamed to face the bereaved families and did not attend the mass funeral. Resignations are a traditional way for deputies to register their displeasure. Equally traditional, the deputies either withdraw their resignations or they are rejected on a vote by the body. What was clear with the three resignations in this case was that the deputies had seen their constituents were blaming the government for the continued Jundollah attacks and were not blaming the United States, Britain and their state and non-state mercenaries. Deputy Interior Minister Ali Abollahi announced Saturday that the government had arrested a number of accomplices who aided the two suicide bombers. “Some of those who helped the suicide bombers behind the Zahedan crime have been identified and some have been arrested,” he said. He gave neither names nor even numbers, however, prompting others to suspect the government was simply trying to portray itself as being actively and successfully on the job. Or as Claude Rains, playing a French police officer, said in the film “Casablanca” after a murder: “Round up the usual suspects.”

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