Iranian Diplomat Arrested over Alleged Paris Bomb Plot

Corruption is Everywhere - even in Iranian politics, it seems

By Daniel Uria 

Police in Germany arrested an Iranian diplomat who was suspected of being involved in a plot to bomb an

Iranian opposition event in France. File Photo by Tobias Arhelger/Shutterstock.com

UPI -- An Iranian diplomat was arrested in Germany in connection with a plot to bomb an Iranian opposition event in France.

The diplomat, identified as 47-year-old Assadollah A., was stopped by police while driving a rental car on a highway in the state of Bavaria on Sunday, a Berlin-based journalist told VOA.

Belgian authorities said the Iranian diplomat was detained in Germany on Monday as a contact of a Belgian married couple of Iranian heritage. The couple was arrested earlier by Belgian police in Brussels after they were caught with 500 grams of TATP explosive and a detonator hidden in a toiletries bag.

Belgian prosecutors identified the couple as 38-year-old Amir S. and 33-year-old Nasimeh N. and charged them with attempted terrorist murder and preparing a terrorist act for plotting to bomb a Saturday meeting of the National Council of Resistance of Iran.

A fourth suspect was also arrested in France in connection to the plot authorities said was targeting the event near Paris, which was attended by U.S. President Donald Trump's attorney, Rudy Giuliani, The Guardian reported.

The NCRI is led by Iranian exile group Mujahedin-e Khalq, which advocates the "overthrow" of "religious dictatorship" in Iran, and accused the Iranian government of coordinating the attack.

"The conspiracy of the terrorist dictatorship ruling Iran to attack the grand gathering of the Iranian resistance in Villepinte, Paris, was foiled," the secretariat of the NCRI said.

The arrests came as Iranian President Hassan Rouhani embarked on a tour of Europe.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif dismissed the accusations as false in a post on Twitter Monday.

"How convenient: Just as we embark on a presidential visit to Europe, an alleged Iranian operation and its 'plotters' arrested. Iran unequivocally condemns all violence and terror anywhere, and is ready to work with all concerned to uncover what is a sinister false flag ploy," he wrote.

Anything is possible these days. 

Belgium's interior minister, Jan Jambon, said there had been no threat to the country and offered praise to police, security and judicial services for their "rapid and effective intervention."

Bavaria, Germany

Austrian Diplomat Recalled from Israel for Wearing 'Nazi' Shirt

Rising AntiSemitism in Europe - Austria

FILE PHOTO. © Grigoris Siamidis / Reuters

Austria’s Foreign Ministry has recalled an employee from its embassy in Israel after he posted a photo of himself on Facebook wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the name of a Nazi tank division.

Weekly news magazine Falter published screengrabs of Jürgen-Michael Kleppich wearing a green shirt bearing the words “Stand your ground” and “Frundsberg”. Frundsberg is a reference to the 10th SS Panzer Division during World War II. The division was named after the 16th century German commander Georg von Frundsberg. Kleppich’s Facebook account has since been deleted.

The controversial shirt is by a clothing brand that specializes in “patriotic” apparel and markets itself as an online store for the identitarian, white nationalist, movement. Falter also reported that Kleppich previously posted a photo of his grandfather in a Nazi uniform.

Kleppich has been summoned to Vienna to “clarify all circumstances” surrounding his wearing of the shirt, Austria’s foreign minister, Karin Kneissl, told the ORF radio station. "If there is a disciplinary cause, a disciplinary procedure will be initiated,” she said.

The attaché is also reportedly a member of the right wing Freedom Party which is a junior partner in Austria’s coalition government. The party has been at the center of several Nazi-related allegations in recent years. Earlier this year a party official was forced to resign after it emerged that his fraternity published a songbook praising the Holocaust.

The state of Israel has said it will not have any direct contact with politicians from the party, which controls Austria’s foreign, interior and defense ministries as part of its government formation pact with the larger People’s Party.

What kind of stupid to you have to be to wear a Nazi shirt in Israel? And why would Austria allow right-wing nut-cases to go to Israel to represent their country? And why do right-wing nut-cases want to glorify Nazis in the first place - they were losers you know? Inhuman, lunatics, and losers! What kind of pathetic excuses for human beings would find them heroic?