"FIRST of all, I offer my deepest condolences and sympathy to the families of the victims. We, in Saudi Arabia, are acutely aware of the pain and suffering caused by terrorism which has targeted us so many times in the past three decades," I told the Hurra host, Hussein Jaradi. I went on to explain my suspicions: "At the same time, I was amazed at the speed with which TV cameras arrived at the scenes. It was like they were there already! And the speed by which "Daesh" (the so-called IS) issued a statement claiming responsibility. As well as the lightning speed with which the Revolutionary Guard found Saudi Arabia and the United States guilty before any investigation had even begun, and before different government departments agreeing on one story. "What is remarkable here is that the attacks took place in two locations under tight security by all standards. The parliament is surrounded by high-profile military, security and political headquarters, including the Revolutionary Guards, the Ground Forces Command, the Army Command, Tehran Military Air Base and the Office of Imam Khamenei. All the above required heavy presence of intelligence, military and police forces — unlike the easy civilians targets Daesh usually picks. "Entry into the district as a whole is subject to strict security measures. The parliament itself is accessed only by those who work there, or visitors with security cards, and through gates and offices that check identities and personalities. There are security cameras, as well as, uniformed and undercover elements in every corridor and corner. "However, armed suicidal groups were able to enter these areas in broad daylight and clash with the security forces and shoot innocent visitors (not the officials or parliamentarians who are supposed to be targeted), and some members blew themselves up in the corridors of parliament (not inside) and near a bank next to the Khomeini shrine (not the shrine itself). "Iranian political activists and dissidents questioned the events and timing. I totally agree. The majority of the Iranian people have recently voted for those who promised to reconcile with the world and focus on local issues. The voters have declared their desire to withdraw from the marshes of wars and conflicts in the region, and not to waste national resources and fortunes on military adventures and to bring home their beloved children from distant killing zones. The people have rejected the justifications of foreign interventionists that the goal was to transfer the war to the territory of the adversary and to protect internal security by defeating terrorism on its ground. "At the same time, there have been persistent questions about why terrorist organizations in Iraq and Afghanistan are not targeting nearby Iran for decades, while reaching out as far as America and the Philippines. "The timing also raises many questions. These bombings came as the world has united against terrorism (with the exclusion of Iran for sponsoring terrorist organizations), and considering that Daesh and Al-Qaeda grew and expanded in countries under Iranianinfluence—Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Lebanon and Afghanistan. "The attacks seem to be a timely response to international criticism for Tehran hosting of Al-Qaeda and Taliban leaders and their families and providing them with logistics to facilitate the movement and the access to areas of conflict. This includes bigger operations such as the bombings of US embassies in Africa and 9/11 attacks — as US intelligence and court findings proved. Tehran events were also timed after Riyadh Summits that focused on combating terrorism. "The objective of the "fake" bombings, Iranian observers explain, is to confront terror sponsorship charges, and to convince the Iranian street that the best way to defend the homeland is to attack the enemies first. They also aim to justify the decades-old belt tightening, that put half the population under poverty line, crippled the economy, caused neighbors' enmity and international boycott. There was no more appropriate time than when the new government was formed and its domestic and foreign policies were being shaped." I concluded my remarks. May Allah has mercy on the victims of the terrorist operations in Tehran, Amsterdam and everywhere else, help their families and loved ones, and punish every person, militia, organization and country involved. The world would be a safer place without them! Free Iran!
— Dr. Khaled M. Batarfi is a Saudi writer based in Jeddah. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him at Twitter: @kbatarfi
