World

Iran Hangs Man Convicted of Spying for Israel

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran on Tuesday hanged an Iranian convicted of spying for the country’s archenemy Israel, the official IRNA news agency reported.

Ali Akbar Siadat had been accused of providing Israel with classified information on Iran’s military capabilities, including details about military maneuvers, bases, operational jet fighters, military flights, air crashes and missiles, IRNA reported.

Separately, another Iranian was hanged Tuesday for membership in an exile opposition movement, IRNA reported.

Over the past decade, Iran has stepped up its domestic military production, including missiles capable of reaching Israel and beyond – aiming, Tehran says, to defend the country from Israel and the U.S. amid Iranian concern they might strike its nuclear facilities.

According to IRNA, Siadat confessed to spying for Israel starting in 2004 in return for $60,000, as well as an additional $7,000 each time he met with Israeli handlers. IRNA said he met up with Israeli intelligence agents during “foreign trade” trips to Turkey, Thailand and the Netherlands and that he transferred data through a digital camera, transmitters and laptop.

IRNA reported that Siadat was arrested in 2008 while planning to flee Iran. There were no details on whether Siadat was a government employee or how he obtained the classified information.

There was no immediate comment on the execution from officials in Israel.

IRNA said Siadat was hanged in Tehran’s Evin prison. Earlier in the week, Iran‘s judiciary announced that a spy for Israel would be executed soon after an appeals court confirmed the man’s death sentence. It said the trial was held in the presence of his lawyer.

Espionage is punishable by death under Iranian law. Iran and Israel have been enemies since the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran, with Tehran periodically announcing arrests of people suspected of spying for Israel.

In 2008, Iran executed Ali Ashtari, an electronics salesman who was convicted of relaying information on Iran‘s nuclear program and other sensitive data to Israel’s Mossad spy agency.

And in 2000, a court convicted 10 Iranian Jews of spying for Israel in a closed-door trial and sentenced them to prison terms ranging from four to 13 years. All were released before serving out their full sentences after international pressure.

Iran faces increased pressure from the West over its controversial nuclear program that Israel, the United States and others contend is intended for nuclear weapons making. Tehran denies the charge, insisting the program is for peaceful purposes only, such as generating power.

IRNA also reported that another Iranian, identified as Ali Sarami, was hanged on Tuesday in Evin after being convicted of membership in an exiled opposition group, the Mujahedeen-e Khalq Organization. It said he had been arrested several times since 1982 for membership in the group but had continued his activities each time. He was detained in 2007 for the last time and was sentenced to death, IRNA reported.

MEK in a statement Tuesday claimed Sarami’s wife and daughter as well as two other supporters were arrested while protesting outside Evin prison after his execution. It said Sarami, 63, has spent a total 24 years in prison from various incarcerations under the shah and clerical rule. Though arrested in 2007, his death sentence came after mass opposition protests that were held in December 2009, the group said.

The MEK said that before his arrest, Sarami visited a son who is staying at Camp Ashraf, an MEK base in neighboring Iraq. Iranian authorities have arrested other people in the past in part for visiting relatives in the camp. The London-based rights group Amnesty International reported in August that in addition to Sarami, six others in Iranian prisons are facing execution after being sentenced to death for MEK links.

The MEK is a bitter opponent of Iran’s ruling clerics. It was founded in the 1960s and opposed the rule of the U.S.-backed shah, but then after his fall in the 1979 Islamic Revolution, it carried out attacks against the cleric-led government that came to power. MEK and its affiliates were deemed foreign terrorist organizations by the U.S. State Department in 1997.

—-

Associated Press correspondent Lee Keath in Cairo contributed to this report.

Comments (35)

  • William113
    Posted on December 30, 2010 at 1:54pm

    GOOD, the rest of the world needs to start doing the same thing

    Report Post »  
  • Mikee T
    Posted on December 28, 2010 at 7:54pm

    And how do we counter ? Allowing people like Bernadine Dorn, Bill Ayers, Malik Zulu Shabazz…etc…etc…etc….spew garbage about our beloved country…….what do we do with terrorists that kill our innocents ?? Feed and cloth them for life…..offer them the advantage of a “civilian trial”…..what does our LEFTIST MORON LEADERS do ? ( Pelosi ?)….. Rail against our intelligence community (remember this ?) about how AWFUL and tortorous and barbaric water boarding is…..Give me a break man………Get the women and feint of heart OUT of the DEFENSE department areas….It’s time to stop the bull@hit………Cripes……we are dealing with guerilla trained fighters and killers and we are taking advice from eggheads and women that don’t know jack @hit about fighting….all in the name of what ? Equality ? When will we decide that national security is off limits to civil and socialist ideals……WHEN WHEN WHEN ???????

    Report Post »  
  • ChiefGeorge
    Posted on December 28, 2010 at 5:47pm

    Iran? I can only hope judgement day is soon.

    Report Post » ChiefGeorge  
  • RobHere
    Posted on December 28, 2010 at 5:24pm

    Well, Iran hangs them, and we releases them back to the countries of origins. (In most cases)

    Israel spy’s here too. Big time. And we still give them money, and treat them as a friend. I never could understand that.

    Report Post »  
  • missionarydad
    Posted on December 28, 2010 at 5:20pm

    God bless them if they were spying on that radical country they are heroes in my book, hopefully Israel has enough intelligence on Iran that they can start bombing those nuclear sites. It is just a matter of time and if we don’t do something about Iran Israel will.

    Report Post »  
  • Eblaze44
    Posted on December 28, 2010 at 2:55pm

    Ah yes! this is what should happen to traitors – we might need to cut down a forest or two here in the US to hang all of our traitors on.

    @Matthew – really? MOST countries of the world have their borders outlined by “foreigners” and often without regard to the borders that the inhabitants used – Just look at Africa. Other Nations, like the good ol’ US of A made their borders by conquering the natives or treaties with other nations – still with no regard for the inhabitants that were here at the time. There are lot’s of Israelis that are not Jews (in the religious sense of the word) only by ethnic forebears, and there are Arab Israelis also. and thank goodness it is YOUR OPINION, not facts.

    I am only amazed that Israel has not forcefully evacuated the Gaza Palestinians to another place and time. The United Nations created Israel and then left it to defend itself – that they didn’t ask the Palestinians – so what – Andrew Jackson didn’t ask the Indians either.

    Report Post » Eblaze44  
  • rbqueen
    Posted on December 28, 2010 at 1:18pm

    How about we start spreading the word around Iran that Ahmadinejad is a secret Mossad agent or even just working with Israel and see if they would hang him from the first tree that they could find. Do you think we could be that lucky?

    Report Post »  
  • soldierofthecross
    Posted on December 28, 2010 at 12:05pm

    This goes back to Ishmel and Issac this war that they are fighting is more than just tanks, missile and guns. Its not even about a palestinian state. Like it or not Israel is the chosen of God and they have the seal of God upon them. If not why are so many people against such a small nation.
    These other countries are trying to take something by force thats not theirs.

    Report Post »  
    • rbqueen
      Posted on December 28, 2010 at 1:23pm

      You are totally right about that soldierofthecross! Especially since the palestinians were given their own land which was actually bigger than Israel – it was called trans-jordan which the king of jordan stole right away and wouldn’t let the palestinians move there. Not that the palestinians wanted to move there, they only want to exterminate the Jewish people and steal all their land. (Kind of like what the liberal progressive commies want to do to all of conservatives/tea party members, like burnteye86 said)

      Report Post »  
    • Matthew
      Posted on December 28, 2010 at 1:23pm

      soldierofthecross: If not why are so many people against such a small nation?

      Very simple. Israel is not a democracy except for its Jewish citizens. It practices apartheid, occupies and settles lands outside its original borders, and is a nation carved out of the region by outsiders. Further, in my opinion, Israel is not a U.S. ally and has killed and injured more Americans than have the Palestinians it oppresses. Anyone with half a brain can understand why so many people oppose Israel. It is sad and pathetic that the U.S. offers it knee-jerk support whether for misguided religious reasons (note that Christians are oppressed in Israel as well as Muslims), or for Holocaust guilt. Nothing justifies supporting present-day Israel.

      Report Post » Matthew  
    • nottrollingguys
      Posted on December 29, 2010 at 5:27pm

      I think Israel could take most foreign nations in a 1v1. You all saw what happened to Egypt. I wouldn’t care to go up against an army of people like Jonathan Netanyahu.

      Report Post » nottrollingguys  
  • burnteye86
    Posted on December 28, 2010 at 11:38am

    (Separately, another Iranian was hanged Tuesday for membership in an exile opposition movement, IRNA reported.) You hear that TEA party? This is what will happen to us if we dont win. (and what will happen to them if we do). This ain’t no game. You better be all in.

    Report Post » burnteye86  
  • Matthew
    Posted on December 28, 2010 at 10:28am

    Good for them. Can we now do this with Jonathan Pollard? If there is a spy deserving of execution, it is Jonathan Pollard.

    Report Post » Matthew  
    • Fina Biscotti
      Posted on December 29, 2010 at 8:01pm

      Excuse me…..I do not know about Jonathan Pollard. Can someone explain what he did?

      Report Post »  
  • chuck_wagon
    Posted on December 28, 2010 at 9:30am

    I sincerely hope Isreal removes Iran from the map, that being said I also feel Iran had the right to hang one of their citizens for spying for the enemy. If we did that in this country we would be a much safer place.

    Report Post »  
    • ozchambers
      Posted on December 28, 2010 at 4:50pm

      Perhaps one day we will be convicted of participating in subversive anti-government organizations like Tea Party affiliation or being registered commentators of “The Blaze” or Glenn Beck “Insider Extremists”

      Report Post » ozchambers  
  • natstew
    Posted on December 28, 2010 at 9:11am

    The biggest threat to the U.S. is vacationing in Hawaii right now, or is he fixing his Birth Certificate?

    Report Post »  
  • catndahat
    Posted on December 28, 2010 at 9:03am

    Yes, why doesn’t Mr. Assange find time to release classified intel on Iran, N. Korea, ComChi et al?

    This country needs to get a REAL president, REAL Congress, REAL judiciary-we are a nation of WIMPS!

    Report Post » catndahat  
  • Marcobob69
    Posted on December 28, 2010 at 8:50am

    Traitors and spies should be executed. If you can’t do the time(or punishment), don’t do the crime!!! If Bradley Manning is found guilty of treason, he should suffer the same fate. Same with Julian Assange!

    Report Post »  
    • MR_ANDERSON
      Posted on December 28, 2010 at 11:13am

      I don’t agree with what Assange has done, but he isn’t guilty of treason or spying, or probably much of anything as far as the whole wikileaks stuff is concerned.

      However, Bradley Manning or who ever provided the information should be executed once found guilty. Let’s stick to the laws we have, rather then try and do stuff that isn’t covered by them.

      We are a nation of Laws…I still believe that, and hope that many others do too.

      Report Post »  
  • Gonzo
    Posted on December 28, 2010 at 8:09am

    Meanwhile, back in America, the left continues to elevate Bradley Manning to hero status!

    Report Post » Gonzo  
    • Paleo Archer
      Posted on December 28, 2010 at 8:16am

      Too many lawyer’s over here…

      Report Post » Paleo Archer  
    • Cobra Blue
      Posted on December 28, 2010 at 8:36am

      Far be it for me to say anything good about Iran, but they do have something built into their judicial process we could use in America…….DETERRENTS

      Report Post »  
    • kryptonite
      Posted on December 28, 2010 at 8:49am

      @Cobra Blue
      That depends which side you’re on. It sucks to be those two dumb hikers who crossed the border from Iraq. Just wait till the tyrant in our WH starts applying his deterrents.

      Report Post »  
    • Cemoto78
      Posted on December 28, 2010 at 8:50am

      And the UN is silent on Iran, but continues to bash America for the traitor Manning. What gives?

      Report Post » Cemoto78  
    • guyperram
      Posted on December 28, 2010 at 9:43am

      They see the world through Marxist glasses. Isn’t it just wonderful that the idiots are running the country?

      Report Post »  
    • cubber
      Posted on December 28, 2010 at 9:58am

      @ paleo archer – I think you are on to something. Haven’t we been searching for new exports. How about lawyers and leftists. BE PREPARED.

      Report Post » cubber  
    • walkwithme1966
      Posted on December 28, 2010 at 10:02am

      Wait – who says that the left is “elevate Bradley Manning to hero status!” Where are you getting that from – nobody on the left is elevating Manning to hero status – at least I haven’t heard anyone from the left say that. Manning is a traitor – he is in jail – but is seems to me that people on this very website were praising him and wikileads for releasing information that made the administration look bad! Are you flip-flopping on your principals here at the Blaze? http://maboulette.wordpress.com

      Report Post » walkwithme1966  
    • snowleopard3200 {cat folk art}
      Posted on December 28, 2010 at 10:09am

      I imagine when the administration starts the final crackdown on America it will come to an interesting choice for them, in which will be cheaper to execute their own citizens…the bullet to the head, or to just hang us one by one.

      Report Post » Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}  
    • MR_ANDERSON
      Posted on December 28, 2010 at 11:08am

      “Iran‘s judiciary announced that a spy for Israel would be executed soon after an appeals court confirmed the man’s death sentence. It said the trial was held in the presence of his lawyer.”

      Notice how the appeals court confirms the sentence, not the evidence of whether the case deserves another look. Also notice that apparently he did get to have his lawyer present at the trial.

      Yea, Iran is the model for great justice. (rolls eyes)

      As far as Bradley Manning, if guilty he deserves to be executed for treason, as does anyone who commits treason. People don‘t fear repercussions if there isn’t ever any.

      Stop doing what you are doing…

      I’m going to count to 3…

      I mean it…

      Ok, 1…

      2…

      2 & 1/2…

      2 & 3/4…

      You’re going to be sorry…

      2 & 9/10…

      You don’t want me to do this…

      Tttttthhhhhhhhhhrrrrrrr…

      Good

      Report Post »  
    • Polwatcher
      Posted on December 28, 2010 at 12:41pm

      Iran may have the right to protect itself from foreign espionage but I question if this was a show trial. Either way, I am hoping the worst for Iran. I’m on the side of the espionage. This is war. Israel has every reason to try to do anything it wants to destroy or hurt Iran. Iran is Jimmy Carter’s wet dream come true which is our nightmare now unfolding. Jimmy Carter was our own past nightmare and he has reincarnated his nightmare by creating the Islamic Mullah regime that runs Irans dictatorship.

      Report Post »  
    • tower7femacamp
      Posted on December 28, 2010 at 2:45pm

      Damn, when I saw this I thought they hung Rahm Emanuel
      http://www.redicecreations.com/article.php?id=5243

      Report Post » tower7femacamp  
    • avenger
      Posted on December 28, 2010 at 4:47pm

      so what else is new in iran…..

      Report Post »  
    • Joey8
      Posted on December 28, 2010 at 5:34pm

      @walkwithme
      looks like you missed the article on the berkley idiots. http://www.theblaze.com/stories/major-calif-city-may-designate-wikileaks-private-a-hero/

      Report Post »  
    • pamela kay
      Posted on December 29, 2010 at 1:08am

      GONZO, you read my mind.

      Report Post » pamela kay  

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