Top Iranian General -- Goldmine of Intelligence -- Either Kidnapped or Defected In Turkey

Sweet:

The mysterious disappearance of an Iranian general in Turkey in early February has led to speculation he either was kidnapped or defected.

Iran has reportedly asked Interpol to investigate the general's disappearance.

I hope they get right on that. I hope we echo the National Security Advisor in Hunt for Red October and offer Iran all possible technical assistance in finding its missing general.

One respected analyst with sources in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard says Gen. Ali Reza Asgari has defected and is now in a European country with his entire family, where he is cooperating with the U.S.

Other reports have suggested that the general may have been kidnapped by the Israeli secret service, the Mossad. A spokesperson at the CIA declined to comment on the reported defection.

It's all good, yo.

"This is a fatal blow to Iranian intelligence," said the source, explaining that Asgari knows sensitive information about Iran's nuclear and military projects.

I'm not sure how this part works -- but it's interesting if true.

...

The source... believes Asgari's disappearance was prompted by the detention of five Iranians after the raid on their government's liaison office in Irbil, Iraq in January. Asgari, 63, knew and may have worked with some of the detained men, said the analyst.

Is the suggestion Asgari provided the US information about the Iranian agents, then figured he'd better defect because suspicions would fall on him?

Great stuff.

Thanks to JackStraw.

posted by Ace at 08:37 PM

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