Iranian Diplomat: CIA Tortured Me

U.S. Official Describes Diplomat's Claims Of Torture During Two-Month Detention In Iraq As "Theatrics"

(AP)  An Iranian diplomat freed two months after being abducted in Iraq accused the CIA of torturing him during his detention, state television reported Saturday. The United States immediately denied any involvement in the Iranian's disappearance or release.

Jalal Sharafi, who was freed on Tuesday, said the CIA questioned him about Iran's relations with Iraq and assistance to various Iraqi groups, according to state television.

"Once they heard my response that Iran merely has official relations with the Iraqi government and officials, they intensified tortures and tortured me through different methods days and nights," he said.

Sharafi's comments came a day after 15 British sailors released by Iran said they had been subject to psychological pressure and coercion in captivity. The sailors were captured in the Persian Gulf on March 23 for allegedly entering Iranian waters and released Wednesday.

At the time of his disappearance, Iran alleged Sharafi had been abducted by an Iraqi military unit commanded by American forces — a charge repeated by several Iraqi Shiite lawmakers. U.S. authorities denied any role in his disappearance.

"The United States had nothing to do with Mr. Sharafi's detention and we welcome his return to Iran," said Gordon Johndroe, a White House spokesman who was with President Bush in Texas on Saturday.

"The Iranian propaganda machine has been in overdrive since they paraded the British sailors around on TV. This is just the latest theatrics of a government trying to deflect attention away from its own unacceptable actions," Johndroe added.

A U.S. intelligence official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue, said the CIA vehemently denies any role in the capture or release of Sharafi. The official dismissed any claims of torture, saying "the CIA does not conduct or condone torture."

In the report Saturday read by a newscaster, Sharafi, second secretary at the Iranian embassy in Baghdad, said he was kidnapped by agents of an Iraqi organization operating under CIA supervision and was badly tortured.

State television said signs of torture were still visible on Sharafi, who is being treated at an Iranian hospital. Images of Sharafi were not shown.

The television quoted Sharafi as saying he was approached by agents while shopping in Baghdad. The agents allegedly showed him Iraqi Defense Ministry identification papers and were driving U.S. coalition vehicles.

He said they took him to a base near Baghdad airport and interrogated him in both Arabic and English, questioning him mainly about Iran's influence in Iraq and assistance to Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's government and Iraqi groups. Sharafi did not provide additional details about his captors or their nationalities.

U.S. officials allege that Iran provides money and weapons to Iraqi Shiite militias.

After the initial interrogation, Sharafi said that his captors "softened their behavior and showed leniency to encourage" him to cooperate.

"I explained I was unable to do anything outside my legal responsibilities," Sharafi was quoted as saying. "Later, they released me under pressure from Iraqi government officials. They dropped me near the back of the airport."

Several of the British crew members said Friday that they had been blindfolded, bound, kept in solitary confinement and subjected to psychological pressure during their captivity. They said they were coerced into saying they had been in Iranian waters when they were detained, and one said he believed one of his colleagues had been executed on the second day of the ordeal.

Iran dismissed the crew members' news conference as propaganda — just as Britain had condemned the crew members' frequent appearances on Iranian TV during their captivity.

[famulla-2009]

radiob
This is nothing to do with the HUMANITY. The whole WMD was a fbricated lie. Darwin may have been right. We are apes? Is that what you say?

[famulla-2009]

Blair's reaction: 'We bear Iranian people no ill will'
This is good news. Now here we have other story. Iraq is falling to pieces and still some tell that the stories we do not want to believe. War, love and this politics is all a big farce these days. We are getting tired of these. Can we have more of tennis? Thank you

[grazinggoat]

t is sad some of these individuals that post here with hatred for mankind. What does their post achieved? Propaganda for the extreme right wing and extreme left wings of our political system, radical Muslims themselves,KKK members,and extremist Judeo Christians.The average Christian that opposes the war in Iraq where are there voices? The moderate voice may have fell silent in the Muslim world but the moderate voice in America has fell silent also.

Posted by radiob

-This is a thoughtful observation. This war is a heavy war oimposed on the whole class of moderate people in all countries and nations. Must be the same thing in the other side of the conflict. Any moderate speakers are shot out, because made shut-up...

[zootallures2]

The opener of 2008 season of 24: Jack is captured by bational bocialists and tourtured by being forced to eat a big mac and fries with a fork and a knife.

I miss Monty Python!

[zootallures2]

And don't miss the season finale of 24: When Jack Bauer recruits a tribe from the Amazon to destroy a row of bathroom fixtures and cuts off the supply lines smuggling in sanitizing handsoap.

[zootallures2]

This week on 24: Jack Bauer takes on terrorists from KitchenAid. He must decide whether to risk thousands of picornavirus in the rinse cycle to preserve the future of Hepatitis.

[zootallures2]

By way of commedy shalt we do war:

Jack Bauer!...LMAO!

HIGH FIVE!

[edphillybno]

It may be a lie that he was kidnapped by the CIA, but then again, it's not far fetched since our this administration has stooped so low. (The Abu prison, Gitmo, the secret prisons in Eastern Europe, detainees capture withheld to the Red Cross). I am in the military and am cosidering getting out. Why? because we are not doing what we swore in to do...defend our country. Sadaam was not a threat to the US. He was a threat to Israel. How is the world better off without him? I think looking at Iraq today can answer that question. I wish people would stop pttuing all muslims in one group. I am a muslim and have never thought of bombing anything. We have those muslims who twist the Qu'ran and recruiting the weak minded. The same as the guy did in Waco Texas. Bad as Sadaam was, who are we to rid his country of him. Alot of people don't like Bush, but we'd be damned if some other nation tries to remove him. I think this administration is all about themselves. They are making so much money off this war. I bet thier Gross Income has significantly increased since the start of the war. They are so against the Arab world but at the same time they were trying to have them control our borders. It was money in it for all of them. The presidnet is so quick to threaten with his veto vote. I wished someone would have veto'd his bid for war in Iraq.

[frankbowers]

how sad we have those who think this man LIED, the fact is gw bush HAS LIED for 6 years and they will not admit such.I think they all were students of the Crawford College of Crawford, Tx ande Dean gw bush and vice dean d.cheney and were taught just what to say and when.I served for 8 years and have 3 honorable discharges to show. gw bush has one for desertion and not one medal as they give nothing for desertering.I think if the ones who are following gw bush around and parroting his denials are very sick and need help a prayer will not help them.When I was there in the 50's and 60's we knew we would never do the things that gw and dic* have been doing and the ones who have never been in the military need to get a life and leave the pages alone. the best of good byes frank bowers in austin,tx

[frankbowers]

how sad we have those who think this man LIED, the fact is gw bush HAS LIED for 6 years and they will not admit such.I think they all were students of the Crawford College of Crawford, Tx ande Dean gw bush and vice dean d.cheney and were taught just what to say and when.I served for 8 years and have 3 honorable discharges to show. gw bush has one for desertion and not one medal as they give nothing for desertering.I think if the ones who are following gw bush around and parroting his denials are very sick and need help a prayer will not help them.When I was there in the 50's and 60's we knew we would never do the things that gw and dic* have been doing and the ones who have never been in the military need to get a life and leave the pages alone. the best of ggod byes frank bowers in austin,tx

[hayesc1-2009]

The fact that Iran has the ability to successfully use a story like this is more proof of our own reduced credibility. It doesn't matter that it is probably not true. This White House administration has ruined America's image around the world.

We need to be strong against terrorist and countries like Iran regardless of what they or anyone thinks of us. It would be a lot easier if we still had the respect of the rest of world while we fight Al Qaeda on their behalf.

[hypnotoad72]

Define 'torture'.

didntinhale - your comment makes no sense. If our troops come home, the muslims will "return to their natural state of beheading eachother"?! In your book, isn't that a win-win situation??

And where is the difference between a group of radicals who kill in the name of the religion, and their home country which by and large would denounce the activities of their radical lot?

[grumpas]

I don't have any difficulty in believing the story. I imagine he was. Bush has lowered US standards to the same as any terrorist nation on the planet! In fact, we don't have much room to complain about any other nations supporting terrorism! It's what all of you right wing fascist's wanted! So quit your whining because the news media is finally reporting the news as it is instead of being censured by der Fuhrer (Bush)!

[gkc99]

If the Iranian claims of torture get any credibility, Bonzo Bushit and the rest of the Bushshytes have only themselves to blame--the U.S. has 0(zero) stature to criticize, thanks to AG Gonzo, Dickless Cheney, and the rest of the torture defenders. Your president has blown our moral authority. Charges that might have once seemed laughable are now believed, because, well, they might be true. So don't come blubbering online about how mean and nasty the Iranians are. Thanks to the neocons, they look like a good match for the US government. Thanks, a$$holes!

[perception5]

Isn't it just like CBS (Corrupt Broadcasting Station) to take the word of a known enemy and publish it like it was a fact....... from an Iranian......... unbelievable.......
How much lower and how much less creditability can CBS, a liberal political organizatin really, go????? but propaganda works.....ask the Germans in the late 1930's........really sad

[zootallures2]

By way of commedy, thou shalt do war:

Al-Manar reported on the latest public speech by Hizbollah leader Hasan Nazrallah. In it he outlined the how Zionist forces and the Great Satan America caused the unsuccessful government take over from the Shia groups protests. He then spoke on the evils of western life styles and how the empires of satan will fall like tree with no roots. And finally finished off with how a tea of rose water, pine nuts, and artichokes is a good cure for constipation.

[zootallures2]

By way of commedy, thou shalt do war:

Does a Muslim ever think - If they were still virgins when they went to heaven, just imagine how ugly they must be.

The celebration in Gaza of the first flight of the Palestinian Airlines was short lived. Crash inspecters determined it was not a good idea for the 63 celebrating passengers to shoot AK47's at the roof of the craft.

Once again Irainian officials accused the Mossad of an illegal kidnapping with the short disappearance of President Ahmadinejad on a visit to Qatar. He was later found when he mistook a dollhouse for his hotel while touring a Toys R Us in Doha. He did however, determine that Barbie should wear a headscarf because it only takes Playschool Handyman Drill to make her fully functional.

[jeepmanjr]

"An Iranian diplomat freed two months after being abducted in Iraq". You know those ol' bad guy Americans, they'll kidnap you in the night. They'll parade you around on TV, lop your head off, you know, all around bad stuff. I'm not sure what's better these days, being an illegal alien or a terrorist!! Wake up America...and CBS!!!

[zootallures2]

Ladies and gentlemen, and now, new for April, from the Rove Neocon Buzz Word Corporation, fine makers of "Defeatist", "Islamofascist", "cut and run", "the Evil Doers" with IED technology, comes... drum roll please .... "Theatrics"!!!!

[antoniof123]

Some of you wingnuts are too stupid to breath the air in fact you are taking up valuable air that others could be breathing. Too bad you do not have to think when you breath because you would be dead.

One person was right 6 years ago no one would have paid any attention to this now is is in the relm that can be believed. What a shame this country has come to this.

We must all reliaze that terror will continue becasue it breeds in hate. When we stop fearing them then we can move forward. The group that believes in killing and keeping this war going will not be appeased until they are removed from power.

Enough said!!