From: mtaghavi@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Amir Taghavi)
Subject: Iranian rebels say Tehran began planning air strike weeks ago
Organization: The Ohio State University
Date: Wed, 8 Apr 1992 18:06:28 GMT


	ATHENS, Greece (UPI) -- A Baghdad-based Iranian rebel group whose
training camp inside Iraq was attacked by Iranian warplanes three days
ago, said Wednesday that Tehran began planning the raid weeks before it
was launched, and postponed it at least once.
	The Mojahedin Khalq Organization, referring to the Iranian air attack
Sunday on its base near Khalis, north of Baghdad, said it received its
information from inside Iran, and the confessions of two pilots captured
after their plane was shot down.
	In a statement faxed to Athens, the Mojahedin Khalq, or People's Holy
Warrior group, said the Iranian government ``deliberated and decided on
the operation ... some time ago,'' but the final decision ``was made at
a top secret meeting on March 15.''
	Sunday, Iraq's official news agency reported that eight Iranian
warplanes crossed the border into Iraq to bomb the Mojahedin Khalq
training base near Khalis. It said one plane was shot down and its crew
captured.
	Western analysts said the Iranian air raid has increased tension in
the Persian Gulf region. Iraq announced Monday that it was resuming air
patrols along the Iranian border to forestall further raids.
	Tuesday, Tehran warned that clashes between Iran and Iraq could break
out, if Baghdad continued to support the Mojahedin.
	Iran, Iraq and the Mojahedin Khalq lodged separate complaints with
the United Nations, each demanding condemnation of the other side.
	The Mojahedin, whose NLAI fighters made several attacks inside Iran
during the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq war, said Sunday that their guerrillas were
preparing for a ``last and final assault'' on Iran in a bid to topple
the ruling clerics.
	In its statement Wednesday, the Mojahedin Khalq group said Iran
prepared 12 F-4 Phantoms for the attack inside Iraq, but ``three
fighters had mechanical difficulties and were obliged to return to the
Nojeh base,'' near Hamedan.
	The Iranian rebels, who have an armed wing called the National
Liberation Army of Iran with several training bases in Iraq, said the
raid was originally scheduled for March 21, the Iranian New Year, with
22 planes taking part.
	However, the March 21 operation was canceled, because Iran's ruling
clerics were informed that the plan had leaked, and that the rebels had
canceled a scheduled gathering at the base to mark Now Ruz, with
Mojahedin Khalq leader Massoud Rajavi attending.
	New plans were drawn up, and ``the final decision to launch the
operation was made on April 4,'' the statement said. To prevent a second
leak ``all telephone communications and access to or from Nojeh Air Base
was prohibited,'' it said.
	To justify the attack, the official Iranian news agency ``falsely
reported that a group of Mojahedin had attacked two unidentified
villages in Western Iran,'' the rebel group said.
	After the raid, the Iranian warplanes ``landed at Saqqez Air Base
upon their return to Iran,'' it said.
	Gen. Sirous Bahari, the Iranian air force deputy commander for
operations, took part in the raid, the statement said. Col. Qassem
Amini, a top commander at Nojeh, was captured with his navigator when
his F-4 was shot down during the raid.


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