An Ashura mourning procession in Iran, in 2011. (Wikimedia Commons)
Islamic State terror cell reportedly plotted attacks during Monday’s Ashura holiday.
By David Hellerman, World Israel News
Iran announced the arrest of 10 Islamic State men it claimed were sent by Israel to disrupt an upcoming holiday.
Iranian intelligence officials said the 10 were plotting attacks during the holiday of Ashura on Monday. Shi’ite Muslims fast and mourn the death of Imam Hussein, a grandson of Mohammed.
The 10 were said to have traveled from Turkey to Iran via Iraq “to carry out several terror operations among the mourners.” Two Iranian security officers were said to have been injured in a shootout during the arrest.
Iran also accused Israel of sending the ISIS terrorists, asserting the men were sent following “last week’s big failure in the explosion of a sensitive center” that it blamed on “separatist terrorists.” That was a reference to a Kurdish terror cell arrested in July for plotting to sabotage a nuclear facility in Isfahan.
“The Zionist criminal regime… this time around, tried to carry out its terrorist operations through takfiri [non-believer] IS teams,” the statement added.
Over the past several years, Iran has blamed Israel for a number of mysterious explosions and cyberattacks on nuclear and missile production facilities.
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Approximately 250 IDF soldiers are currently participating in the program.