From rxpgnews.com
Iranian diplomat claims CIA agents in Iraq tortured him
By Xinhua,
Apr 7, 2007 - 10:04:42 PM
Tehran, April 7 - The Iranian diplomat released this week after being abducted in Iraq said that he had been tortured by CIA agents, the official IRNA news agency reported Saturday.
Jalal Sharafi 'explained how he was kidnapped and tortured by American troops and agents of an Iraqi organization acting under the supervision of the US Central Intelligence Agency -,' IRNA said.
Signs of torture were evident on Sharafi's body and he 'is now undergoing medical treatment,' IRNA said.
Iranian officials have said that Sharafi was abducted Feb 4 by about 30 gunmen wearing Iraqi army uniforms in more than 10 military vehicles, in front of the Baghdad branch of Iran's state-owned Bank Melli without any escort.
'While shopping at a store in one of Baghdad streets, I was kidnapped by several agents who were holding identity cards of Iraq's Ministry of Defence,' Sharafi was quoted by IRNA as saying.
'Then the kidnappers took me to a base near Baghdad Airport and I was investigated by a few interrogators. Some of them were speaking in Arabic and others in English,' he said.
The questions of CIA agents mainly concerned Iran's presence in and influence on Iraq, the Iranian diplomat said, adding that they kept on asking about the extent of Iran's assistance to Nouri al-Maleki's government and Iraqi groups.
'Upon hearing my response about Iran's official relations with the Iraqi government and officials, they continued torturing me,' Sharafi said.
All rights reserved by RxPG Medical Solutions Private Limited ( www.rxpgnews.com )