What did the perpetrator of the Shiraz terrorist attack reveal?

By Al Mayadeen Engish
Source: Agencies + Al Mayadeen Net
3 Nov 2022 16:03

The second terrorist arrested for being involved in the Shiraz shrine attack confesses on Iranian television.

Muhammad Ramid Rashidi

Muhammad Ramid Rashidi, the second terrorist indicted in the attack on the shrine of Sayyid Ahmed bin Musa Al-Kadhim, also known as Shah Cherag, in Shiraz, confessed about how he joined ISIS, communicated with its members and planned the terrorist act that targeted visitors to this shrine.

Rashidi was arrested a few days ago, along with six other people, who provided him with information and assisted him on various levels.

The attack occurred on October 26 and killed 15 people, including women and children, and wounded 30 others.

Search and investigation operations began in the aftermath of the attack. As a result, the hiding place of Rashidi, who had entered Iranian territory some time ago, was determined.

Rashidi said in his confessions, which were broadcast on Iranian television on Wednesday evening, that he "entered Iran a few months ago," noting that "his uncle is the person who introduced him to ISIS," given his "relationship with a person named Abdullah from ISIS."

He added, "Abdullah used to say that the best time to carry out operations in Iran was when the riots occurred, and Shiraz was identified as the site of the operation."

At the time, Rashidi said, Abdullah told him to "Go to this city because they have decided to carry out an operation in it, and they will send you weapons for this purpose."

Rashidi admitted that he then contacted the terrorist leading this operation and met him in Shiraz. The two, according to Rashidi, then went around the shrine where he guided the lead perpetrator to the entrance of the shrine and showed him the entraces and exits.

He then continued, "Abdullah asked him to inform him of the confirmation of the operation after it was successfully completed. Accordingly, he prepared a videotape, and sent it to ISIS.

"After carrying out the operation, I deleted the contents of my Telegram, broke the sim card, turned off the phone, bought a ticket to Tehran, and left."

Based on the assessment of the security services, the planning of the terrorist operations was set to extend beyond the Shah Cheragh shrine. The terrorist plot initially required them to carry out terrorist operations and bombings in several other regions of the country.

Furthermore, two days after the attack on Shah Cheragh, the Iranian Revolution Guard Corps thwarted an attempted bombing in the southern city of Shiraz.

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi had said that the riots in the country "paved the ground for terrorist attacks," while Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian affirmed that "Tehran will not allow Iran's national security and interests to become a plaything for terrorists."

A few days ago, rallies took place in Tehran and other Iranian cities, condemning the terrorist attack in the city of Shiraz, for which ISIS claimed responsibility.