No Smoking Gun in U.S. Look at Iran Leader [View All]

No Smoking Gun in U.S. Look at Iran Leader


Friday August 12, 2005 11:46 PM

By ANNE GEARAN

AP Diplomatic Writer

WASHINGTON - An internal government review has turned up no conclusive evidence that Iran's new hardline president was closely involved in the 1979 takeover of the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, U.S. officials say, although former hostages have identified him as one of their captors.

A secret U.S. intelligence report circulated this week describes what U.S. investigators have been able to piece together about Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's activities as a student leader, government officials familiar with the document said.

``I don't think we've seen any smoking gun yet,'' one official said Friday. Like others, the official would discuss the findings only in general terms and on condition of anonymity because the full report is classified and the review is ongoing.

The initial review has turned up no evidence that Ahmadinejad was part of the core group of hostage-takers who held Americans for 444 days but indicates that he may have been in contact with them or moved in the same circles, one official said.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-5206736,00.html

My Comment: "May have been in contact with them or moved in the same circles." WTF? There is evidence leading us to believe that they bought fruit from the same vendor in the Tehran markets. Officials say. Gee, ya' think Dick Cheney is in Langley at this very moment doin' some big time brow beating?