30 Iranians of Ultra-Orthodox Group Sentenced to Death, or Prison TermsIran's Revolutionary Court sentenced some 30 members of an ultra-orthodox group to death, or prison terms on charges of armed action against national security and assassination attempts on several officials.The official IRNA news agency reported Sunday that the sentence was issued following 20 hearing sessions held behind closed doors at bench 20 of the court. But the report did not say how many people were sentenced to death. The ultra-orthodox Mahdaviat group was implicated in the 1999 assassination attempt on the life of the former head of the Tehran Justice Department Ali Razini. The abortive assassination left Razini paralyzed after the group attached a powerful explosive on his car on a downtown Tehran street. One passer-by was killed in the explosion. The group is said to believe in the elimination of those who it believes are impediments to the reappearance of Imam Mahdi, the 12th Imam of the household of Prophet Mohammad. The group has nearly 35 members and all arrested. The members are also charged with arms theft from Iranian military barracks. |
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