Iranian spy chief ‘had contacts all over Europe’
AN IRANIAN spy chief accused of masterminding a bomb plot in Paris was found with a dossier detailing the full extent of his European network, it has been revealed.
The notebook found in Assadollah Assadi’s car when he was arrested in Germany meticulously details 289 places across 11 countries where he is believed to have made contact with agents of the regime.
Assadi – who faces being jailed for up to 20 years on Thursday – was serving as a diplomat invienna when he is accused of transporting 500g of “Mother of Satan” TATP explosives from Tehran for a planned terror attack on a “Free Iran” political rally in June, 2018.
The conference, held by pro-democracy group National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) at Paris’ Villepinte stadium, was packed with thousands of supporters and their families, as well as dignitaries such as Trump’s lawyer Rudy Giuliani, former Canadian PM Stephen Harper and 38 UK MPS, including former Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Theresa Villiers.
In truth, Assadi was Europe bureau chief for the Iranian Ministry of Intelligence and Security (MOIS).
He was so senior that while on remand in Antwerp, he was visited by Gholamreza Lotfi, senior liaison between the MOIS and Iran’s foreign ministry. It is claimed the plot saw 46-year-old Assadi pretend to go on holiday with his family, and meet accomplices at a Pizza Hut in
Luxembourg two days before the planned attack. He was to hand them the bomb, codenamed “Playstation 4”, which they were tasked with delivering to a third accomplice at the conference posing as an NCRI supporter.
Assadi’s green notebook shows his network extends beyond Belgium and Luxembourg.
Though supposedly based at Iran’s Viennese embassy, only 38 of the 289 listed locations were in Austria.
Germany featured most heavily, with 114 locations, followed by 42 in France. Other countries included Hungary, Italy, Czech Republic, Netherlands, Sweden and Switzerland. Most (86) were beauty spots, 53 were stores, 45 were restaurants and 23 were hotels. Farzin Hashemi, of the NCRI, said: “The regime’s espionage network in Europe, which it uses for terror plots like the one in Paris, should be exposed and destroyed. The EU should demand that Tehran offers reliable guarantees that it will never commit a similar plot, or face the severing of diplomatic relations.”
Assadi was arrested in Germany as he tried to cross the border back into Austria. His defence is based on his assertion he should be given diplomatic immunity, which was rejected.
A judge will deliver the verdict and sentencing in Belgium this week following a trial late last year.