HCHR- The Fifth court hearing for Habib Farajollah Chaab, the ringleader of Harakat- al-Nezal terrorist grouplet, was held in the presence of the his lawyers and a number of families who had lost their loved ones in the terrorist attack carried out by this grouplet.
The highlights of the hearing is available here.
The Islamic Republic of Iran is among few nations to have been a major victim of terrorism despite taking various counter-terrorism measures. Over recent decades, more than 17,000 innocent civilians have lost their lives in terrorist operations carried out by a variety of terrorist groups including but not limited to the Mujahideen-e Khalq Organisation (hereinafter referred to as MKO), the Kurdistan Free Life Party (hereinafter referred to as PJAK), Komala, and the Arab Struggle Movement for the Liberation of Ahwaz (hereinafter referred to as ASMLA). The ringleader of one of these terrorist groups has recently been arrested and brought to justice. The fifth court hearing for Habib Farajollah Cha’ab, nicknamed Habib Asyud, the ringleader of ASMLA terrorist grouplet, was held on 27 February 2022.
According to the prosecuting attorney, the defendant has formed, managed and led the ASMLA terrorist grouplet. He has also planned and carried out terrorist operations in Khuzestan, and destroyed public property. Attracting, organizing and training separatists to join the ASMLA terrorist grouplet, promoting Takfiri ideology in Khuzestan, and cooperating with the PJAK terrorist grouplet and Jaish al-Adl terrorists are among charges brought against Habib Asyud in the fifth court hearing. The fifth part of the bill of indictment was presented to court by the prosecuting attorney, the highlights of which are listed hereunder:
The defendant has acknowledged to having kidnapped a Chinese technician working for the National Iranian Oil Company. The defendant has also acknowledged that it was decided that all terrorist and separatist groups would unite against Iran and organize their activities under a special organization, and under the leadership of the Saudi intelligence service.
The Saudi intelligence service and members of the ASMLA terrorist grouplet have set up a satellite network in order to organize separatist activities in Iran. The satellite network broadcasts various videos and images 24/7 to promote violence.
The defendant has also acknowledged that in addition to killing innocent people in various terrorist attacks, he was responsible for recruiting human resources for the terrorist grouplet. The aforesaid has taken responsibility for all the terrorist attacks, stressing that it is impossible to list all the crimes he has committed due to their multiplicity.
The defendant has acknowledged to money laundering through nine of his companies located in Denmark, Canada, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Australia, Tunisia and Sweden. According to the defendant’s acknowledgement, the abovenamed took various measures to form a takfiri sect in Khuzestan, and members of the ASMLA terrorist grouplet have been hell-bent on luring local people into joining the takfiri sect since 1997. The defendant has admitted that in order to recruit new members, he had been in contact with separatist refugees abroad, saying that it had taken six months to a year to train the terrorists, adding that they had to go through thirteen stages to complete the training. The defendant explicitly acknowledged that promotion of Takfiri ideology was the result of a decision made by a Takfiri think tank in Saudi Arabia.
As per the defendant’s express acknowledgement, after the formation of the ASMLA terrorist grouplet, their think tank was run for a decade under the direction of Habib Nebgan, Habib Asyud and Ahmad Nisi. However, after the terrorist grouplet’s core was hit in 2006, they succeeded in rebuilding the organization after three years. After that, they contacted a member of the Saudi intelligence service; and since 2008, they have maintained their relationship with Saudi Arabia.
The defendant has acknowledged that the ASMLA terrorist grouplet sought to promote Takfiri ideology among the people of Khuzestan, stressing that the aforesaid terrorist grouplet was established by Takfiri leaders. With the leadership of Saudi Arabia and the UAE in the 90s, the promotion of Takfiri ideology in Khuzestan began. The ASMLA terrorist grouplet was born of the same Takfiri ideology.
The defendant has acknowledged to having procured weapons, ammunition and explosives through robbing banks, gold shops and wheat silos. Several RPGs, mortars, stun grenades and assault rifles were found in the terrorist grouplet’s warehouses and hideouts.
In collaboration with the PJAK terrorist grouplet and so-called Jaish al-Adl terrorists, the defendant has established the ASMLA terrorist grouplet with the aim of planning terrorist operations in Iran.