"A case that highlighted Azerbaijan's concern over the influence of neighboring Iran."
An update on this story, from the Associated Press:
BAKU, Azerbaijan - Azerbaijan's security agency said Saturday that the 15 people convicted this week of treason and sedition had passed information on US, British and Israeli activities in the ex-Soviet republic to Iranian intelligence.
The Court for Grave Crimes on Monday sentenced members of the "Said Group" to lengthy prison sentences in a case that highlighted Azerbaijan's concern over the influence of neighboring Iran.
In a statement released Saturday, the National Security Ministry revealed new details about the group, which allegedly passed to Iranian agents details on Western embassies, companies, pipeline operations and employees operating in Azerbaijan in 2005-2006.
Two members of the group met repeatedly with Iranian agents in Tehran and other cities where they received training, equipment, maps and instructions, more than $10,000 in funding, the ministry said.
The 15 were arrested in January on suspicion of crimes including plotting to forcefully seize power, treason, organizing a criminal group, possession of weapons and drugs, and counterfeiting.
Said Dadashbeyli, the alleged leader who worked at a US-Azerbaijani drilling company, sought Iranian support for a plot to seize power in Azerbaijan and establish Islamic law in the oil-rich country. He was sentenced to 14 years in prison, along with two other group members, while the rest received sentences ranging from two years to 13, the court said.
Dadashbeyli's lawyer said the charges were unfounded.
Oil-rich, predominantly Muslim Azerbaijan has increasingly been caught in a tug-of-war for influence between the secular, democratic West and its large southern neighbor.
Rumblings of Shiite political Islam have been particularly noticeable in the more conservative regions that border Iran, and the secular government has displayed concern over Iranian influence and Islamic extremism.
Hail the fundamental islamaniacs, plotting the new world of world subjugation.
It's the new jihad, same as the old jihad.
Strange that our new allies are jihad light. Well, we allied with Josef 'kill paranoid' Stalin in WWII, so we aint without precedent.
But it doesn't mean we have to be stupid and not know and welcome islam.
Very nice to see that Azerbaijan is run by sane people. I bet it's a target of leftwing activists on campus for alleged "human rights" violations. That was the case when the Shah of Iran was in power, and then Carter/Brzezinski helped depose him, helping scuttle what rights there were.
(meaning by that, that we do not welcome islam unreformed in the West.
Give that country a prize. What about a swathe of Azeri-populated northern Iran?
Iranian influence and Islamic extremism.
Is there really any difference?
Why is it that every tin pot islamic country, has oil reserves? If there is a God of the Christians or the Jews, surely he would have give the fruits of this earth to his chosen people. Why didn't he shout into the ear of mosses after the crossed the Red Sea, when you get too Gaza turn right not left, then you get the oil and the Arabs get the oranges
Holger Dansker, He has given the US tons, barrels perhaps, of oil; unfortunately we have a bunch of lefty loons who don't want us drilling for it. The North Sea, US offshore and oil shale, Canada oil sands, and the recent big find off Brazil...as big as Saudi Arabia's reserves.
What we need is political leadership in getting the stuff out of the ground and some more refineries.
Hugh
That would be a great prize - if they got the historical city of Tabriz, it would overnight replace Baku as their capital.
Surely this must be a misunderstanding. The peaceful and misunderstood Iranians couldn't possibly be spying on anyone, least of all the Americans. The Iranians are just trying to peacefully coexist, right? RIGHT!!!!!!