Monday, December 19, 2011

Iran says it arrests suspected U.S. spy

OFF THE WIRE
 usatoday.com
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) – Iran's Intelligence Ministry said Saturday that its agents have arrested a person of Iranian origin on suspicion of spying for the United States.

The ministry said in a statement broadcast on state TV that Iran's secret services identified the suspect at Bagram Air Field in Afghanistan. Bagram is the main base for American and other international forces outside Kabul.
"The individual was put under the watch of Iran's intelligence and was being pursued after crossing into our country and arrested simultaneously as he began his espionage mission," the statement said.
It said the suspect, which it didn't identify by name, sought to infiltrate into Iran's secret services and funnel false information to deceive Iranian intelligence. The report alleged the attempted infiltration was part of a complicated intelligence battle the U.S. has launched against Iran.
The ministry claimed the suspect has already served in the U.S. Army's intelligence units and spent time at U.S. military bases in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The statement said the suspected agent sought to infiltrate Iran's secret services and funnel false information to deceive Iranian intelligence.
Iran periodically announces the capture or execution of alleged U.S. or Israeli spies, and often no further information is released.