Iranian Official Says All Involved In Deadly Bomb Attack Arrested
Iranian authorities announced on Saturday that all individuals with possible links to the recent twin bombings in Kerman, claimed by ISIS, have been detained.
Iranian authorities announced on Saturday that all individuals with possible links to the recent twin bombings in Kerman, claimed by ISIS, have been detained.
Mehdi Bakhshi, the prosecutor in Kerman, stated that "In recent months, 32 people related to the case have been arrested and are currently in the interrogation phase." He also claimed that many explosive devices were found in Kerman province prior to the deadly bombing.
Bakhsi's remarks raise questions as to why a terror group was able to pull off the January 3 attack, if security forces were so successful in arresting people before the incident.
The explosions on January 3 in a cemetery in Kerman, coincided with the fourth anniversary of the killing of the former IRGC commander Qasem Soleimani. The blasts were described as "two suicide explosions," resulting in conflicting casualty figures from Islamic Republic officials, ranging from 83-103.
The government faces criticism for failing to anticipate and prevent the attack, and officials scramble to offer all sorts of explanations.
The Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attacks on Thursday, stating that two individuals with explosive belts orchestrated the explosions. Bakhshi, in a special news interview, disclosed that one of the suicide bombers was from Tajikistan, while the identities of the other individuals are still under investigation.
Addressing the status of the detainees, Bakhshi specified that those arrested are currently "under interrogation and in preliminary stages." He further added that "two other suicide attackers" had planned to carry out operations during the funeral procession of the victims of the Kerman explosions, and their information was discovered "before the assignment of tasks in the ceremony."
