2008 Shiraz explosion
| 2008 Shiraz Explosion | |
|---|---|
| Location | Shiraz, Iran |
| Date | April 12, 2008 21:15pm (UTC+3.30) |
| Deaths | 14 |
| Injured | 202 |
| Perpetrators | Anjoman-e Padeshahi-e Iran |
The 2008 Shiraz bombing was an April 12, 2008 explosion that occurred during prayers at the Hosseynieh Seyed al-Shohada Mosque in the southern Iranian city of Shiraz. Fourteen people were killed and 202 were injured.[1] Around 800 people, which were mostly youth, were gathered at the Mosque to hear sermons which usually include sermons attacking the Wahabi denomination of Sunni Islam and the Bahá'í Faith.[2]
The deputy governor of the province, Mohammad Reza Hadaegh, told IRIB an investigation was under way.[3] Iranian officials first stated that the blast was not a terrorist attack, but caused by leftover munitions that were on display in the mosque as part of an exhibition commemorating Iran's 1980-1988 war against Iraq.[4] However, in May, Interior Minister Mostafa Pour-Mohammadi said the blast was an act of terrorism and 12 terrorists had been arrested before they attacked the Russian Consulate and religious centers in Qom.[5] Intelligence Minister Gholam Hossein Mohseni-Ejehei accused United States and Britain of involvement in the bombing and attempted to press charges against the two countries.[6] [7] [8]
An Iranian monarchist group calling itself the Soldiers of the Kingdom Assembly of Iran, (Anjoman-e Padeshahi-e Iran), claimed responsibility for the bombing.[9][10]
In November 2008, Iran sentenced three men to death after they were convicted of the bombing.[11] One of these men, Mehdi Eslamian, was hanged with four others on May 9, 2010. His brother had previously been hanged for the bombing.[12]
[edit] Victims
| Name | Age |
|---|---|
| Ali Nowrouzi | 19 |
| Gholam Moussavi | 45 |
| Erfan Entezami | 6 |
| Najmeh Ghassempour | 20 |
| Mohammad Javad Yaghout | 30 |
| Alireza Entezami | 11 |
| Massoud Rezaei | 25 |
| Mohammad Mahdavi | 21 |
| Mohammad Jokar | 25 |
| Ali Nasiri | 38 |
| Mohammad Javad Alavi | ? |
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Nasseri, Ladane (2008-04-13). "Iran Mosque Explosion Kills 14, Injures 202 in City of Shiraz". Bloomberg. http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601080&sid=aP2AS3o2xVVI&refer=asia. Retrieved 2008-04-19.
- ^ Bozorgmehr, Shirzad (2008-04-14). "Report: Deadly blast in Iran caused by munitions". CNN. Archived from the original on 20 April 2008. http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/04/12/iran.explosion/index.html. Retrieved 2008-04-19.
- ^ Hosseinian, Zahra; Jaseb, Hossein (2008-04-12). "Bomb blast in south Iran mosque kills 9, wounds 105". Reuters. Archived from the original on 13 April 2008. http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSHAF273280. Retrieved 2008-04-19.
- ^ Fars News Agency (2008-04-16). "Shiraz Blast not a Bomb Attack". Fars News Agency. http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=8701280686. Retrieved 2008-04-12.
- ^ "Shiraz mosque blast was act of sabotage: Minister". IRNA. 2008-05-08. Archived from the original on 9 May 2008. http://www2.irna.com/en/news/view/line-24/0805081636010259.htm. Retrieved 2008-05-26.
- ^ Erdbrink, Thomas (2008-05-09). "Iran Accuses U.S., Britain In Fatal Blast". Washingtonpost. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/08/AR2008050803318.html. Retrieved 2008-05-26.
- ^ "Detainees Confess!". 2008-05-26. Archived from the original on 2008-05-28. http://web.archive.org/web/20080528222846/http://www.roozonline.com/english/archives/2008/05/detainees_confess.html. Retrieved 2008-05-26.
- ^ "Terrorist attack at Russian Consulate in Iran foiled". RussiaToday. 2008-05-14. http://www.russiatoday.ru/news/news/24751. Retrieved 2008-05-26.[dead link]
- ^ http://www.jamestown.org/terrorism/news/article.php?articleid=2374183
- ^ strange-tale-of-shiraz-explosion
- ^ "Iran sentences mosque bombers to death". GEO TV. 2008-11-29. http://www.geo.tv/11-29-2008/29779.htm. Retrieved 2008-12-04.
- ^ Iran executes five political prisoners
- ^ "اسامي کشتهشدگان حادثه انفجار در شيراز". www.farsnews.com. http://www.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=8701250534. Retrieved 2008-04-13.
- ^ "Son enterradas las víctimas de la explosión de la mezquita Seyyed Al Shohada de Shiraz". IRNA. http://www2.irna.ir/es/news/view/line-87/0804160384140037.htm. Retrieved 2008-04-20.
