This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/middle_east/8074978.stm
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Iran executes trio for mosque bombing | Iran executes trio for mosque bombing |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Three men convicted of bombing an Iranian mosque two days ago have been publicly executed, state media says. | Three men convicted of bombing an Iranian mosque two days ago have been publicly executed, state media says. |
| The bombing killed at least 19 people during evening prayers in the south-east city of Zahedan on Thursday. | The bombing killed at least 19 people during evening prayers in the south-east city of Zahedan on Thursday. |
| The three men, who were hanged on Saturday morning near the mosque, were already in custody before the attack. | |
| One Iranian official had earlier accused the US of hiring mercenaries to carry out the bombing - a claim dismissed by Washington. | One Iranian official had earlier accused the US of hiring mercenaries to carry out the bombing - a claim dismissed by Washington. |
| The men were arrested before Thursday's bombing in connection with other attacks, including a 2007 attack on Iran's Revolutionary Guard in which 11 people died. | |
| Authorities said they were tried and had legal representation. | |
| A spokesman for the Sistan-Baluchestan province's judiciary said the three people "confessed to illegally bringing explosives into Iran and giving them to the main person behind the bombing." | A spokesman for the Sistan-Baluchestan province's judiciary said the three people "confessed to illegally bringing explosives into Iran and giving them to the main person behind the bombing." |
| Spokesman Hojatoeslam Ebrahim Hamidi added: "They were convicted of being 'mohareb' (enemies of God) and 'corrupt on the earth' and acting against national security," Irna reported. | |
| Part of a Shia mosque, Amir al-Mohini, was destroyed in Zahedan, a mainly Sunni Muslim city. | |
| A Sunni militant group had claimed responsibility, with Abdel Raouf Rigi, described as a spokesman for the Jundallah group, telling Saudi-owned TV channel Al-Arabiya that a suicide bomber had targeted a secret meeting of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards inside the mosque. | |
| When an Iranian official accused the US of being behind the bombing, a US state department spokesman denied any involvement. | |
| The bombing, described by the Iranian media as a suicide attack, came at a time of heightened tension ahead of upcoming presidential elections . | |
| A day after the bombing, the president's Zahedan campaign office was attacked by gunmen. |