Tehran, Nov 22, IRNA - Ali Ashtari who was convicted of spying for Israel's intelligence services was hanged in Tehran on November 17, an official at the Information Ministry said on Saturday.

Ashtari who was sentenced to death in June worked for Israel's Mossad agency for three years, the counter-espionage director of the ministry added.

Ashtari was arrested in early 2007 and then sentenced to death for cooperation with the Zionist regime's spying services last summer.

 
Ali Ashtari in court (June 2008)
 

"The issue of his spying has been clear to the extent that it could not be overlooked at any judicial procedures," he said.

He also added that the ministry announced Ashtari's execution for "some purposes."

"We wanted to show that we are in a new and more serious intelligence war with the enemy."

He added that enemies' intelligence services, specially those of the Zionist regime just raise claims about Iran without proving them, "but, we can prove with evidence that the Zionist regime is making actions against Iran."

The official also warned Iranians "about the serious danger of penetration of the Israeli intelligence services to Iran's Internet and telecommunications networks."

Terrorist group arrested in border areas

Tehran, Nov 22, IRNA - Iran's intelligence forces have arrested a four-member terrorist group at borders with the Iraqi Kurdistan province, in western Iran, an official at the Information Ministry said on Saturday.

The counter-espionage director of the ministry told reporters that the group was arrested with Israeli made weapons and was to assassinate a number of Iranians.

They were arrested at border before finding a chance to make any action, the official added.

... Payvand News - 11/22/08 ... --