WP: Iraq Expels 2 Iranian Agents Captured in U.S. Operation

[sabra]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/29/AR2006122901510.html

Iraq Expels 2 Iranian Agents Captured in U.S. Operation
American Defense Official Calls Release 'Obviously Troubling'

By Sudarsan Raghavan and Robin Wright
Washington Post Foreign Service
Saturday, December 30, 2006; Page A13

BAGHDAD, Dec. 29 -- Two senior Iranian operatives who were detained by U.S. forces in Iraq and were strongly suspected of planning attacks against American military forces and Iraqi targets were expelled to Iran on Friday, according to U.S. and Iraqi officials.

The decision to free the men was made by the Iraqi government and has angered U.S. military officials who say the operatives were seeking to foment instability here.

"These are really serious people," said one U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity. "They were the target of a very focused raid based on intelligence, and it would be hard for one to believe that their activities weren't endorsed by the Iranian government. It's a situation that is obviously troubling."

One of the commanders, identified by officials simply as Chizari, was the third-highest-ranking official of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards' al-Quds Brigade, the unit most active in aiding, arming and training groups outside Iran, including Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad, U.S. officials said. The other commander was described as equally significant to Iran's support of foreign militaries but not as high-ranking.