iran

Iran Trains ‘Ultimate Martyrs’

By George Thomas
CWNews

CWNews.com - The eyes of the world have been fixed on Iran's nuclear program, but there's another secret weapon the Iranians are working on.

The regime is turning out thousands of these weapons right now: they are young men and women who are training to become suicide bombers.

As this radical army prepares for battle, we go inside one its training camps to find that more are signing up every day.

A month after becoming the new leader of Iran, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad held a town hall-like meeting in which he praised the virtues of suicide bombing. He called it “an art.”

On television, Ahmadinejad said, "Is there art that is more beautiful, more divine, and more eternal than the art of martyrdom? A nation with martyrdom knows no captivity."

Ahmadinejad also made similar statements at a recent Army Day parade in Tehran, urging his soldiers to prepare for paradise. CBN News was on hand to cover the event.

In Ahmadinejad’s speech, he said, "Our army is the army that angels rush to them, to send them messages not to be sad or worried, to let them know that paradise is awaiting them. We thank Allah that our army is the army of Allah. The army which is ready to sacrifice for Allah."

Standing close to him at the parade was one of the top generals in the Iranian army. In an exclusive interview, Sayeed Abdorrahim Musavi, a general in the Iranian army, told CBN News that his soldiers were ready for the Americans.

General Musavi said, "We are the guardians of the beliefs of our nation and we are in full alert, ready to defend our beliefs. We will teach the American army a lesson they will never forget and this experience will not be equal to their experiences in Afghanistan or Iraq."

But as tensions over its nuclear program escalated, the regime here decided that it needed more men and women who were willing to die.

So, a couple of months ago, they launched their ‘Lovers of Martyrdom’ organization. The goal: to recruit and train men and women for suicide operations.

According to the suicide application seen here, the group hopes to form a "martyrdom division" in every Iranian province.

On television, Ahmadinejad said, "Art reaches perfection when it portrays the best life and best death. After all, art tells you how to live. That is the essence of art."

Ahmadinejad's words have found resonance. In a video produced by an Arab TV station and obtained by CBN News, scores of men and women can be seen signing up for suicidal missions.

Chanting, "There is no god but Allah", the volunteers welcome the opportunity to die a martyr’s death.

Vesaly is a martyrdom volunteer. He said, "We don't need permission from anybody. This has to do with our religious duty and responsibilities. This is our choice, and we have no fear."

So far, some 52,000 people have reportedly joined the Lovers of Martyrdom group.

Firooz Rajai is with the Lovers of Martyrdom organization. He said, "Our goal is to achieve martyrdom by way of true jihad. This is the true path to which we strive. We don't need a fatwa on this, since we get our fatwas from the Koran and from all the authorities on Islamic law. We vow to turn into bombs that will explode at anyone who wishes to desecrate our holy places."

A spokesman for the organization warns that recruits are ready to strike America, Britain or Israel if ever Iran's nuclear facilities come under attack.

Muhammad Ali Samadi is also a spokesman for the Lovers of Martyrdom "These countries should know that they have interests in some sensitive areas which can be targeted by our suicide attackers."

On a recent Sunday afternoon, on the south side of Iran's capital city of Tehran, CBN News gained rare access to a ‘martyrdom registration center. ‘

Inside the center for martyrdom registration our camera captured the sights and sounds of what appeared to be a well-organized effort to recruit and train the next wave of suicide bombers.

In one corner of the room stood a poster declaring that "Israel must be wiped out". In another corner are video manuals on how to carry out suicide missions. On television and computer screens scattered around the room are video clips showing Palestinian suicide attacks against Israelis.

Elsewhere, are history books documenting the practice of suicide bombing. There were also cartoons poking fun at Christians and Jews.

Blaring in the background are songs of praise for those who had answered the call of martyrdom, and plastered on the walls, the pictures of Palestinian suicide bombers, young and old, male and female.

It was here, next to the large poster of a suicide registration form, that we met 22-year-old Yazdi, an engineering student from Tehran University. I learned that Yazdi has signed up for martyrdom.

I asked, "Why did you sign up to become a martyr?"

Yazdi said, "Martyrdom for me is sweeter than honey. A martyrdom operation is a kind of operation that when you strap explosives on yourself to blow yourself up you are immediately considered a martyr. Martyrdom operations are a strategic weapon for us against the West, which is equipped with the most modern weapons. Our weapon is based on our belief."

I asked further, "If you were told that you need to go for a martyrdom operation in Iraq, Lebanon or anywhere in the Middle East, will you go?"

Yazdi replied, "We are ready to sacrifice our lives."

I also spoke with Maseh, who has signed up for martyrdom too. I asked, "What about being sent as a suicide bomber to the United States or Europe? Will you go?”

Maseh replied, "To become a martyr in the U.S, protecting Islam? I would say I am ready to become a martyr protecting Islam anywhere in the world!”

Like Yazdi, Maseh also volunteered to become a suicide bomber.

Maseh said, "Eternal life is on the other side when you are next to Allah. I prefer not to be in this world. I would rather be a martyr than live in this world."

According to Yazdi, about 200 signed up at this registration center which ironically used to be the former U.S. Embassy in Tehran, the site of the 1979 hostage drama.

Known around here as the ‘U.S. den of espionage,’ the building is now under the command of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.

The U.S. seal that once greeted visitors at the front gate of the embassy has been sanded down. The embassy walls are covered with a number of anti-American murals.

Yazdi commented, "I am so happy that we are registering people for martyrdom operations in what used to be your embassy! Allah willing, Islam will be victorious!"

But for many of those signing up today, wiping Israel off the face of the earth is the greater priority.

Maseh said, "I do not want Israel to exist on the map of the world."

That is a sentiment that has run deep in this country for two generations and one that Iran's new leader is only too happy to echo, every chance he has.

Ahmadinejad said, "The Zionist regime of Israel is like a rotten, dried tree that will be annihilated by one storm."

The suicide recruits say they can't wait.

So while these men and women, who refer to themselves in the video as "ticking time bombs in Iran", await their orders, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad pledges to revive the spirit of the Islamic Revolution and vows that one day Islam will conquer the world.

Ahmadinejad said, in a speech, "Have no doubt, Allah willing, Islam will conquer what? It will conquer all the mountain tops of the world."

Wendy Griffith: George this Iranian president seems to be very zealous about his faith. What else can you tell us about his beliefs?

George Thomas: He believes that the prophet Mohammed has chosen him to usher in what’s called the 12th Imam, the Mahdi, almost the similar version to the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, the Messiah. And he believes that in order for the Mahdi, this 12th Imam, to come to the world, their needs to be chaos, and he believes chaos between good and evil, between east and west. And he believes he’s on a mission, a very divine mission, to bring the second coming of this Mahdi and when this Mahdi comes, the Mahdi will come with peace and with justice and will rule in the kingdom. And incidentally what’s interesting is that when the Mahdi comes they also believe that Jesus Christ will come and point to the Mahdi and say, ‘Behold the Mahdi has come.’

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