Islamic Republic Implicated in Killing Of Brit Troops

Sky News:

Thursday October 06, 2005

Senior British officials have blamed Iran for the deaths of British soldiers in Iraq over the summer.

They think Iran's revolutionary guard supplied the technology for the lethal explosives. British officials said there is evidence the Iranians were in contact with Sunni Muslim insurgent groups fighting the coalition forces in Iraq.

It is believed the Iranian action could be an attempt to warn off Britain over its demands that Tehran should abandon its controversial nuclear programme.

"It would be entirely natural that they would want to send a message 'Don't mess with us'. It would not be outside the policy parameters of Tehran," an official said. It is believed the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had been responsible for supplying the explosives technology used in a series of deadly attacks on British troops over the summer.

"We think it has come from Lebanese Hizbollah via Iran," the official added. It is not known whether the IRGC are acting on the orders of the government in Tehran or are operating independently.

Although Iran is Shia Muslim, the official said it now appeared that elements in Tehran were in contact with Sunni Muslim insurgent groups across the border in Iraq.

Sunni Muslims linked to al Qaeda have been blamed for trying to ignite a civil war with the majority Shias - who have been the victims of some of the worst of the recent suicide bomb attacks.