The above report seems fairly straightforward. However, the following Associated Press report is different, so different in fact that it could almost be another funeral entirely. Ed.
Dueling protests erupt at Iran professor's funeral
Nasser Karimi – Associated Press January 14, 2010
The funeral Thursday for an Iranian physics professor killed in a mysterious bomb attack turned into competing demonstrations by pro- and anti-government supporters with hundreds of security forces standing by.
No prominent 'green banners' in this photo
Some cameramen and photographers covering the funeral were taken to a police station, where their press IDs were checked. They were later released.
The 50-year-old Tehran University professor was killed when a bomb-rigged motorcycle exploded Tuesday morning outside his home as he was leaving for work. It remains unclear why the researcher with no prominent political voice, no published work with military relevance and no declared links to Iran's nuclear program was targeted for assassination.
Authorities blamed an armed Iranian opposition group acting on behalf of Israel and the U.S. The U.S. government forcefully denied any involvement and Israel did not comment.
Before the disputed June presidential election, Ali Mohammadi had signed a list of 420 Tehran University faculty supporting the leading opposition candidate, Mir Hossein Mousavi. In recent weeks, hard-line government supporters have called for the execution of the opposition leaders.
But the professor did not take any known high-profile role in anti-government protests after the election.
Mousavi's supporters claim he was the rightful winner of the election and allege Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was declared president through fraud.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/14/AR2010011400615.html
(Snip)
Comment – January 14, 2010
The Associated Press report about “duelling protests” does little to substantiate its version of events beyond claiming: “witnesses said”.
Who are these witnesses and in what capacity did they attend the funeral? At least the AFP report is able to cite an AFP “correspondent”. But beyond claiming, “witnesses said” the Associated Press report offers no other corroboration.
Indeed, it’s not beyond the bounds of possibility that the so-called “witnesses” were the creation of a Western intelligence operative. One who was intent on fomenting dissent in Iran, or at least creating that impression.
Note also that first report was at least able to cite the location of the funeral at “the house in an affluent north Tehran neighbourhood”. Whereas the Associated Press report doesn’t bother to locate the event at all, almost as if they read about the funeral on newswire somewhere and wrote a new version of events.
However, the Associated Press does offer some further perspectives by claiming “half of about 1,000 people at the funeral for Masoud Ali Mohammadi were opposition supporters”.
Nor are any prominent 'green banners' here either
Strangely the AFP report makes no mention of “half” the mourners being “opposition supporters”. No mention whatsoever, which seems odd given that they attended the funeral in such numbers and with “green banners” too, as the Associated Press claims.
Also a little odd is the fact that none of the photos accompanying the Associated Press report show any of these “green banners”.
Moreover, the Associated Press report doesn’t attempt to ask who was behind Masoud Ali Mohammadi's assassination. In fact you would almost think they were trying to conceal that point by claiming:
“It remains unclear why the researcher with no prominent political voice, no published work with military relevance and no declared links to Iran's nuclear program was targeted for assassination.”
In fact Masoud Ali Mohammadi was a particle physics professor at Tehran University and as such would have been a key personal component if – and I repeat IF – Iran has a nuclear weapons program. Making him a prime target for assassination by Iran’s enemies.
The morning following Mohammadi's funeral the Times of London took another angle on the proceedings. It claimed that "regime loyalists" had hijacked the event.
All of which illustrates why Iran has accused the western media of working in conjunction with western intelligence to foment recent unrest.
They may have a point. Or as a friend and former journalist once told me: “half of Fleet Street is in the pay of British intelligence.”
