Official says Iran has arrested agents of Osama bin Laden

TEHRAN, Iran – Iran has made a significant contribution to the war on terror by arresting agents of Osama bin Laden’s al Qaeda terror network, Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi said Saturday.

He did not say how many – or how senior – al Qaeda detainees were in Iranian jails.

“That we have detained and jailed al Qaeda operatives here and cut their contacts with the outside world is a very serious step in the fight against terrorism,” Kharrazi said.

The United States has accused Iran of harboring al Qaeda fugitives and has called upon the Islamic country to turn over the detainees it had. Tehran has no extradition treaty with Washington.

In July, Iran first confirmed it was holding what Intelligence Minister Ali Yunesi described then as “a large number of small and big-time elements of al Qaeda.” Iranian officials have said they have turned over hundreds of al Qaeda detainees to their countries of origin.

Iranian officials also have said terror suspects would stand trial in Iranian courts because “they have committed crimes in Iran” but no trial dates have been set.

Kharrazi did not say when any trials might begin, but said Iran has cooperated with various countries, including Saudi Arabia, to counter terrorism.

“Everybody knows . . . that detaining them (al Qaeda operatives) and keeping them in jail is a very important step taken by Iran,” he said.