Should We Be a Bit Worried?

[Guest MikeSC]

U.S. Expels Iranians Accused of Filming Sites

By WARREN HOGE

 

Published: June 29, 2004

 

UNITED NATIONS, June 29 — The United States has expelled two security guards at Iran's United Nations mission after they were observed filming New York landmark buildings and parts of the city's transportation system, American officials said today.

 

"They were asked to leave because we were very concerned about their activities, which weren't compatible with their stated duties," said Richard A. Grenell, the spokesman for the United States mission.

 

The language is common among diplomatic officials for cases of espionage.

 

The two men were ordered out this past weekend after Iranian guards were seen for the third time in two years videotaping bridges, tunnels, the Statue of Liberty and other landmark buildings, according to an American diplomat who asked not to be identified.

 

He said the pair were not the same two men who had been seen in earlier incidents in June 2002 and November 2003. The men, who were not identified, left Saturday night, the official said.

 

"These were not diplomats, these were security guards," said Stuart Holliday, a deputy American ambassador. "They were moving around New York City and surveilling."

 

While the photographing of such sites violates no law, city officials have been particularly vigilant of apparent surveillance of public buildings since the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

 

A telephone message seeking comment from Morteza Ramandi, the spokesman for the Iranian mission at the United Nations, was not immediately returned.

 

He was quoted by Iran's student news agency, ISNA, saying that the guards had only been visiting "one of New York City's tourist attractions."

 

The state run Iranian News Agency in Tehran said that Iran "deplored" the expulsion. It quoted an unidentified foreign ministry official saying the American actions were "politically and ethnically cheap" and a violation of international conventions.

 

"This is aimed at disrupting the daily routine of Iran's permanent representation office, and this is not in harmony with accepted norms," the Iranian official said.

 

Iran remains part of the Bush administration's "axis of evil," which included North Korea and Iraq under the rule of Saddam Hussein.

 

The United States has not had relations with Iran since 1980 when the American embassy in Tehran was seized and 52 diplomats taken hostage by radicals in the aftermath of the 1979 Islamic revolution that brought the country's clerical regime to power. Iranian diplomats in New York represent their country only to the United Nations.

 

The United States, along with Britain, France, Germany and the United Nations are pressuring Tehran to renounce ambitions to develop nuclear weapons and open its facilities to full inspections by the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/29/nyregion...ND-EXPE.html?hp

Umm, this doesn't look even REMOTELY good.

-=Mike

[Guest INXS]

Sure doesn't. Good job we booted them out.

[Highland 0]

I hope you don't believe the Iranians are the only ones committing espionage.

[Jobber of the Week 0]

Sure doesn't. Good job we booted them out.

Ditto.

[Guest INXS]

I hope you don't believe the Iranians are the only ones committing espionage.

You're right..the US bugged the office of UN leader Kofi Annan remember!

[Highland 0]

I hope you don't believe the Iranians are the only ones committing espionage.

You're right..the US bugged the office of UN leader Kofi Annan remember!

I wasn't refering to that.

[Jingus 0]

Devil's advocate: what if they were just taking tourist pics to send to their families back home?

[Guest MikeSC]

Devil's advocate: what if they were just taking tourist pics to send to their families back home?

Of bridges and tunnels?

-=Mike

[Highland 0]

If I was Iran I would not have used something as conspicuous as security guards to film the various sites. There are easier and more effective ways to glean the information they sought without arrousing suspicion.

[Guest cobainwasmurdered]

Devil's advocate: what if they were just taking tourist pics to send to their families back home?

Of bridges and tunnels?

-=Mike

Well how many modern bridges and tunnels will you find In Iran?

 

 

Though I agree with them being booted.

[Hogan Made Wrestling 0]

Devil's advocate: what if they were just taking tourist pics to send to their families back home?

Of bridges and tunnels?

-=Mike

If they were Japanese it would be pretty believable...

[Precious Roy 0]

The state run Iranian News Agency in Tehran said that Iran "deplored" the expulsion. It quoted an unidentified foreign ministry official saying the American actions were "politically and ethnically cheap"

 

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

 

They're lucky we even allow them to have delegates on our soil.

[Highland 0]

The UN, like all embassies, isn't on American soil.

[Precious Roy 0]

It's in NYC, right? It's American soil. American soil we've been kind enough to donate to the United Nations. When push comes to shove it's still our land.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

Devil's advocate: what if they were just taking tourist pics to send to their families back home?

Bunch of racists at this place.

 

First thing I always do when on vacation is take pictures of that area's infrastructure so I can't put them in my If-I-were-to-launch-a-terrorist-attack-I-would-do-it-here scrapbook.

 

But since these guys are of a certain skin color we all think they are up to no good.

 

I'm hitting the speed-dial button on my phone that has the ACLU's local number...

[Guest Hero to all Children]

Actually embassies (I don't know if this applies to the UN) are all under the rule of their respective countries. The host nation has no juristication over them, which is why you have a bunch of North Koreans travelling to China and attempting to storm various Western embassies so they'll get the hell out of there as refugees.

 

This was aptly demonstrated in the Bart vs. Australia episode of the Simpsons. America Australia America Australia America Australia America Australia America Australia PUNCH TO THE FACE.

[Guest MD2020]

Actually embassies (I don't know if this applies to the UN) are all under the rule of their respective countries. The host nation has no juristication over them, which is why you have a bunch of North Koreans travelling to China and attempting to storm various Western embassies so they'll get the hell out of there as refugees.

 

This was aptly demonstrated in the Bart vs. Australia episode of the Simpsons. America Australia America Australia America Australia America Australia America Australia PUNCH TO THE FACE.

"We don't take that kind of crap here in America, sir."

[Guest MikeSC]

The UN, like all embassies, isn't on American soil.

That makes me wonder: Technically, what would the land the UN stands on be described as? Embassies are technically the territory of the country they represent (in the case of the Iranians, though, they were almost definitely on foot doing this, which takes away that protection --- cars can be considered parts of the consulate, but you don't get those protections walking around). The UN isn't part of a country. If somebody did something to the UN building --- who would be the main person complaining?

 

We bomb the Chinese embassy in Kosovo --- if memory serves --- and China, of course, complains --- as they should. Who would complain if the UN building was bombed?

-=Mike

[Jobber of the Week 0]

Well, probably we would, since it would be our emergency services responding and all.

[Guest MikeSC]

Well, probably we would, since it would be our emergency services responding and all.

Well, yes --- but it's not like the Chinese bitching about their embassy getting bombed.

 

I'm just wondering, in a purely diplomatic sense, what the heck does the UN's land get described as? It's not a government.

-=Mike

[Dr. Tom 0]

I'm just wondering, in a purely diplomatic sense, what the heck does the UN's land get described as?

Future primo office space when we kick them out?

[Highland 0]

This may shed some light on the subject.

[Guest MikeSC]

I'm just wondering, in a purely diplomatic sense, what the heck does the UN's land get described as?

Future primo office space when we kick them out?

I haven't been to NYC, so I have no idea if the area the UN building is located is as slummy as the country that spawned Annan.

 

It would cost $1B to fix the building? How much to just build a new one elsewhere?

-=Mike