Iranian (nuclear) scientist killed in bombing

[Turborama]

Source: Press Assosciation

A professor of nuclear physics at Tehran University has been killed by a bomb-rigged motorcycle parked outside his home in Iran's capital.

Massoud Mohammadi had just left his house on his way to work when the explosion went off, state-run Press TV said.

Reports did not say whether Mohammadi was connected to Iran's nuclear programme, which the West suspects is aimed at developing a nuclear weapons capability.

Iran denies having any intention to produce weapons and insists its nuclear work only has peaceful aims, such as energy production.

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5hpT9usJtEoTC304sYPYt2Q53uecw

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Bomb blast kills Iranian professor

Source: Al Jazeera English

=snip=

"The explosion took place near the professor's home in Qeytariyeh neighbourhood, in northern Tehran," the state-run Press TV said without giving further details.

It described Mohammadi as a "staunch supporter" of Iran's 1979 revolution and said he was "assassinated in a terrorist act by counter-revolutionary elements". The broadcaster said police and security officials have launched an investigation.

Al Jazeera's Alireza Ronaghi, reporting from Tehran, said Mohammadi was a physics professor who might have had links to Iran's disputed nuclear programme.

"Authorities who decided to remain unnamed tell me that Mohammadi had some connections with Iran's nuclear programme and this could be related," he said.

Read more: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2010/01/201011273050938177.html

[Ozymanithrax]

1. Sounds like an assassination to me...

But I watch way to many blockbuster movies.

Was he active in the current voter protests against the government. There are other reasons to murder someone.

[Turborama]

2. I don't mean to sound glib but there's pretty much two possibilities

A) It was a successful assassination attempt.

B) The professor was in the wrong place at the wrong time. IOW It was a bomb that was planted in a random place and could have killed anyone.

I think I'll go with A. The real question is, who's behind it?

[Behind the Aegis]

3. Third possibilty...

C) it was a failed assassination attempt, the target was not there, and the professor was "collateral damage."

[Mithreal]

5. "pretty much" doesn't exclude other possibilities

and the use of the phrase "collateral damage" is inhuman.

D) the attempt was staged and the scientist is still alive

so many possibilities

[Behind the Aegis]

7. Well, aren't you something.

"pretty much" doesn't exclude other possibilities"

Oh thank you for the validation! It is the reason I added another possibility.

"the use of the phrase "collateral damage" is inhuman."

Do take a lesson in US English grammar and the use of quotes.

[Mithreal]

9. I neither intended to validate you or personalize my criticism, but fine, I'll jump in.

Using that phrase "collateral damage" is dehumanizing. Is it offensive of me to point that out?

I will do my best to rise to your level of civility and endeavor to match your ability to confound.

How's the mud?

[Behind the Aegis]

10. Oh, but you did. If not, you would have responed to the other poster.

I am familiar with your posts to me.

"Using that phrase "collateral damage" is dehumanizing. Is it offensive of me to point that out? "

Oh gee, did I say it was offensive? No! I said learn the use of quotes in American English. Was that offensive to you?

"How's the mud?"

Since you hurled the first slab, I'll be nice and let you tell me.

[Mithreal]

11. Criticizing an idea does not equal personalizing the criticism.

[Prometheus Bound]

4. 'Iranian media have accused "Zionist agents" as being behind the blast.'

I guess that would be an expected assumption if he is a key figure in the nuclear program. But if he works as a professor, that doesn't seem likely.

And the proof would be hard to come by I suppose.

[Behind the Aegis]

8. That will work well here.

[proteus_lives]

13. Yep, it will.

Sadly.

[howard112211]

6. Nuclear scientist is a very unspecific term.

The range of topics he could have been working on is vast. Weapons research is only a tiny sub-class of nuclear physics.

[Prometheus Bound]

12. Iran accuses US, Israel in nuclear scientist murder

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 12:26:07 GMT

Iran's Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that it has found traces of US and Israel's involvement in the assassination of an Iranian nuclear physics scientist.

"Primary investigations into the assassination revealed signs of the involvement of the Zionist regime , the US and their allies in Iran," spokesman Ramin Mehman-Parast said.

Professor Massoud Ali-Mohammadi, a lecturer at Tehran University, was killed by a booby-trapped motorbike blast in the Iranian capital earlier in the day.

The explosion took place near the professor's home in the Qeytariyeh neighborhood of northern Tehran.

Mehman-Parast strongly condemned the assassination, saying the participation of Israeli and American agents "runs counter to international regulations."

He, however, said such moves would not affect Iran's pursuit of civilian nuclear technology.

"Such terrorist moves and apparent omission of Iranian nuclear scientists will definitely cause no obstacle in the way of the country's scientific and technological development. Rather they will speed up it."

SF/HGH/MD
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=115963§ionid=351020101

[Prometheus Bound]

14. UPDATE: Terrorist group claims responsibility for Iran nuclear physicist death

TEHRAN, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- A terrorist group named "Iran Royal Association" took responsibility for Tuesday's fatal bombing attack on an Iranian nuclear physicist, local Iran Daily reported Wednesday.

The Iran Royal Association, a group seeking to reestablish the Pahlavi reign in Iran, announced Tuesday in a statement that its " Tondar Commandos" were behind the assassination of Massoud Ali-Mohammadi, a particle physics professor in Tehran University, according to the report.

The website of the group said it had previously threatened Ali-Mohammadi with death.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2010-01/13/content_12804081.htm

US denies role in Iran terror despite claims by LA group
Even though a Los Angeles-based terror group claims responsibility for the assassination of an Iranian nuclear scientist in Tehran, Washington denies responsibility in the attack.

"The idea that charged the United States with having anything to do with a murder in Tehran in absurd," Gordon K Duguld, Deputy Spokesman of the US State Department said late Tuesday.

The American denial comes despite the fact the US-based monarchist group, the Iran Royal Association, declared responsibility for the terrorist attack only hours after the incident. It announced in a statement that its "Tondar Commandos" were behind the assassination of Dr. Massoud Ali-Mohammadi.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=116030§ionid=3510203

Last update - 10:38 13/01/2010
Israel tight-lipped about mysterious death of Iranian nuclear physicist
Israel refused Tuesday to react to Iranian accusations that it or the United States was behind a mysterious explosion that killed an Iranian nuclear physicist in Tehran Tuesday.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1142366.html