AZERBAIJAN: IS IRAN THE REASON FOR THE CIA DIRECTOR'S RECENT VISIT TO BAKU?

[rodeodance]

AZERBAIJAN: IS IRAN THE REASON FOR THE CIA DIRECTOR'S RECENT VISIT TO BAKU?
Rovshan Ismayilov: 10/04/07

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Ilgar Mammadov, an independent Baku-based analyst, drew attention to the fact that Hayden's visit occurred shortly before the scheduled start of a trial of a pro-Iranian extremist group charged with trying to create a Shar’ia-based religious state in Azerbaijan.

A preliminary hearing for the government’s case against the 15-member group, named after its leader, Said Dadashbeyli, took place at the end of September in Baku, the Turan news agency reported on October 1. Group members are also charged with high treason, illegal arms possession, illegal contact with foreign intelligence services, robbery and other crimes.........

........ click here for a map of Azerbaijan


http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/insight/articles/eav100407a.shtml#

The Ministry of National Security alleges that Dadashbeyli, an Azerbaijani citizen, worked with radical Islamic organizations – as yet not publicly named – and Iranian intelligence agents to set up a state with Shar’ia laws. A military group, dubbed the Northern Army of Mehdi, was allegedly formed by several of the defendants, prosecutors allege. Prosecutors also claim that one of the group’s members, Jeihun Aliyev, traveled to the Iranian holy city of Qom, where he was offered money by Iranian agents. The money was to be used to mount a propaganda campaign designed to undermine Western and Israeli influence in Azerbaijan.

According to the investigation, group members received training in Iran. In Baku, they carried out physical training routines at the Interior Ministry’s Dinamo sports center and held religious discussions at the Karabakh War Invalids Society, according to media reports. Mob-related contract “hit jobs” were allegedly carried out by Dadashbeyli to raise money for the group’s activities, authorities allege. ........

[dipsydoodle]

1. Azerbaijan is a country with dubious democracy

Azerbaijan’s government has a long-standing record of pressuring opposition political parties and civil society groups and arbitrarily limiting critical expression. In the run-up to the November 2005 parliamentary elections the repressive environment intensified, despite considerable efforts by the international community to encourage Azerbaijan’s compliance with international human rights standards. Election day itself fell far short of these standards.
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2006/01/18/azerba12226.htm

It's one of those joke democracies supported by the USA simply because they've got rather a lot of oil.