Memories of Akbar Hashemi - January 29, 2002 - Consultative Political Meeting of the Combatant Clergy Society

Consultative Political Meeting of the Combatant Clergy Society

Meeting with the Student Branch of the Coalition Party

Full Text of the Daily Notes:

There is a disagreement between the U.S. State Department and the White House regarding the classification of Al-Qaeda and Taliban prisoners. The State Department considers them subject to the regulations of war prisoners, while the White House does not, avoiding the implementation of the rights of war prisoners by labeling them as unlawful combatants. Saudi Arabia has requested the U.S. to transfer prisoners who hold Saudi citizenship to Saudi Arabia for trial.

In a joint operation yesterday, American and Afghan forces killed several Al-Qaeda members who had taken refuge in a hospital in Kandahar for weeks. A few Afghan soldiers were also injured, and simultaneously, an American military helicopter crashed in Khost, injuring 14 American soldiers.

France has confirmed that the ship "Karine A" was carrying weapons from Iran for the Palestinians, while the European Union has differing opinions regarding [Yasser] Arafat and the Palestinian Authority. Europe believes Arafat should be preserved, while the U.S. is pressuring him and claims to be disappointed in him. Palestinian people attacked one of Arafat's prisons and freed several imprisoned leaders of the Mujahideen.

With the arrival of [Najee Sabri], the Iraqi Foreign Minister, in Iran, a movement toward reforming relations is observed. I had an analytical interview with the news network of the Islamic Republic of Iran about the history of the revolution. I also officiated the wedding of [Mr. Afalatounian's] child, one of the employees of the Expediency Council.

In the evening, the student branch of the Islamic Coalition Party visited. Mr. [Asadollah] Badamchian, [Mohammad Reza] Etemadian, and [Mohammad Ali] Liyali, representatives of the student members of the party, reported on their activities, and I spoke about the goals and strategies of active young revolutionary Muslims.

At night, the central council of the Combatant Clergy Society held a meeting in my office. Current issues and news were on the agenda. They decided to establish a publication and printing center affiliated with the Combatant Clergy Society for cultural programs and to secure income for the society, which currently lacks resources. Today, the movements of teachers were limited to a few remote and small cities. A plan has been presented to the Israeli government for the siege of Jerusalem.