Memoirs of Akbar Hashemi – June 19, 2003

Until the evening, I worked at the Kushk office. I also read part of the history of Najaf. Some student movements are seen here and there, and a number of them have been arrested and are being tried.
In Iraq, three Americans were killed today, and several Iraqis were also killed and wounded. It was announced that Saddam Hussein's personal secretary, who was the fourth person on the list of 55, has been arrested. It is expected that through him they will find out about Saddam's fate. Paul Bremer, the head of the Coalition Provisional Authority, admitted that the resistance of the Iraqi people is intensifying. At the funeral of an Iraqi Air Force officer who was killed yesterday, widespread demonstrations against the U.S. were held.

The director of the MKO's radio network was kidnapped today and his fate is unknown. It seems that after Saddam's fall, the MKO radio was also looted by the Iraqi people and is now closed. So far, about eight people in Paris, Rome, Switzerland, London, and France have set themselves on fire in protest of the MKO members' arrests. Some of their conditions are critical, and the death of a woman that was previously announced has been denied, and gradually some of them are being released. French police say they have obtained documents showing they had plans for terrorist actions against Iranian diplomatic missions, as well as documents of theft, fraud, and forgery. Mr. Khatami, the President, has called for the extradition of the MKO members.

With the U.S. failure to impose a resolution against Iran at the IAEA Board of Governors, the Board issued a statement calling on Iran to clarify ambiguities and sign the Additional Protocol.
In Afghanistan, there have been widespread attacks on Americans in two locations. George W. Bush, the U.S. President, spoke against Iran once again, saying that nuclear Iran is dangerous and intolerable, and that they support disruptors in Iran.