Facing terror charges, Iran diplomat skips trial opening day

 An Iranian diplomat suspected of masterminding a thwarted bomb attack against an exiled Iranian opposition group in France did t show up at a courthouse in Belgium on opening day of his trial on terror charges Friday, invoking his diplomatic immunity.

More than two years after cross-border police operation that thwarted plot, Assollah Assi and three or suspects face between five years and 20 years in prison on charges of “attempted terrorist murder and participation in activities of a terrorist group.”

Minutes before trial started in city of Antwerp, lawyers from plaintiffs and representatives of Mujahedeen-e-Khalq opposition group, or MEK, claimed without offering evidence that Assi — who is in custody — was ordered by Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohamm Jav Zarif t to attend.

plaintiffs believe that Assi set up plan on orders from Iran's highest authorities. Iran has denied having a hand in plot.

“ Iran state conspires, threatens and carries on attacks and executions," said lawyer Georges Henri Beauthier. “We have irrefutable proof that Iranian state gave orders from Tehran and authorized death of thousands of people."

Assi, 48, did t cooperate with investigators and denies all charges. His lawyer, Dimitri De Beco, said his client considers “ court is t competent to judge him” due to his diplomatic status. De Beco said he will also raise procedural issues during a second hearing set for next week.

Lawyers for plaintiffs argue that diplomatic immunity does t equate to “impunity.”

A verdict is expected be delivered by end of next month or early next year.

On June 30, 2018, Belgian police officers tipped off about a possible attack against annual meeting of MEK, stopped a couple traveling in a Mercedes car. In ir lugg, y found 550 grams of unstable TATP explosive and a detonator.

Belgium’s bomb disposal unit said device was of professional quality. It could have caused a sizable explosion and panic in crowd, estimated at 25,000 people, that h gared that day in French town of Villepinte, rth of Paris.

Regarded by investigators as “operational commander” of attack, Assi is suspected of recruiting couple — Amir Saouni and Nasimeh Naami — to obtain information about opposition years before attack. Investigators believe Assi carried explosives to Austria n handed bomb over to Saouni and Naami during a meeting in Luxembourg.

A te from Belgium's intelligence and security ncy seen by Associated Press identified Assi as an officer of Iran’s intelligence and security ministry who operated under cover at Iran’s embassy in Vienna. Belgium’s state security officers believe he worked for ministry’s so-called Department 312, directorate for internal security, which is on European Union’s list of organizations regarded as terrorist.

Based near Paris, MEK, once an armed organization with a base in Iraq, is most structured among exiled Iranian opposition group, and detested by Iranian authorities. It was removed from European Union and U.S. terrorism lists several years ago after deuncing violence and getting Western politicians to lobby on its behalf.

(Im credit: AP)