An Iran link to Ansar al-Mujahideen Forum [No, but interesting all the same]

[Aaron]

The Register reports on a recent discovery linking Iran to the Ansar al-Mujahideen Forum.

The article is here

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/10...line_e_jihadi/

and the excel file and a description can be found here

http://hkashfi.blogspot.co.uk/2008/1...directory.html

See the Register article (above) and this wikipedia page for discussion of X.25

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X.25

My layman's understanding is that this is essentially a dedicated data line, such as one might have for an office. And in Iran, those lines are approved and controlled the government telco, DCI. The data suggests the activity occurred in the northeast of Iran, adjoining Afghanistan.

[Aaron]

A good guess is that at least circa 2008, someone involved in the management of one of the Ansar al-Mujahideen forums was living and working in Iran, with the knowledge and permission of the Islamic Republic. Which of the forums (Arabic or English) is anyone's guess, and it could have been both, though AFAIK they are for the most part managed separately.

It's no longer news that leadership elements of al-Qaida were sequestered in Iran for an extended period of time after the US invaded Afghanistan. So the Iranians were providing safe-haven of a sort to people involved in running the site(s) rather than involving themselves more directly - and *that* is why sites like AMAF and AMEF are able to survive: the admins (at least some of them) are located in a relatively safe place.

[Aaron]

See:

Iran X.25 terrorists actually BANKERS
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/10...ine_follow_up/

Of course, the Register says this is an "innocent explanation." The US Department of the Treasury begs to differ:

ANSAR BANK (a.k.a. ANSAR FINANCE AND CREDIT FUND; a.k.a. ANSAR FINANCIAL AND CREDIT INSTITUTE; a.k.a. BANK-E ANSAR; f.k.a. "ANSAR AL-MOJAHEDIN NO-INTEREST LOAN INSTITUTE"; f.k.a. "ANSAR INSTITUTE"; f.k.a. "ANSAR SAVING AND INTEREST FREE-LOANS FUND"), Building No. 539, North Pasdaran Street, Tehran 19575-497, Iran; North Pasdaran St., No. 539, Before Sahebgharanieh, corner of Narenjestan dahom, Tehran, Iran [IFSR]