Iran arrests suspects over n-scientists' murders

Tehran, June 15 (IANS) Iran's intelligence ministry has announced the capture of a number of prime suspects in the killings of two of the country's nuclear scientists.

The ministry said the suspects were linked to Israel, RIA Novosti reported citing the IRNA news agency.

"The main elements behind the killings were arrested and moved to detention following an investigation of at least 18 months involving surveillance in Iran and abroad," said a ministry statement.

The detainees are believed to be involved in the murders of Majid Shahriari, a key member of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, and of Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan, a deputy director of Iran's largest uranium enrichment plant Natanz.

On Nov 29, 2010, Shahriari was killed and another nuclear scientist, Fereydoun Abbasi, was seriously wounded in Tehran.

These were copycat operations, timed for rush hour -- 7:30 a.m. -- in different parts of the city. Motorcycle riders stuck bombs to the windows of the scientists' cars and managed a quick getaway seconds before the blasts.

Roshan and his bodyguard died in a car bomb explosion in Tehran Jan 11, 2012. Police said a motorcyclist attached a magnetic mine to the car the scientist was riding in.

Iran blamed these and two other murders of Iranian scientists on Israeli and US intelligence.