[size=14pt]Evidence Iran is behind seized arms cargo [/size]
Published: Nov. 15, 2010 at 3:59 PM

LAGOS, Nigeria, Nov. 15 (UPI) -- Nigerian authorities said they found more evidence that Iran was behind a large shipment of arms, including rockets, uncovered at the country's largest port Oct. 26.

The ultimate destination of the weapons remains a mystery, although Israel says they were destined for Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip via a new Iranian arms pipeline through Africa.

However, Nigerian authorities are concerned that the weapons were destined for Nigeria by political figures who seek to destabilize the country if they are defeated in general and presidential elections scheduled for early 2011.

If that proves to be the case, it would mark a major Iranian intervention in oil-rich West Africa that could impact on U.S. oil supplies. Iran already is involved clandestine operations in Sudan and Egypt.

Nigeria is grappling with a simmering insurgency in its southern oil fields and Christian-Muslim fighting in the central region as the potentially divisive election battle between northern and southern rivals.

The arms found in 13 containers included 107mm rockets, 120mm, 80mm and 60mm mortars and small arms ammunition.

The containers, marked construction materials, had been loaded in the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas. That's a major base for Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps which provides weapons and training for the Shiite Hezbollah organization in Lebanon and aids the Palestinian Hamas group in the Gaza Strip.

The shipment arrived in Lagos, Nigeria's business capital, in July but wasn't uncovered until Nigerian security agents opened the sealed containers.

Officials said two Revolutionary Guard officers had organized the shipment through a Tehran company called International Trading and General Construction. Official documents identified them as Azimi Agajany and Sayyed Akbar Tahmaesebi. Iran's Foreign Ministry had endorsed their visa applications.

Nigerian officials said they believe the men are holed up in the Iranian Embassy in Abuja, Nigeria's administrative capital.

Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki flew to Lagos Thursday to discuss the arms shipment with Nigerian leaders, which violated U.N. sanctions banning all Iranian exports of arms, direct or indirect.

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http://www.upi.com/Top_News/Special/2010/11/15/Evidence-Iran-is-behind-seized-arms-cargo/UPI-30221289854759/