An Iranian
strategic expert has warned that one of President Obama's daughters will
be kidnapped and raped if America attacks Syria.
Alireza
Forghani, also the former governor of southern Iran’s Kish Province,
warned of mass abductions and killings of American citizens worldwide in
the event the Obama administration launches a military strike in Syria.
"Hopefully
Obama will be pigheaded enough to attack Syria, and then we will see
the loss of U.S. interests through terrorist attacks," he threatened.
"In
just 21 hours after the attack on Syria, a family member of every U.S.
minister department secretary, U.S. ambassadors, U.S. military
commanders around the world will be abducted.
And then 18 hours later, videos of their amputation will be spread around the world." he said.
The
threat comes amid reports today that the U.S has intercepted an order
from an Iranian official instructing militants in Iraq to attack U.S.
interests in Baghdad if the attack goes ahead.
Claims:
The U.S has intercepted an order from an Iranian official instructing
militants in Iraq to attack U.S. interests in Baghdad in the event the
Obama administration launches a military strike in Syria, it was
reported today
The American embassy in Baghdad was a likely target, according to unnamed U.S. officials.
The Journal said the officials did not describe the range of potential targets indicated by the intelligence.
In
addition, the State Department issued a warning on Thursday telling
U.S. citizens to avoid all but 'essential' travel to Iraq.
President
Barack Obama has asked the U.S. Congress to back his plan for limited
strikes in response to a chemical weapons attack on civilians that the
United States blames on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces.
The
Journal reported that the Iranian message was intercepted in recent
days and came from the head of the Revolutionary Guards' Qods Force.
Target: The American embassy in Baghdad was a likely target, according to unnamed U.S. officials quoted
Scrutiny:
Iraqi security forces stand guard in Baghdad today. In addition, the
State Department issued a warning on Thursday telling U.S. citizens to
avoid all but 'essential' travel to Iraq
The newspaper said the message went to Iranian-supported Shi'ite militia groups in Iraq.
The
Journal reported that the message informed Shi'ite groups to be
prepared to respond with force after any U.S. military strike on Syria.
"Travel
within Iraq remains dangerous given the security situation," according
to the State Department's warning, which replaced an earlier one "to
update information on security incidents and to remind U.S. citizens of
ongoing security concerns in Iraq, including kidnapping and terrorist
violence."
Group
photo: Russia's President Vladimir Putin, center front, stands with
G-20 leaders during a group photo outside of the Konstantin Palac
Sunshine
smiles: President Putin, left, President Obama and German Chancellor
Angela Merkel and PM David Cameron as they pose for the family photo
The
department said that numerous insurgent groups, including al Qaeda's
Iraq affiliate, remain active and 'terrorist activity and sectarian
violence persist in many areas of the country at levels unseen since
2008.'
It added: "The ability of the embassy to respond to
situations in which U.S. citizens face difficulty, including arrests, is
extremely limited."
The State Department declined immediate comment. The CIA declined comment.
The
US and France are so far the only nations attending the G20 to have
backed the use of military force against the Assad regime, with Russia
and China insisting that any action in the absence of UN Security
Council approval would be illegal.
Italian Prime Minister Enrico
Letta - who also attended this morning's aid meeting - said in a tweet
last night that "the G20 has just now finished the dinner session, at
which the divisions about Syria were confirmed".
Man
on a mission: Obama has expanded a list of targets in Syria as he
struggles to gather international support for military action
President
Barack Obama, left, listens as Russian President Vladimir Putin, right,
speaks during the start of the G-20 Working Session
US
frustrations over Russia's stance were reflected in comments by the
American envoy to the UN, Samantha Power, who told a New York news
conference: "Even in the wake of the flagrant shattering of the
international norm against chemical weapons use, Russia continues to
hold the (Security) Council hostage and shirk its international
responsibilities.
What we have learned, what the Syrian people
have learned, is that the Security Council the world needs to deal with
this crisis is not the Security Council we have."
The US
Government accuses Assad's forces of killing 1,429 people in a
poison-gas attack in a suburb of the Syrian capital, Damascus, on August
21.
Britain announced yesterday that scientists at the Porton
Down research laboratories have found traces of the nerve gas sarin on
cloth and soil samples retrieved from the site of the attack.
Meanwhile,
there were signs that Mr Obama may struggle to secure support in
Congress for his proposal of "limited and proportionate" military action
against Assad.
A poll commissioned by the BBC and ABC News
suggested more than one-third of Congress members were undecided whether
or not to back military action, while a majority of those who had made a
decision said they would vote against the President.
The survey
found that 226 members of the House of Representatives said they would
oppose or were likely to oppose military action, against 45 who were
certain or likely to support it and 189 who were undecided or did not
respond.
Some 17 members of the Senate were certain or likely to
oppose Mr Obama's plans, against 23 certain or likely to back him and 60
whose position was undecided or unknown.
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