Iranian insurgent group on Pakistan border selects new leader after capture of the old one

Iranian insurgent group chooses new leader

CAIRO — An insurgent group in southeastern Iran announced the selection of a new leader after its founder was captured by Iranian forces, according to the group’s Web site.

The Jundallah insurgency, which says it’s fighting for equal rights for the Sunni minority in southeast Iran, has named al-Hajj Mohammed Dhahir Baluch as the new leader.

“The movement is more than its leader,” said the statement posted in Arabic Saturday. “With firm determination and strong will it will continue on the path of jihad till the last drop of blood.”

An earlier version of the statement appeared on the site in Farsi Friday.

The statement described the “painful event” of former leader Abdulmalik Rigi’s capture on Tuesday, but said all the tribes of Baluchistan had pledged allegiance to the new leader.

In an earlier statement acknowledging Rigi’s capture Wednesday, Jundallah said U.S., Afghan and Pakistani intelligence played a major role in trailing Rigi’s movements.

Iran, however, said there was no help from other nations in the capture and instead has accused the U.S. of supporting the insurgent group.

But Pakistan’s ambassador to Tehran, M. B. Abbasi, said Wednesday that Rigi could not have been apprehended without his country’s cooperation.

Jundallah has claimed responsibility for bombing attacks that have killed dozens in recent years, including five senior commanders of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guard in October.

The group, which Iran claims is linked to al-Qaida, gained notice six years ago after it launched a campaign of sporadic attacks and kidnappings. It claims minority Sunni tribes in southeastern Iran suffer discrimination at the hands of Iran’s Shiite leadership.

Rigi has said in the past that Jundallah did not seek to break away from Iran but that violence was necessary to draw attention to alleged discrimination.

Iran has accused the U.S. and Britain of supporting Jundallah in an effort to weaken the Iranian government, a charge they both deny.