There is no evidence that Iran and Al Qaeda co-operated in carrying out terrorist attacks, according to a study published on Friday that casts doubt on statement made by the Trump government about close ties between the two.
The conclusions of the study, by the New America think tank in Washington, were based on detailed analysis of documents seized from Osama bin Laden's hideout after United States forces killed the Al Qaeda leader in 2011.
The findings clash with recent statements by US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo suggesting Iran has collaborated with Al Qaeda, which carried out the September 11, 2001 attacks in the US.
Debate has swirled over the relationship between Iran and Al Qaeda since late 2001, when some Al Qaeda members fled to Iran after the US toppled the Taliban government that had sheltered them in Afghanistan.
The bin Laden files, including a 19-page document not released until last November, show that Iran was uncomfortable with the militants' presence on its soil, said Nelly Lahoud, the study's author and an expert on Al Qaeda.
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At first, Ms Lahoud said, Iran tried to move as many as possible on to other countries.
Later, it detained Al Qaeda members, including members of bin Laden's family, after they breached the terms of their stay, which included a ban on phone communications, the study says.
The militant group also viewed Tehran with deep mistrust, the study shows.
Iran's policies tightened even further after the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, and detained Al Qaeda members were forbidden from leaving the country, it says.
"Iranian authorities decided to keep our brothers as a bargaining chip," the unnamed Al Qaeda operative wrote in the document was dated January 2007.
Ms Lahoud, who has studied the bin Laden documents since the first batch was released in 2012, said she looked for evidence that Al Qaeda and Iran had operational ties in plotting terrorist attacks.
"This I did not find," she said.
Both President Trump and Mr Pompeo have suggested a closer relationship, as part of an anti-Tehran communications offensive by the US government.
In announcing the US withdrawal from the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, Mr Trump said in May that Iran "supports terrorist proxies and militias such as ... Al Qaeda".
In a speech a week later, Mr Pompeo said: "Today we ask the Iranian people: Is this what you want your country to be known for, for being a co-conspirator with Hezbollah, Hamas, the Taliban, and Al Qaeda?"
A State Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Iran has refused to bring top Al Qaeda members residing in Iran to justice, or even publicly identify who they are.
Iran also has allowed Al Qaeda "to operate a core facilitation pipeline through Iran since at least 2009, enabling AQ to move funds and fighters to South Asia and Syria", the official said.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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Avengers 3: Infinity War: an American superhero film released in 2018 and based on the Marvel Comics story.
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Lucifer: is a 2019 Malayalam-language action film. It dives into the gritty world of Kerala’s politics and has become one of the highest-grossing Malayalam films of all time.
Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion
The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.
Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".
The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.
He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.
"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.
As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.
Wicked
Director: Jon M Chu
Stars: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Jonathan Bailey
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENamara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJune%202022%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMohammed%20Alnamara%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMicrofinance%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E16%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeries%20A%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFamily%20offices%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
ABU%20DHABI'S%20KEY%20TOURISM%20GOALS%3A%20BY%20THE%20NUMBERS
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What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.