Jundullah chief Abdolmalek Rigi hanged in Iran

TEHRAN - Banned Iranian terror group Jundullah’s chief Abdolmalek Rigi, who was convicted of various charges by the country’s apex court of law, has been hanged.

According to Iran’s state television, Rigi was executed inside Evin prison in the presence of his family members.

“Abdolmalek Rigi was hanged at dawn today…he was convicted for many crimes like being behind many deadly attacks…and killing dozens of innocent people,” The Daily Times quoted the state television, as reporting.

Abdolmalek’s charges included armed robbery, kidnapping, drug trafficking and the formation and leading of the terrorist Jundullah group.

Commenting on the terror leader’s execution, Rigi tribe chief Bashir Rigi said Abdolmalek’s hanging proves that Tehran would not allow anybody to use country’s soil for terror activities.

“The hanging showed Iran will not let its territory be used by criminals…With the execution of Abdolmalek, the disgraceful stigma of our tribe was eliminated,” Bashir said.

Abdolmalek was apprehended while on a flight heading to an Arab country via Pakistan in February this year.

Jundullah (Soldiers of God) is engaged in activities against Tehran’s Shiite ruled Sistan-Balochistan province bordering Pakistan and Afghanistan.

While Iran maintains that last year’s terror attack targeting the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRG), which killed 42 persons, was carried out by perpetrators hiding inside Pakistan and has repeatedly asked Islamabad to ‘clarify’ its stance over reports regarding its links with the banned terror group, Pakistan has rejected claims of helping Abdolmalek, saying that the Jundallah operates in a ‘triangle region’ straddling Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran, making it harder to act against the group which had its bases in Afghanistan. (ANI)