Iranian Jews to be charged with espionage this week

NICOSIA [MENL] -- Despite Western appeals, 13 Iranian Jews are to be charged with espionage later this week.

Iran's Intikhab daily quoted parliamentary sources as saying that investigations into their case are being completed and that they would stand trial by the end of this week.

The sources were quoted as saying that the 13 Jews were currently detained at an unnamed prison in southern Iran, where they have been incarcerated since their arrest on espionage charges in June.

Iranian officials have asserted that the 13 were part of a larger espionage cell that includes Muslims. They said the ring was working for Israel.

But the sources said they did not know of any Muslims being charged in the case. Several of the Jewish suspects have been identified as rabbis.

Iran has rejected Israeli and Western pressure to release the Iranian Jews, saying they will be tried as Iranian citizens, regardless of their religion or ethnic background. They warned that any foreign intervention in the case would be counterproductive.

The suspects face the death penalty if found guilty of espionage. Western diplomats said the detention is connected to Teheran's conservative backlash against President Mohammed Khatami. They said the case began when Jewish business rivals hurled accusations of financial improprieties, which were then turned by authorities into charges of espionage.

On Monday, Iran was accused of destroying a Jewish cemetery and a nearby synagogue in the Iranian city of Mashad as part of what Israeli officials fear is a wave of oppression of the country's small Jewish community.