Missing Iranian General jailed in “Israel”

Local Editor, 16-11-2009

An Iranian general who disappeared in Turkey two years ago among media claims of defection is being detained in "Israel", several newspapers reported on Monday quoting a conservative website.
Ali Reza Asgari, a deputy defense minister under the previous government of reformist president Mohammad Khatami, went missing after checking into a hotel in Turkey in February 2007.

"Two years of investigations by related institutions show that Ali Reza Asgari is kept in Zionist regime's prison," Alef website said, without mentioning any sources.

"Asgari was kidnapped by Mossad, German and British intelligence agencies and taken to "Israel"," the report said, renewing Iranian charges that the former general was abducted by Western spy agencies.

Asgari, a retired general who was a Revolutionary Guards commander, went missing while on a private visit to Istanbul among media claims that he had voluntarily defected