Tue, Dec 13, 2005 at 10:31:12 pm
Police Seize Forged Ballots Headed to Iraq From Iran. (Hat tip: Ringo.)
BAGHDAD, Iraq, Dec. 13 - Less than two days before nationwide elections, the Iraqi border police seized a tanker on Tuesday that had just crossed from Iran filled with thousands of forged ballots, an official at the Interior Ministry said.
Iraqis vote Thursday in a national election to establish a new four-year government. Here are seven figures who could emerge among the leaders.
The tanker was seized in the evening by agents with the American-trained border protection force at the Iraqi town of Badra, after crossing at Munthirya on the Iraqi border, the official said. According to the Iraqi official, the border police found several thousand partly completed ballots inside.
The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly, said the Iranian truck driver told the police under interrogation that at least three other trucks filled with ballots had crossed from Iran at different spots along the border.
The official, who did not attend the interrogation, said he did not know where the driver was headed, or what he intended to do with the ballots.
The seizure of the truck comes at a delicate time in Iran’s relations with both Iraq and the United States.
Oh yes, a very delicate time. But not so delicate that it prevents Iran from trying to pull off outrageously provocative acts like this.
UPDATE at 12/14/05 9:59:23 am:
Confederate Yankee says this New York Times report is probably false: Did NY Times Bias Lead to ‘Wishful Thinking’ On Bogus Forged Ballots Story?