Iran: Judiciary issues death penalty for ringleader of US-based terror group

The Iranian Judiciary has sentenced to death the ringleader of a US-based terrorist group accused of committing terror attacks and counterrevolutionary operations against the Islamic Republic.

The Judiciary's Mizan news agency reported on Tuesday that Jamshid Sharmahd was sentenced to death in the Revolutionary Court of Tehran on charges of "corruption on earth” by planning and orchestrating terrorist acts in the country.

Sharmahd, who holds German citizenship and is also a US resident, was the ringleader of the Tondar (Thunder) terrorist outfit. He was charged with planning a series of attacks, including a 2008 attack against a religious congregation center in the southern Iranian city of Shiraz, Fars Province, which martyred 14 people and wounded hundreds. 

Sharmahd and his Tondar group, were also behind a 2010 terrorist bombing at Imam Khomeini’s mausoleum in the capital, which left several people injured.

The 67-year-old is also charged with working with US intelligence and spying on Iran's ballistic missile program.

Citing documents in the case, Mizan news agency said Sharmahd had planned to commit 23 terrorist acts, and succeeded in executing five.

"His verdict can still be appealed in the Supreme Court," Mizan added.

The Intelligence Ministry announced in a statement in August 2020 that it had arrested the terrorist ringleader, who had directed "armed operations and acts of sabotage" in Iran from the US.

Upon his arrest, Sharmahd admitted to providing explosives for the bombing attack in the Hosseynieh Seyed al-Shohada Mosque in Shiraz, in which 14 people were martyred and more than 200 wounded.

SS