CUBA/IRAN: $$, TERRORISM

By MANUEL CEREIJO

Dr. Miyar Barruecos, El Chomi. Dr. Luis Herrera. Cuba and Iran.

Since 1990, Cuba and Iran have cooperated in the development of weapons of massive destruction. Dr. Miyar Barruecos, physician, very close to Castro, has been the force behind the throne in this alliance. Dr. Luis Herrera, from the CIGB, and one of the main scientists in the development of the CIGB and the biological weapon programs in Cuba, has been the operator, the facilitator, in the massive and huge cooperation between Cuba and Iran.

Cuba finished, May 2001, the construction of a Biotechnology Center in Teheran. Cuba served as the source of technology, selling of equipment, and project management for the Center.

Iran has bought the best fruits of the CIGB, recombinant protein production technologies in yeast and Escherichia coli, as well as the large scale purification protocols for both soluble and insoluble proteins synthesized in or excreted by them.

Cuba obtained from Iran, for the turnkey project $550 million dollars. The Center has over 80,000 square meters, and a working area of 65,000 square meters. The Center has facilities such as:

A biotherium, barrier zones, white rooms, for research with sensitive and lethal bio agents, mass spectrometers, infrared and ultraviolet electron and scanning microscopes, gamma counters, DNA synthesizers. Also, and very important, downstream fermenters, drying and milling machines, centrifuges, which can guarantee research and development of bioweapons, such as bacteria and virus agents. The process of weaponizing anthrax, for example, can be done at these facilities. A few grains of the freeze-dried bacteria are kept in a stopper vial. Then, a small amount of a nutrient medium is put into the vial. A mother culture is created. With tiny pipettes, the mixture is drawn out of the vial and a small amount is transferred into several slightly larger bottles. The bottles are left to incubate in a thermostatic oven for two days. This process, up to this point, is very similar to the one to make a vaccine. A seed stock in a standard vial will swell to billions of microorganisms after 48 hours, but it will take weeks of brewing to produce the quantities required for weaponization.

Once the culture emerges from the oven, it is siphoned off into large flasks. The flasks are taken into a special room, where they are connected to air-bubbling machines, which turn the liquid into a light froth. The bacteria then grow more efficiently. Each new generation of bacteria is transferred into larger vessels, until is vacuum pressure into fermenters. The substance is incubated for two days in the fermenters, until it reaches maximum concentration. At this stage, the process is passed through a centrifuge to be concentrated as much as thirty times further. However, we do not have a weapon yet. The pathogen has to be mixed with special additives to stabilize it over a long period. Then, the weapon is ready.

Smallpox virus can also be produced at the Center. Tissue cells are obtained from animals or humans. The tissue is kept alive outside its natural habitat in cell lines and stored at very precise temperature. Cells are obtained from the kidneys of green monkeys or from the lungs of human embryos. A special combination of amino acids, vitamins, salts, and sera, distilled with de-ionized water, is crucial for the process.

Iran can use these technologies to create bioweapons of massive destruction. Iran, with Cuba’s assistance is capable of producing a bacteria known as Pseudomonas. The pathogen is not usually lethal to humans, but it is an excellent battlefield weapon.

Sprayed from a single airplane flying over enemy lines, it can immobilized an entire division or incapacitate special forces hiding in rugged terrain otherwise inaccessible to regular army troops-precisely the kind of terrain in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and similar terrorist regions.

Besides Cuban scientists, at least there are about ten scientists from the Biopreparat Russian Center working in Iran. The New York Times reported in December 1998 that the Iranian government dispatched a few scientific advisors attached to the office of the presidency in Moscow to recruit former scientists from the Russian program.

In May, 1997, more than one hundred scientists from Russian laboratories, including Vector and Obolensk, attended a Biotechnology Trade Fair in Teheran. Iranians visited Vector, In Russia, a number of times, and had been actively promoting exchanges. A vial of freeze-dried powder takes up less space than a pack of cigarettes and is easy to smuggle past an inattentive security guard.

The Soviet Union spent decades building institutes and training centers in Iran and Cuba. For many years, the Soviet Union organized courses in genetic engineering and molecular biology for scientists from Cuba and Iran. Some forty scientists from both countries were trained annually.

In 1997 Russia was reported to be negotiating a lucrative deal with Iran and Cuba for the sale of cultivation equipment including fermenters, reactors, and air purifying machinery from Cuba to Iran, using Russian brokers.

It is estimated that Cuba receives approximately $ 250 million/year from Iran since July 2001 for the technical assistance to operate the Center, and for the supply of essential materials and instruments.


BEJUCAL BASE AND IRAN


I. BEJUCAL BASE

Located in Bejucal, La Habana, Cuba. 20 square mile area. Cost: $ 750 millions. Built by the Russians from 1994 to 1997. Workforce: 1,100 engineers, computer scientists, technicians, staff. It has three groups of antennas/satellites. First group to listen to general USA telecommunications. Second group to listen to pre designated phones and computers. Third group with the voice recognition capacity. It has 2 HPCs given by PRC. Operated now with the cooperation of PRC’s military personnel. It used to work with Russian satellites. Now it operates with PRC’s satellites. It can interfere USA computer networks, and affect power systems, telecommunication systems, emergency systems, financial activities, and several other critical infrastructures.


II. PASEO BETWEEN 11 and 13, La Habana.

Dedicated to transmission and reception of radio waves. Estimated cost: $60 millions. Radio and TV Marti interference headquarters are located here. Capacity to interfere radio telecommunications in USA, mainly in airports and strategic places.


III. COJIMAR ELECTRONIC COMPLEX

Located in La Habana del Este. Estimated Cost: $20 millions. Work on electronic experiments, such as HERF.


IV. WAJAY ELECTRONIC BASE

Located in Wajay, La Habana. Estimated Cost: $15 millions. Weather change research. Radio interference. More than 100 very high antennas.


V. SANTIAGO DE CUBA ELECTRONIC FARM

Very similar to the Wajay farm. Located in Santiago de Cuba, extreme east of Cuba. EstimatedCost: $10 millions. 80 very high antennas

Cuba has provided Iran with sensitive intelligence from the Bejucal Base. Also, Cuba has provided important services, like the jamming of TV signals transmitted to Iran from the United States. It is estimated that Cuba gets approximately $ 100 million dollars /year since mid 1998 to present date for intelligence information, services, and training of Iranian engineers and technicians at the Bejucal Base.


APPENDIX I

(Wire Service from May,2001)

www. khamenei. de/news/2001

May 01

Cuban President Fidel Castro met with the Supreme Leader (10.5.2001) Tehran, May 10 - The visiting Cuban President Fidel Castro met with the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Khamenei on Wednesday. In the meeting, Ayatollah Khamenei stressed the Islamic Republic of Iran regards any struggle and resistance against the arrogance as righteous. Touching on vast commom ground between Iran and Cuba in various areas including standing up to the US, Ayatollah Khamenei said the Iranian nation feels attached to the Cuban nation because of its resistance against the US bullying behaviour since this is considered a value according to Islamic principles. Ayatollah Khamenei noted religion should be at the service of man and his needs, expressing regret that Christian Leadership is indifferent towards justice as man's most important need. "Religious thought is one based on a profound philosophy and strong logic and the reason for the US hostility towards the Islamic Republic of Iran is the practical effects of the Islamic thought in the world," the Supreme Leader told the Cuban presiden t. Ayatollah Khamenei stressed the role of the Islamic thought in filling the spiritual vacuum in the world today and the special importance Islam attaches to justice. The Supreme Leader remarked the key to the steadfastness of the Islamic Revolution of Iran is people's belief in Islamic concepts and thought. On his part, Fidel Castro expressed delight over his visit to Iran, which he described as the world's spiritual center. Castro told Ayatollah Khamenei that his remarks on Islam and religious concepts have greatly impressed him. Castro termed the bullying practices of the West, specially the US, as uncivilized despite superficial propaganda. "The Iranian and Cuban nations can cooperate with each other to ground the US," he concluded.

Ayatollah Khamenei, Fidel Castro Meet (9.5.2001)Tehran, May 9, IRNA -- Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei met with the visiting Cuban President Fidel Castro Wednesday afternoon. Ayatollah Khamenei in the meeting referred to the foundations of the Iranian nation's Islamic beliefs and the role their strong belief in God played in their firm resistance against the global arrogance, particularly the US hegemony. "It is based on such beliefs and mentality that the Islamic Republic of Iran regards any resistance against arrogance in the world as a righteous move," said the Iranian Supreme Leader. Highlighting the numerous commonalties between Iran and Cuba, including resistance against the US global hegemony, Ayatollah Khamenei said, "our resistance against the US hegemony is based upon our Islamic beliefs, since in Islam, resistance against injustice is a value. The Iranian leader elaborated that the main objective of religions is being at the service of the mankind and fulfillment of the people's needs. He said that Islamic logic is today capable of answering the mankind's demands of the day. Ayatollah Khamenei meanwhile criticized the Christian churches of the day for remaining often silent or indifferent when they encounter injustice, while observing justice is the highest need of the mankind. The supreme Iranian leader further remarked that the Islamic mentality has eliminated the spiritual gap from which the mankind suffered today. He also stressed the utmost importance that Islam attaches to observing justice at all circumstances and under any condition. Ayatollah Khamenei added, "authentic religious thoughts are based on a deep philosophy and a strong logic and the main reason why the US administrations are at odds with the Islamic Republic of Iran is the practical effects of the Islamic mentality on the world masses' minds. He also said that the secret of the Islamic Revolution's successful resistance against the US pressures is the people's religious mentality, based on which "we consider the American regime as an arrogant power, seeking a unipolar world, to which we seriously object." Reiterating that the American regime is weak and extremely vulnerable today, the Ayatollah stressed, "the US grandeur is quite fragile today and if that objective is materialized, it is a great service rendered to the mankind, including the American nation." Ayatollah Khamenei assured Fidel Castro that Iran and Cuba can achieve that goal, hand in hand.

During the meeting, attended also by Iran's President Seyed Mohammad Khatami, President Castro expressed his heartfelt delight over his presence in Iran, which he said is a valuable, divine country.

Fidel Castro said that Iran is the center of spirituality in the world today and told Ayatollah Khamenei that his words on Islam and religious values had deeply impressed him. Terming the western approach towards different civilizations and religions as discriminating, Castro said in the West high budgets are allocated to projects aimed at deviation of the mankind's minds from the sheer truths and realities. Castro denounced the Western hegemony and said that the West, and particularly the US administrations, despite their vast propaganda, acts in a totally uncivilized manner. He agreed with Ayatollah Khamenei on the point that the US is extremely weak today, adding, "we are today eye-witness to their weakness, as their close neighbors." The Cuban President further stressed, "we are not scared of America today, and the Cuban nation is stronger than ever in the past, forty years after the victory of its revolution."

He once again agreed with Ayatollah Khamenei on the point that Iran and Cuba can hand in hand defeat America. The 74-year-old Cuban leader, (presently 77 years old) leading a ranking delegation of officials and businessmen, arrived here Monday night on his first-ever visit to Tehran for a three-day stay. His visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran is mainly aimed at expanding ties between the two nations, in addition to drafting the future scheme of the G-77 of developing nations, whose presidency is currently held by Tehran. Castro has already held talks with President Mohammad Khatami and Parliamentary Speaker Mehdi Karroubi. The two countries have always enjoyed strong cordial relations and Cuba has always backed the Islamic Republic's stances at international scenes.


APPENDIX II

Iranian news agency IRNA - Madrid –

Minister of Science, Research andTechnology, Motafa Mo'in in a meeting with his Cuban counterpart Rosa Elena Simeon have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on expansion of scientific and research cooperation between the two countries, it was reported on Sunday.

After his three-day visit to Cuba, the Iranian minister arrived in Madrid on Saturday. Speaking to IRNA, he said the MOU will prepare the grounds for mutual scientific and research cooperation. The visit is to help broaden cooperation between the two developing countries, he said, underlining that expansion of scientific and technological cooperation is considered as "vital" in the new era. Establishing bilateral ties at various fields such as expansion of cooperation at scientific and technological fields among the developing countries can bring achievements for the South countries to benefit from the experience of others in meeting their requirements.

Highlighting the revolutionary record of Cuba in dealing with despotism and its justice seeking spirits which solely depends on domestic resources, he underlined that Iran attaches significant importance to its relation with Cuba.

Underlining the investment made by Cuba in human resources in education, research and innovation, he said the two countries can benefit from each other's experiences. Highlighting the two countries stands on global issues, he underlined the efforts of universities and academicians in both countries at the global level for various cultural, political and technological issues which can leave positive effects.

Referring to his meeting with the Cuban leader Fidel Castro, he said they discussed the Cuban development at scientific, technological and technical fields. In the meeting, they also discussed the recent US threats against Iran and Cuba and underlined the two sides' close stands in defending their ideals.


APPENDIX III

Iran’s Nuclear Program

Why would Iran, a country that has some of the world’s largest reserves of fossil fuels, need an extensive, multibillion-dollar program of nuclear development? The determination of this country to build nuclear power plants has aroused wide suspicion.

What is it like to live in a world in which the materials and technology for making nuclear weapons are freely traded? We are in the midst of finding out. Earlier this year, investigators determined that Pakistani scientist A.Q. Khan sold some of the technologies he used to build Pakistan’s nuclear bomb to several governments that had long sought atomic bombs, including Iran. Clearly, the threat of the casual use of nuclear weapons and of nuclear terrorism has been catapulted from the abstract to the alarmingly concrete.

A series of revelations and new findings during last year has left little doubt that Iran has been secretly engaged in an extensive program aimed at making and working with material that can be used in nuclear weapons. The Iranians have been assembling the nuclear wherewithal with a speed and determination not seen since the heyday of Iraq’s nuclear weapons programs of the 1980s.

Iran’s quest-biological center and nuclear development-occurring in a region radically transformed by global terrorist networks and suicide tactics, which are fueled by deep-rooted hatreds, tests the will of the international community to block development of WMDs.

North Korea’s leader Kim Jong II started to barter the country’s advanced missile technology for nuclear know-how. Reportedly, it has sent missiles to Cuba, via Iraq. Also, so many North Korean missile scientists are in Iran today that a beach resort was built for them.

It is the International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA, that must determine whether drastic international action is necessary-a job that is stretching its resources and resourcefulness to the limit. Since the 1991 Gulf War, the agency has been quietly transforming itself, as fast as a bureaucracy of 2200 can, to burnish a reputation tarnished by its failure in the 1980s to detect Hussein,s once – huge secret nuclear weapons program, as well as its failure not only to alert the international community regarding the Juragua nuclear plant defects in Cuba, but providing Cuba with over $18 million between 1992-1998.

Effective handling of the Iran case will depend heavily on cooperation between the IAEA and the United States. IEAE director Mohamed ElBaradei and President George Bush met on March 17, 2004, to lash out differences and strategize.

The IAEA’s key findings about Iran are in reports released in March 2004 and November 2003, with the next important one due this month. In November, the IAEA concluded that Iran’s nuclear program consists of practically everything needed to fuel a reactor or in effect to produce materials for bombs, including uranium mining and milling, conversion, enrichment, fuel fabrication, and heavy water production.

Furthermore, following up allegations firs made by IRANIAN DISSIDENTS the year before, Iran has now acknowledge that it has been developing, for 18 years, a uranium centrifuge enrichment program, and, for 12 years, a laser enrichment program. Iran has conducted some nuclear activities secretly because they are under economic embargo and subject to preemptive strikes, they have received much assistance, paid by Iran, from Planta Mecanica, in Cuba.as far as aluminum cylinders to enrich uranium.

The critical elements of Iran’s nuclear program include not just the enrichment plants at Natanz but also plants to start building this next month (July, 2004), a 30-40 MW natural-uranium-fueled, heavy-water research reactor, with all associated equipment.

This situation is more dangerous than ever, not only because of Cuba’s geographic proximity to the United States, but because terrorist groups like Osama Bin Laden’s Al Qaeda and Hezbollah, led by Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah are pursuing apocalyptic ends.


CONCLUSION:

Iran and Cuba have been involved in terrorist activities, where Cuba has been paid by Iran with dollars and oil . Cuba has been selling the oil in the world market.


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