Iran sentences mosque bombers to death

[Al-zakir]

Updated at: 2124 PST, Saturday, November 29, 2008
TEHRAN: Iran has sentenced to death three men convicted of a mosque bombing which left 14 people dead in the southern city of Shiraz in April.

Prosecutor Ali Akbar Heidari-Far said Mohsen Eslamian, 21, and Ali Asghar Pashtar, 20 -- both university students -- and Rouzbeh Yahyazadeh, 32, would be hanged in Shiraz once the sentence was confirmed by the supreme court.

"A revolutionary court in Tehran has found the three main accused of the case to be 'mohareb' (enemies of God) and 'corrupt on the earth'," he said, without disclosing when the verdict was issued.

The three men were tried over the bombing of a packed mosque during evening prayers in Shiraz and also faced charges of "belonging to a terrorist group," cooperating with hostile armed groups, seeking to overthrow the Islamic system and planning to launch other attacks.

"This verdict has been sent to the supreme court for validation and as soon the confirmation of the sentence returns they are going to be hanged in Shiraz," Heidari-Far added.

According to Iranian penal law, all death sentences have to approved by the supreme court.

"The rest of the accused in this case will be tried later," the prosecutor said.