August 22 - Iran's Military Exercise and Apocalyptic Plans for Israel
and World

DEBKAfile Special Report

Washington is keeping a sharp weather eye out for Tuesday, August 22,
which this year corresponds in the Islamic calendar to the date on
which many Sunni Muslims commemorate the night flight of the prophet
Muhammad on his winged horse Buraq to 'the farthest mosque', which is
traditionally identified with Jerusalem.

According to the Muslim legend, on that day, a divine white light
spread over Jerusalem and the whole world.

DEBKAfile's intelligence sources report that information rated 'highly
credible' has reached US undercover agencies of a secret report
presented to Iran's supreme ruler Ali Khamenei by Abdollah Shabhazi,
one of the heads of the Supreme National Security Council. He claims
to expose a mega-terror plot against Jerusalem scheduled for August
22, which aims at killing large numbers of Jews, Arabs and Christians.

This atrocity will reportedly arm the United States and Israel with
the pretext for hitting Iran's nuclear installations, as well its
capital, Tehran, and other big cities.

Shabhazi says the US and Israel need to launch a military campaign 
to restore the deterrent strength they lost in the Lebanon war.

The massive attack will reportedly focus on the Old City of Jerusalem
and its eastern suburbs. The Iranian report claims that the plotters,
who are not identified, are eager to recreate the divine white light
whish spread over Jerusalem in the year 632. It does not rule out the
use of a non-conventional weapon.

DEBKAfile reports that the authorities in Israel do not appear to be
taking this threat seriously, unlike Washington - and Tehran.

Deeply impressed, Iran's rulers launched a large-scale are, sea and
ground exercise Saturday, Aug. 19. The maneuver, dubbed the Blow of
Zolfaghar (the sword used by Imam Ali), involves 12 divisions, army
Chinook helicopters, unmanned planes, parachutists, electronic war
units and special forces. State-run television reported a new anti-
aircraft system was tested 'to make Iranian air space unsafe for our
enemies.'

The massive military exercise will spread over 14 of Iran's 30
provinces and last about five weeks.

DEBKAfile adds: The point of this massive display of might is in fact
to place Iran's armed forces on the ready for the contingency of a 
US-Israeli offensive on August 22 as per Shabhazi's prediction. The
exercise will be moved to Tehran to prepare the capital for a
potential assault.

August 22, furthermore, is also the day of Iran's formal reply to the
incentives packages on offer from the West in return for halting its
uranium enrichment projects.

[...]

Prof. Lewis explains the significance of Aug. 22 and adds ominously:

'This might well be deemed an appropriate date for the apocalyptic
ending of Israel and if necessary of the world. It is far from certain
that Mr. Ahmadinejad plans any such cataclysmic events precisely for
Aug. 22. But it would be wise to bear the possibility in mind.'

[...]

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Full article at "Raiders News Updates"
http://www.raidersnewsupdate.com/lead-story372.htm

Cheers, Steve..

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