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Downing of Iranian Military Aircraft Over Iraq Sets Off Bizarre Charade
One of the most bizarre incidents in the dramatic history of Iran's current regime occurred in the immediate aftermath of the April 5 air raid into Iraqi territory by between 8 and 13 Iranian Air Force F-4 aircraft. The raid was aimed at the Ashraf Base Camp, one of five military bases in Iraq of the National Liberation Army, the military arm of the People's Mojahedin, a major Iranian opposition group.
The raid took place on what the Iranian attackers had expected to be the first day of the major Islamic holiday, Eid al Fitr, on which Iranian political and military leaders in exile might have been expected to assemble for holiday observances at the military base. Buildings at the base were damaged and one NLA member was killed in the attack. Iraqi warplanes scrambled at the news that Iranian military aircraft were conducting an attack over Iraqi territory, despite the U.N. ban on flights by fixed-wing Iraqi military aircraft.
Instead of being caught off guard in the midst of a military parade or political speeches, however, NLA personnel raised a curtain of anti-aircraft fire over the base, and at least one of the attacking aircraft was heavily damaged.
Within an hour, word reached the Iranian opposition base that two Iranian Air Force pilots had ejected from the damaged F-4, which had crashed in Iraqi territory. Members of the People's...