Former Iranian minister 'may have been kidnapped' by West

Western intelligence services have been accused of kidnapping a former Iranian deputy defence minister who went missing in Turkey.

Ali Reza Asgari was on a personal trip and vanished after arriving in Turkey from Damascus, Iranian police chief Ismail Ahmadi-Moghaddam was quoted as saying.

"It is possible that former deputy defence minister Asgari was kidnapped by Western intelligence services because of his Defence Ministry background," Ahmadi-Moghaddam said.

"He went missing after three days stay in Turkey. Police inquiries show he has not left Turkey," he said, adding there was no indication Mr Asgari had died or had been hospitalised.

Turkish media reports said Mr Asgari (63) went missing after checking into an Istanbul hotel on February 7th.

Turkish newspaper Milliyet, citing unnamed officials, said Turkish intelligence and police had found Mr Asgari opposed the Iranian government and had information on its nuclear plans.

The West says Iran's nuclear programme is a covert attempt to make atomic bombs, a charge which Tehran denies.

Turkish daily Hurriyetsaid last month two foreigners had gone to the reception of an Istanbul hotel on February 6th to make a room reservation for Mr Asgari for three nights; they paid in cash. He checked into the hotel on February 7th and later disappeared.

Israeli security experts gave some credence to the accusation that Western intelligence agencies kidnapped Mr Asgari but also suggested the missing man had defected.

"A man with nuclear information would be a valuable asset for the CIA and Mossad," said Alon Ben-David, Israel analyst for Jane's Defence Weekly. "He could be worth kidnapping, despite the risks."

But a Mossad veteran cast doubt over such a scenario. "Espionage kidnappings went out of style after the Cold War," said Gad Shimron, a former Mossad field agent. "I doubt anyone wants that level of escalation at this point in time."

Agencies