Washington, June 24: The United States has said that news of Iran's effort to identify members of terrorist network al-Qaeda was a positive move by Tehran. If media reports prove accurate, "such a move by the Iranians could be a positive step," said State Department spokesman Philip Reeker.
"The next critical step, we think, is that Iran turn over those it claims to have in custody to third countries, as well as to apprehend any other al-Qaeda members inside Iran," Reeker said.
The spokesman said Washington believed "senior al-Qaeda leaders are in Iran and we've called on Iran to turn those people over."
Iranian government spokesman Abdollah Ramezanzadeh said yesterday that some al-Qaeda members arrested in Iran had been identified but had refused to give any information about themselves, including the position they held within the organization.
Washington suspects Iran-based al-Qaeda members are implicated in last month's terrorist attacks on the Saudi capital.
Iranian leaders said that a handful of members of Osama bin Laden's network were arrested before the attacks in Riyadh on May 12, which killed 35 people including nine US citizens. Bureau Report