'Iran planning to attack US bases in Germany'

Confidential document leaked to German paper claims authorities arrested German businessman on suspicion that he helped plan strike against dozens of US Air Force bases in western Germany

Assaf Uni|Published: 12.01.11 , 15:27

Officials in the German government said Iran will try to target US military bases located in Germany, if Washington launches an attack against its nuclear program in Tehran, German newspaper Bild reported on Thursday.

According to the paper, the German security services held an investigation against a German businessman who is suspected of having secret ties with the Iranian Embassy in Berlin, and helping to plan an attack on American Air Force bases located in the country.

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The aim of the attack, the report noted, is to thwart American logistic activities needed in order to carry out a military operation against Iranian nuclear facilities.

In a confidential document leaked to the paper, the German chief prosecutor's office claimed that the businessman is suspected of involvement in "espionage and sabotage" activities. The paper estimated that the suspect engaged in intelligence gathering for possible attacks on dozens of American military bases in western Germany.

According to the report, potential targets included airstrips in military bases that serve the US army and NATO forces.

The release of the report comes a day after Germany recalled its ambassador in Tehran, following the storming of the British Embassy on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, EU governments agreed on Thursday to add about 180 people and entities to its sanctions on Iran, an EU official said.

The ratcheting up of pressure on Iran follows a Nov. 8 report by the International Atomic Energy Agency which presented intelligence suggesting Iran had worked on designing an atomic bomb and may still be secretly carrying out related research, something Tehran denies.