Following the arrest of alleged Holocaust denier Frederick Töben early last month in London, the Iranian official news agency IRNA published, on October 29, 2008 a two-part article, titled "West's Treatment with Critics of Holocaust is Shameful."
Following is the article in full, in the original English[1]:
Part I
"Those Who Claim There Was Mass Killing and Slaughter of Six Million Jews by Germans During WWII in Europe – Should Have At Least Appropriate Documents to Prove It"
"[The] persecution, conviction, and imprisonment of scientists and independent intellectuals [is] prevalent in the West, Secretary of World Foundation on Reviewing Holocaust Mohammad Ali Ramin said on Wednesday.
"Ramin said [that the] arrest of Fredrick Gerald Töben, in early October 2008 in London airport for criticizing the nature and effects of [the] Holocaust has worried the world['s] independent scholars and intellectuals.
"Dr. Töben is an independent researcher and thinker in the field of 'Contemporary History of Europe,' and also is the member of the International Fact-Finding Committee of Holocaust, and is the founder of 'World Foundation for Reviewing Holocaust' who believes just like others that Holocaust dossier should be re-examined and re-surveyed.
"Who should be condemned? Don't you think that those who claim there has been mass killing and slaughter of six million Jews by Germans during the Second World War in Europe should have at least appropriate documents to prove it? Or perhaps that the researchers and those who make interrogation and inquiries should be condemned or punished?
"Indeed, what was the crime of scholars and scientists such as Ernst Zuendel, David Irving, Prof. Robert Fourisson, Prof. Roger Garaudy, George Theil, Wolfgand Fröhlich, Gerald Hornish, Siegfried Verbeke, Horst Mahler, Vincent Reymouard, Juergen Graf, Fredrick Töben, Sylvia Stolz, Pedro Varela, Germar Rudolf, and... or other scholars, scientists, lawyers, people's representatives, and Western citizens? What exactly are the European politicians doing by expanding unfounded allegations and falsified and unsubstantiated ideas or preventing the expansion of any liberal ideas of researchers for finding the truths – except trying to encourage people to accept what they have quoted in the press and mass media regarding [the] Holocaust."
"Psychological War Against Those Who Seek [T]he Truths Regarding [The] Holocaust... Will Lead To Further Problems For Zionism?"
"Is it possible that by suppression of independent researchers and intellectuals, they try to pursue Western societies to accept the arbitrary and despotic claims concerning [the] Holocaust? Does this mean that by the dismissal of critic scientists and scholars from scientific centers or by discharge of liberal intellectuals from European judicial, executive and legislative powers who protest against Holocaust, all the claims concerning Holocaust could be true? Or will [this] create further stability for these countries?
"Don't you think that psychological war against those who seek [t]he truths regarding [the] Holocaust, or persecution, torture and trial of intellectuals, or arrest and imprisonment of political activists, and negation of those who protest against foreign domination over Europeans' destiny, will lead to further problems for Zionism? What is going on today in Germany, Austria, France, Belgium and Switzerland against truth-seeking individuals and people who fight 'Zionist Domination?' Nothing rather than creating fear. But this trend would further divert the 'detest against Israel Zionism dominating over Europe and America' towards 'detest against Jewish and Judaism.' (to be continued...)"
Part II
"Is It Possible to Construct Prisons Worse than Guantanamo All Over Europe for Capturing Those Who Are Against [the] Domination of Israel and [the] U.S.?"
"According to the experiences of the last 3,000 years, these kinds of unpleasant acts will lead to further reactions of people against arrogant domineers and tyrannizes.
"Today, Fredrick Töben, who is Australian, would be arrested in London Airport and imprisoned for expressing his views about [the] Holocaust. So what would be the next reaction of liberal Europeans who are against [the] domination of America (the U.S) and Israel?
"Is it possible to construct prisons worse than Guantanamo all over Europe for capturing those who are against [the] domination of Israel and [the] U.S.?
"Is it possible to continue the political serial killings and massacre against opponents of American, Israeli and British domination? Particularly after [the] brutal assassination of Uwe Barschel (prime minister of the province of Schleswig Holstein), Petra Kelly, and General Gerd Bastain (founder of Germany's Green Party), Edwardo Aniely (Muslim martyr intellectual and son of an Italian capitalist), David Kelly (senior expert in the U.K.'s Ministry of War) and, recently, Joerg Haider (the national politician elected by the people of Austria).
"The silence of the press vis-à-vis the imprisonment of significant European scholars and intellectuals who are indeed trying to find the facts, such as Töben, Stols, Hornsik, Rudolf, Forehlich, [and] Zuendel, and [the] conviction of Garaudy, Faurisson, Verbeke, and Reynouard, and others, have made all the knowledgeable people worried regarding the continuation of these cruel acts."
"European Countries... Should Not Sacrifice Their Valuable Ideas Only for [the] Ill-Intended and Unreasonable Demands of the Zionists"
"The question is, if the European intellectuals are arrested and condemned only for expressing their ideas and thoughts, then what would be the conduct of European citizens in the future?
"Don't you think that as a result of these [instances of] suppression, severe punishment, despotism, oppression and assassination, there will be uprising and broad-based violations?
"The World Foundation on Reviewing Holocaust, while expressing its concern vis-à-vis all these events, recommends that all states, parliaments and judicial powers of European countries make their best efforts in order to preserve 'the main European values after medieval ages,' which are: 'freedom of expression' and 'freedom of thought' and 'respect for human rights' and 'democracy.' They should not sacrifice their valuable ideas only for [the] ill-intended and unreasonable demands of the Zionists.
"The World Foundation requests all the politicians, judges, writers, intellectuals and European press to support the independent researchers and critics who follow the dossier of [the] Holocaust, vis-à-vis the accusations of the Zionists and their followers, and to help the International Fact Finding Committee find the truth."
Endnote:
[1] IRNA (Iran), October 29, 2008. The text has been lightly edited for clarity; subheadings added by MEMRI.
