By Lambe Lamis Table of Contents
Authorities are investigating whether or not the person in custody was there to hurt her, a regulation enforcement official instructed CNN.
In a CNN interview, she stated the Iranian authorities had been focusing on her and her household for her efforts to offer voice to these being oppressed within the nation the place she was born.
“I am not scared (for) my life in any respect as a result of I do know what I am doing. I’ve just one life, and I devoted my life to offer voice to Iranian folks inside Iran who bravely go to the streets — face weapons and bullets to protest towards Iranian regime — however that is taking place in America,” she stated.
Dictators are becoming a member of forces, sharing playbooks, she stated, and if democratic nations do not do the identical, extra Individuals shall be focused. Towards the top of the televised interview, she requested if she may converse on to the Iranian regime.
Dealing with the digicam, her curly hair uncovered and embellished with a flower, she stated, “Go to hell. I am not fearful of you. I’ve just one life. You care about energy. I care about my dignity and freedom like hundreds of thousands of different folks inside Iran. I am not fearful of you. You may kill me, however you can not kill the thought. The thought is simply combating for freedom, dignity.”
Alinejad, a US citizen, then urged President Joe Biden to expel Iranian diplomats within the nation.
“The Iranian regime twice challenged the US authorities on US soil. I should have freedom in america of America. Kick them out. In case you do not, consider me, they will come after extra Americans,” she stated.
FBI informs of her of man with rifle
Alinejad was residence Thursday when federal brokers knowledgeable her in regards to the armed particular person in her Brooklyn neighborhood, she stated.
“I used to be instructed by the FBI to keep away from your property,” Alinejad instructed CNN on Sunday. “I used to be shocked. I could not even consider it. I used to be telling myself, ‘If I opened the door, what was I going to do?’ “
Officers with the New York Police Division arrested Khalid Mehdiyev on Thursday as he drove away from the Brooklyn neighborhood after he didn’t cease at a cease signal, in accordance with a federal felony criticism. NYPD officers discovered he was driving with out a license as a result of it had been suspended, the criticism says.
Police later discovered within the again seat of his car a suitcase containing a “Norinco AK-47-style assault rifle … loaded with a spherical within the chamber and {a magazine} hooked up, together with a separate second journal, and a complete of roughly 66 rounds of ammunition,” the criticism says. Officers additionally discovered $1,100 in $100 payments, the criticism says.
He’s charged with possessing a firearm with an “obliterated” serial quantity, the criticism says. Mehdiyev is about to be again in court docket August 12. His legal professional, Stephanie Marie Carvlin, instructed CNN the protection has no remark at this stage within the case.
Regulation enforcement officers noticed Mehdiyev, a Yonkers resident, within the Brooklyn neighborhood on two events final week and likewise found he had been issued a parking ticket in the identical neighborhood the week earlier than, on July 23, in accordance with the criticism.
On Thursday morning, Mehdiyev drove a grey Subaru Forester SUV and stayed within the space for a number of hours the place he “behaved suspiciously,” the criticism states. On one event, Mehdiyev received out and in of his automotive a number of instances, ordered meals supply to his automotive and approached a house within the neighborhood — the place Alinejad resides — peering contained in the home windows and attempting to open the entrance door, the criticism says.
Following his arrest, police additionally recovered two license plates with totally different numbers and from totally different states than the Illinois tag on the Subaru, the criticism says.
Mehdiyev, in accordance with the criticism, instructed authorities his hire in Yonkers was too excessive, and he was visiting Brooklyn to search out an condo. The money was for a lodge room, and he approached the house within the Brooklyn neighborhood as a result of he supposed to ask if the homeowners would possibly hire him a room, earlier than altering his thoughts, the criticism says he instructed investigators. The Subaru was borrowed, and he didn’t know the suitcase — which he stated was not his — contained a rifle, he initially instructed investigators, in accordance with the criticism.
The suspect later instructed brokers “the AK-47 was his, and that he had been in Brooklyn as a result of he was searching for somebody,” earlier than invoking his proper to counsel, the criticism says.
‘My stepchildren dwell in the identical home’
Alinejad was on a Zoom name with the chairman of the Human Rights Basis, Garry Kasparov, and Venezuelan politician and opposition chief Leopoldo López when she discovered in regards to the armed particular person, she stated.
The trio was discussing how they will unite, because the Russian, Venezuelan and Iranian “dictators” are doing, she stated Monday.
Alinejad shared a safety video on Twitter displaying the person she says federal brokers instructed her was the identical man arrested by police Thursday.
“These are the scary scenes capturing a person who tried to enter my home in New York with a loaded gun to kill me,” she tweeted, although no gun could be seen within the picture. “Final 12 months the FBI stopped the Islamic Republic from kidnapping me. My crime is giving voice to unvoiced folks. The US administration should be powerful on terror.”
She retains watching the video, pondering, “Wow,” she instructed CNN on Monday.
“My stepchildren dwell in the identical home, and simply think about if the man had opened hearth. Who is aware of what number of of my neighbors would’ve been killed? My lovely and supportive neighbors,” she stated.
Alinejad has spoken month-to-month with federal brokers for the reason that alleged kidnapping try final 12 months, she stated.
“I actually thought that the plot was over. I assumed, ‘OK, I can deal with my job’ — which I’m going to do. Nothing goes to cease me,” she stated. “I see this because the continuation of attempting to maintain Iranian ladies down.”
A voice for the ‘unvoiced’
Alinejad, who steadily shares images and movies of what she calls “unvoiced” Iranian ladies via her social media accounts, says Iranian officers lately warned her about her activism.
A spokesperson for Iran’s Headquarters for Promotion of Advantage and Prevention of Vice introduced in July anybody who sends movies to Alinejad relating to the hijab or commits different anti-government actions is topic to a sentence of as much as 10 years in jail.
Alinejad stated the Iranian authorities has additionally pressured ladies to publicly denounce her for her work.
“I haven’t got any weapon. My weapon is that this. My weapon is my cellular, and I’ve images on my Instagram and my social media, I publish the movies of Iranian moms. The Iranian regime killed their sons. I simply give them voice. I give voice to those ladies,” she stated.
The regime has jailed her brother, introduced her sister onto TV to disown her and interrogated her mom “for hours and hours” to punish her, she stated.
“I haven’t got any enemy. I am not a felony so, after all, that is the Iranian regime,” she instructed CNN. “When the US authorities doesn’t take robust motion, after all, they really feel extra highly effective to proceed this. I see this as a sample, a continuation of oppressing ladies, oppressing dissidents exterior Iran.”
CNN’s Liam Reilly, Brianna Keilar and John Avlon contributed to this report.
https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/31/us/iranian-journalist-masih-alinejad-man-arrested-ak-47/index.html