Intelligence agencies have reportedly discovered an underground Iranian terrorist group sending members to Turkey to attack Jews, Israelis and Western targets. The organization, known as ‘Unit 400,’ is said to be part of the Al Quds Brigade.
Sky News reported an intelligence source who said that the unit "has been developing in the last few months a standing operating procedure for carrying out an attack in Turkey against western targets as well as Israeli and Jewish. It is our firm assessment that these procedures are in a very advanced stage, and that the intention is to act on the plans very soon."
The Supreme Leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei is said to control the Quds Force through his close ally Qassem Suleiman.
"He runs the whole thing - directly. [Mahmoud] Ahmedinajad [the Iranian president] makes all the noise and gets the attention but it's the Supreme Leader who is in charge of what is going on especially when it comes to international operations," said a senior intelligence official.
“It is our firm assessment that these procedures are in a very advanced stage, and that the intention is to act on the plans very soon,” the source added.
A secret study conducted by a foreign intelligence agency explained, "Unit 400 is a top-secret ‘special ops’ unit within the elite overseas wing of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Qods Force (IRGC-QF). It plans and carries out terror attacks on external targets, and provides material support to foreign militia groups, at the direct behest of the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. This is in accordance with the regime's core strategic considerations about how best to challenge perceived enemies in Israel and the west - through asymmetric warfare - and to cope with mounting international pressure over its nuclear programme."
According to the report, the sources cited evidence showing that Unit 400 was given instructions to carry out more frequent and more daring attacks around the world as a demonstration of ‘Iran's asymmetric power,’ Zee News reported.
The planned attacks are said to come in response to the growing threat of an Israeli strike on Iranian nuclear facilities.