Manouchehr Farhangi-Manoucher Farhangi- منوچهر فرهنگي

One of the first Spanish articles on the murder of the Iranian monarchist, Manouchehr Farhangi, in Spain. Probably the most important, thus far.

A taxi key to the murder of Iranian in La Moraleja (Spain)
ABC (Spain)
March 21, 2008

It was an Iranian woman. And the National Police are looking for her in connection with the stabbings that killed her compatriot, the 82 year old Manouchehr Farhangi, at the gates of his residence in La Moraleja on Wednesday. This much was confirmed by a witness, who stated that the woman fled in a taxi after committing the aggression, and got rid of the coat she was wearing. Apparently, she had arrived in the same car.

The investigation has been taken over by the Group X of the Homicide Squad of Spain’s Judicial Police. The incident occurred at 12:30 on the 19th. The bell rang in the cottage, located at 12 La Cuesta de la Sierra, a quiet, little transited area, located in the affluent neighborhood of urbanizations of the municipality.

The female victim, who was found in the house, had been concerned why her husband, who had gone to open the door, had not returned. Coming through the garden down to the main entrance of the estate, situated a few hundred meters from the house, she was shocked by what she saw: Her husband lying badly injured, with a knife in the abdomen and a wound on his forearm, a defense wound in his attempt to protect himself or repel the attack.

Farhangi was treated and stabilized by an ambulance unit, his condition very serious because the stab wounds had affected his kidney. He died hours later on the operating table at the La Paz hospital, where he had been taken.

A key to the case lies in locating the taxi supposedly used by the aggressor---a young woman, as stated by a witness---and finding out what route was taken. As it appears, she had asked him to stop at some distance from the house, and after perpetrating the attack, ran back towards the car (without revealing what had happened), and departed to an unknown location, but not before changing her short coat to avoid being recognized.

In addition to the recordings made by the cameras of the municipality, the police are looking at those made by the surveillance camera of the house itself. They’re also searching the vicinity for more evidence to help clarify the case.

Another outstanding issue is to try to determine whether the suspect is the same woman who got into an argument with the victim on Tuesday evening, during the celebration of an Iranian festival [Nowrooz], in the fairgrounds of La Moraleja’s Andalusia Park. The suspect could be the same person who, according to some sources, was hanging posters in favor of [the Islamic Republic] when it caused a row in which several people intervened. If proven true, the motive will be political, since Farhangi left his country after the Islamic [Reaction].

Of the autopsy performed yesterday nothing is known, and the victim’s body will have to remain in the forensics center until at least Saturday, to perform expert tests on the orders of the judge. Among them, possibly finding organic remains from the killer.

UPDATE------------Friday March 28, 2008

Suspect detained in the murder of Manouchehr Farhangi

“Police have ruled out politics and revenge as possible motives for the apparently senseless murder of 82 year old Iranian dissident millionaire, Manouchehr Farhangi, who was stabbed in the abdomen three times at his home in the Hortaleza district of Alcobendas on the outskirts of Madrid on March 19th. He died hours later, shortly after being admitted to La Paz Hospital in Madrid. A 24 year old woman (Edislane TA) who was arrested after trying to stab a second man in the same area later the same day, is being held on charges of murder and attempted murder at Soto del Real jail just outside the capital.”

ABC / Periodista Digital/ ThinkSpain