White House says no evidence yet linking Iran president-elect to 1979 hostage crisis News
White House says no evidence yet linking Iran president-elect to 1979 hostage crisis

[JURIST] A White House spokesman acknowledged Friday that the administration had so far turned up no evidence to support allegations that Iranian president-elect Mahmoud Ahmadinejad [Wikipedia profile] played a role of the 1979 Iranian takeover [BBC backgrounder] of the US embassy in Tehran. Ahmadinejad was elected president [JURIST report] just over one week ago amidst reports by former US hostages that he was involved [JURIST report] in capturing and interrogating hostages during the 1979-1981 crisis. Two Iranians who led the embassy invasion have said that Ahmadinejad, a founding member of the Office to Foster Unity which planned the takeover, did not take part in the seizure and was against it until it was actually carried out. The CIA is involved in investigating the allegations and White House spokesman Scott McClellan said it will "continue to look into it to establish the facts." Reuters has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Charlemagne crowned Holy Roman Emporer

On December 25, 800 A.D., Charlemagne was crowned Holy Roman Emperor by Pope Leo III in Rome, Italy. During his lifetime, Charlemagne united most of Western Europe for the first time since the fall of the Western Roman Empire. He is credited with spreading the rule of law throughout his dominions as well as starting the French and German monarchies.

President Andrew Johnson pardoned Confederates

On December 25, 1868, President Andrew Johnson granted an unconditional pardon to all who had been involved in "insurrection or rebellion" during the US Civil War.