Iran says West behind attacks on its embassies TEHRAN, Iran (AP) Iran on Monday de mandod the extradition of rebels who attacked Its. diplomatic missions and accused Iho W«*l of trying to undermine Tehran as it prepares for parliamentary election* this week Tho elections Friday uri‘ i onsidered r.rut la! for President Hasheml Kafsnnjanl as he struggles to gam control over hard-line opponents in parliament and continue his policy of opening Iran to the West Tehran radio said the attar ks on missions in New York. Ottawa and at ross Europe were part of a "« air ulated plot by arrogance (the West) anti its mercenaries' to undercut the legitimacy of Iran's elections Iranian official* tear that the rift ...between Rafsanjani and the hard liners i oultl tn exploited hv disaffec ted groups The foreign Ministry in Tehran summoned several European ambassadors to deliver a stern protest-over the attar ks Norway and (lermanv apologized to Iran for the damages while Sweden said demonstrators who were not citizens may he ex pulled, allhough not to Iran Swedish-law prevents deportation of a person to a country where he may fat e the death penalty The attacks followed Iran's bombing Sunday of a Imsc of the Baghdad harked Iranian rt'liel Mu|ahedeen Khali) inside Iraq Teh ran said the rairl was to retaliate lor a cross border Mujahcdren at tar k on Iranian villages S.itunlay In New York, Iraq protested the air raid anti asked the I N Set u r11v ('nuncil to lake action against the Iranian "aggression " Iran. ,iIm) in ,i letter lo Ini' (.mini ;il, 11roli•*>l«-i 1 Itu* embassy attar ss On Sunday. Iranian dissidents rampaged through embassies in (lertniiny. flritain. I'ninoe. Sweden. Norway, Canada. the Nether' hinds. Switzerland and the Iranian mission al the l Tilted Nations to protest Iran's air raid State-run media said several diplomats and other embassy staff were injured The f oreign Ministry i ailed for extradition of those responsible and deni.mded eotnpensatlon for damage The f oreign Ministry warned Iraq to (.ease sup|>ort lor the Mu|u herleen, which has lieen based in lrai| since it was expelled from Trance In 1‘JHfi In responsi1 to Iranian pressure Iranians interviewed al random on the street were not sure whether they believed reports of either the cross-border Mujuhe deen incursion or the Iranian air raid Into Iraq This is the lirsi I've heard of u .aid .1 JH vrar-old Iran-lraq war veteran who gave only his first name. Abbas "But if the Mujahe deen attar ked. then Iran has every right to bomb their liases Chairman notes rocky Israeli ties WASHINGTON (API — The Republican Party chairman told a Jewish political action committee on Mond.iv that the Bush administration's rocky relations with Israel are temporary and praised the country's restraint during the Persian Gulf War "Right now, the average American lew probably feels more al home with the Demo cratic Parly than the Republi can Party." GOP chairman Rich Bond acknowledged in « speech to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee "1 know your community is angry, frustrated and nervous Bui i hope this will pass over the nest few months as differ ences art? resolved Ron Drown, chairman of the Democratic. Party, also ad dressed tho gathering He painted hi* party as the morn consistent ally of Israel and said that nation's security hinged on ousting Bush Echoing some themes of Democratic front-runner Bill Clinton. Brown said the Bush administration is about for getting dose friends About embr.ii ing undeserving fix’s " Clinton last week slammed the administration for public ly attacking Israel's policy of establishing settlements In disputed territory and being ungrateful for its decision not to retaliate against Iraqi mis sile attac ks during the war Bond said thul "lime and again, Israel has been asked to do what few other countries have been asked to do." As for relations with tho ad ministration, which Is trying to hold hack S10 billion in loan guarantees until Israel agrees to slop building new settlements in Israeli-occu pied territory. Bond said they will be smoothed out "Our friendship is too deeply rooted, the mutual re spect too grounder!, our val ues tot) similar for our rela tionship to he damaged by this difference,” he said. Brown said the settlement issue should not be linked to the loan guarantee ' Israel has always paid its debts.” Brown said. Bond maintained that his parly has acted more deci sively to quash anti-Semitic candidates, including cam paigning against former Ku Klux Klansman David Duke Baptist church endorses gay preacher CHAPEL HILL. NC (AP) - A homosexual mnn lic ensed to preach by a Southern Baptist c hurch said Monday he struggled for years before he real ized he c ould be Ixith gay and Baptist "I grew up as