Al-Qaeda operatives who have been detained for years in Iran have been making their way quietly in and out of the country, raising the prospect that Iran is loosening its grip on the terror group so it can replenish its ranks, former and current US intelligence officials say.

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This movement could indicate that Iran is re-examining its murky relationship with Al-Qaeda at a time when the US is stepping up drone attacks in Pakistan and weakening the group’s leadership.
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