FNA - Iran�s Judiciary Chief Seyed Ebrahim Rayeesi strongly criticized Washington and Europe for supporting and sheltering terrorists, including the ringleader of US-based anti-Iran terrorist group Tondar (Thunder), Jamshid Sharmahd, who was recently arrested by the Iranian security forces.

�Today, it is a question for everyone how the countries which claim to support human rights have turned into a safe place of refuge for the world terrorists, and the US and Europe nourish and support those who have shed the blood of innocent people in different parts of the world,� Rayeesi said, addressing the Judiciary officials in Tehran on Monday.

�It has been clear to the world people that the US and Europe are the biggest violators of human rights,� he added.

Rayeesi said that the most hated government among the nations in the world is the hegemonic system in the US.

Elsewhere, he appreciated the Iranian security forces for detention of Sharmahd who was sheltered by the US for years.

Iran announced on Saturday that it has captured Sharmahd.

Sharmahd, who guided the armed and sabotage acts against Iran from the US, was arrested in complicated operations by the Iranian security forces and is now in the hands of the country�s intelligence ministry, a statement by the ministry said.

Tondar, or the Kingdom Assembly of Iran, also known as Soldiers of the Kingdom Assembly of Iran, is an armed terrorist royalist group seeking to overthrow the ruling government and restore the monarchy in Iran.

Tondar claimed responsibility for the 2008 Shiraz explosion at the Hosseynieh Seyed al-Shohada in which 14 people, including children, were killed and 215 others were injured.

Mohammad-Reza Ali Zamani and Arash Rahmanipour, accused of being members of the terrorist group, were arrested and tried for the bombing. In January 2010, they were executed for waging war against God and attempting to overthrow the Islamic Republic.

Tondar had also plotted for several other terrorist acts in Iran in recent years, including blowing up Sivand dam in Shiraz, detonating cyanide bombs at Tehran book exhibition and explosion of bombs during general ceremonies at late Imam Khomeini�s shrine. All these terrorist plots were foiled by the Iranian security forces.