UN

MEK terrorist organization previously hampered resettled outside Iraq

In an interview with Ashraf News, the UN Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Political Affairs in Iraq, Georgi Boston said that the delay in re-settling the MEK individuals in

Representative of the President of UNAMI: MEK terrorist organization previously hampered resettled outside Iraq

European countries is because of their former association with terrorist activities. He added that the MEK is illegal in Iraq under the Iraqi constitution.

In an interview in his office in Baghdad, Georgi Boston said that "the United Nations is working earnestly to end the presence of the MEK organization there in coordination with the Iraqi government."

Georgi Boston said that the United Nations Mission discussed with the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) ways to resettle MEK members in other countries, pointing out that interviews will be conducted with residents of Camp Liberty in the coming days.

The UN official revealed that dozens of members of the organization who defected and surrendered to the Iraqi authorities will be given priority in the interview process and that the legal action to resettle them outside Iraq after they obtain refugee status in European countries has been discussed with them.

Georgi Boston strenuously refuted as unfounded accusations that UNAMI and in particular Martin Kobler acted as ‘tools of the Iraqi government to put pressure on the MEK’. He said Martin Kobler had sought from the outset to move individuals of the MEK to Camp Liberty on a voluntary basis, and that this process was overseen throughout by a delegation from the UN. He said the UN worked alongside the Iraqi authorities to fulfill their mutual agreement last year to close Camp Ashraf.

He went on to say that 47 individuals had split off from the MEK after arriving in Camp Liberty and surrendered to the Iraqi authorities. UNAMI had met with them and provided records to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). In addition, there are others who had left the MEK while in Camp Ashraf.

Mr Boston rejected as false the MEK’s claims that after removal from the US terrorism list, the group would be able to stay in Iraq and be granted political asylum status there. He said the Government of Iraq has said this is impossible and asked us to accelerate the removal of the MEK. The MEK was involved in terrorist acts against Iraqis and was used by the former regime as a repressive tool against the Iraqi people.

Asked about the reluctance of some European countries to accept MEK members for resettlement, Mr Boston said that the MEK’s history of terrorist activities was hindering the process, but that the UN mission was working hard to find a solution to this problem. He stressed that in the meantime the UN had information on a daily basis on the status of the situation in Camp Liberty and its residents.

Translated by Iran Interlink

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Mujahedin Khalq Organization

MKO Nearing Death

The terrorist Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO also known as the MEK, PMOI and NCR) is at the end of the road with no hope of return or survival, a senior political analyst said.

"The MKO has reached the end of its rope, and its members know well they have no opportunity either in Iran or in the foreign countries with their outdated group," said Dr. Mohammad Sadeq Koushki in an interview with Habilian Association, a human rights NGO formed of the families of 17000 Iranian terror victims.

His remarks came as the ringleader of the terrorist group, Maryam Rajavi, has embarked on a tour to deliver speeches at the Parliaments of the European countries.

Koushki said MKO’s presence in the parliaments of the European countries is not a new phenomenon, and explained that the group is seeking to "inject hope of survival" into its followers and supporters.

"The US delisting of the grouplet from its roster of terrorist organizations could be since some of its members can be useful (for Washington) in the future," he added.

The faculty member of the Tehran University added that the MKO’s prowling around inside the corridors of the European countries’ parliaments dates back to over 20 years ago, and said, "These vagabondages were merely done to inject hope of survival into their followers."

Koushki underscored that the MKO "has long been expired."

"Although some of its members have managed to take refuge in the European countries and defame the Islamic Republic of Iran, they must accept that there is no hope for them in future," he concluded.

News reports from Camp Liberty, the transient settlement facility of the anti-Iran terrorist Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO also known as the MEK, PMOI and NCR) in Iraq, said that MKO ringleaders fear that members might defect and escape from the Camp en masse.

According to a report by the Iran-based human rights Didehban Center, during the last three weeks at least 9 members of the MKO have managed to escape from Camp Liberty.

Other reports revealed that the members of the terrorist group have disobeyed the orders of Massoud Rajavi, the MKO’s main ringleader, adding that disobedience among the MKO has been on the increase recently.

Also, 300 members of the MKO refrained from signing a written commitment ordered by Rajavi to accompany the terrorist group in any future event.

Many of the MKO members abandoned the terrorist organization while most of those still remaining in the group are said to be willing to quit but are under pressure and torture not to do so.

A May 2005 Human Rights Watch report accused the MKO of running prison camps in Iraq and committing human rights violations.

According to the Human Rights Watch report, the outlawed group puts defectors under torture and jail terms.

The group, founded in the 1960s, blended elements of Islamism and Stalinism and participated in the overthrow of the US-backed Shah of Iran in 1979. Ahead of the revolution, the MKO conducted attacks and assassinations against both Iranian and Western targets.

The group started assassination of the citizens and officials after the revolution in a bid to take control of the newly-established Islamic Republic. It killed several of Iran’s new leaders in the early years after the revolution, including the then President, Mohammad Ali Rajayee, Prime Minister, Mohammad Javad Bahonar and the Judiciary Chief, Mohammad Hossein Beheshti who were killed in bomb attacks by MKO members in 1981.

The group fled to Iraq in 1986, where it was protected by Saddam Hussein and where it helped the Iraqi dictator suppress Shiite and Kurd uprisings in the country.

The terrorist group joined Saddam’s army during the Iraqi imposed war on Iran (1980-1988) and helped Saddam and killed thousands of Iranian civilians and soldiers during the US-backed Iraqi imposed war on Iran.

Since the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, the group, which now adheres to a pro-free-market philosophy, has been strongly backed by neo-conservatives in the United States, who argued for the MKO to be taken off the US terror list.

The US formally removed the MKO from its list of terror organizations in early September, one week after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sent the US Congress a classified communication about the move. The decision made by Clinton enabled the group to have its assets under US jurisdiction unfrozen and do business with American entities, the State Department said in a statement at the time.

In September 2012, the last groups of the MKO terrorists left Camp Ashraf, their main training center in Iraq’s Diyala province. They have been transferred to Camp Liberty which lies Northeast of the Baghdad International Airport.

Camp Liberty is a transient settlement facility and a last station for the MKO in Iraq.

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Mujahedin Khalq; A proxy force

Canada drops Washington backed MKO from blacklist

The Canadian government says it has removed the terrorist Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO) from its blacklist of terrorist organizations.
Canada drops Washington backed MKO from blacklist
Ottawa’s move to delist the MKO terrorist group followed similar moves by the United States and the European Union.

In September, Washington formally removed the MKO from its list of terror organizations one week after US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sent the US Congress a classified communication about the move.

The MKO is responsible for numerous acts of terror and violence against Iranian civilians and officials.

Out of the 17,000 Iranians killed in terrorist attacks since the victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979, 12,000 of them have fallen victim to the acts of terror carried out by the MKO.

The MKO terrorists fled to Iraq in the 1980s, where they had the support of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and set up Camp Ashraf in the eastern province of Diyala near the Iranian border. They even helped Saddam to crush the uprisings of Iraqi Kurds and Shias in the 1990s.

The group acted as a spy apparatus for US forces in Iraq after Saddam’s fall in 2003.

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Mujahedin Khalq; A proxy force

West will probably use MKO in upcoming election in Iran

Chairman of the board of trustees of Iraq media network believes some countries will probably utilize the Mujahedin-e Khalq group in the upcoming presidential election in Iran, just like what they did in 2009.

“Some 1000 kilometers of shared borders between the two countries as well as deep rooted religious and historical ties are very important in the relations between the two sides,” Dr. Hassan Salman said in a meeting with Habilian Association Secretary-General.

Referring to the close ties between Iran and Iraq, he added that no group can affect the social relations between the two countries.

This group was supported by Iran’s enemies such as France and England after the Islamic Revolution,” Hasan Salman said, adding, “and a significant number of this group’s members in Iraq hold citizenship of the two countries.

“Saddam Hussein, without a shadow of a doubt, got the green light to support them militarily to keep Iran busy during the Iraqi-imposed war on Iran.”

Chairman of the board of trustees of the Iraq media network went on to accuse the United Nations of backing MKO, saying “the UN’s activities were at the behest of the US and for supporting the MKO.”

Salman underestimated the US delisting of MKO from its blacklist and said, “United States and some western countries decided to took this group off their terrorist lists, but we say this group is a terrorist group even if the US, France, and west think otherwise.”

“We do have problems with this group; hence they must be expelled from Iraq.” “If the Western countries believe these are not terrorists, take them in their lands, especially because most of them hold western citizenship.”

“The western countries will probably use MKO in both security and political aspects in the upcoming presidential election in Iran, just like the last election,” underscored the Iraqi political analyst.

Finally, Hasan Salman said the incentive behind some Iraqi politicians’ support for MKO is not the group itself, but they support this group because of their anti-Iranian intentions.

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Former members of the MEK

Ex-MKO member slams UK terror support

A former member of the anti-Iranian Mujahedeen-e Khalq Organization (MKO) has denounced Britain and the West for supporting the internationally condemned terrorist group.
former MKO member Massoud Khodabandeh
In an interview with Press TV’s political program ‘The Monarchy’, former MKO member Massoud Khodabandeh pointed out that the anti-Iranian terrorist group would not survive without support from Britain and other Western states.

“I don’t see any terrorist organization capable of continuing, unless somebody wants it. Somebody has got to want this terrorist organization [MKO], somebody has got to finance it and somebody has got to arm it,” Khodabandeh said.

“One of the reasons that I am saying they have support is; not facing them directly to stop their violent activities in the West and to stop their money laundering in the West. When I say money laundering, I have been in it, I have seen it. This is not an unknown concept for the British government”, he added.

This comes as an unnamed British company recently bought the movable property of Camp Ashraf, located in the eastern Iraqi province of Diyala near the Iranian border, worth $25 million. The UK company also plans to buy the former home of the MKO terrorists.

During the interview, Khodabandeh was asked if the MKO terrorists pose a threat to British citizens. The former member replied by referring to the incident in 2003 where two members of the MKO cult died while setting themselves on fire in London, as well as other members of the group carrying out the same act in other European capitals.

“Can you imagine if someone can burn himself or herself by order? It is much easier to kill me,” Khodabandeh warned.

Moreover, Khodabandeh explained that the current members of the MKO at the camp in Iraq are treated like hostages and are denied being up-to-date with modern society such as; not being able to use a mobile phone and not understanding the changes in the language of the people of Iran.

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Human Rights Abuse in the MEK

French Journalist: MKO Members Infected with HIV

French journalist and author Thierry Meyssan said that the country’s government during the presidency of François Mitterrand supplied the anti-Iran terrorist Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization French journalist and author Thierry Meyssan(MKO also known as the MEK, PMOI and NCR) with HIV-infected blood to be injected to defiant members and defectors.

Meyssan made the remarks in an interview with Seyed Mohammad Javad Hasheminejad, the secretary-general of the Habilian Association, a human rights group formed of the families of 17,000 Iranian terror victims.

Meyssan said that during the Iraqi-imposed war on Iran (1980-1988), while he was doing journalistic works and studying operations at blood transfusion centers, he was taken aback by understanding that the infected bloods in France were being given to the MKO instead of being perished.

The MKO claimed that it needs the blood to be injected to its members in case of being injured or sick while the bloods were HIV-infected and caused aggravatingly painful diseases, he said.

"After that I understood François Mitterrand’s wife had ordered the sale of (infected) bloods to the MKO and helped them in this regard," he added.

Many of the MKO members abandoned the terrorist organization while most of those still remaining in the grouplet are said to be willing to quit but are under pressure and torture not to do so.

A May 2005 Human Rights Watch report accused the MKO of running prison camps in Iraq and committing human rights violations.

According to the Human Rights Watch report, the outlawed group puts defectors under torture and jail terms.

The group, founded in the 1960s, blended elements of Islamism and Stalinism and participated in the overthrow of the US-backed Shah of Iran in 1979. Ahead of the revolution, the MKO conducted attacks and assassinations against both Iranian and Western targets.

The group started assassination of the citizens and officials after the revolution in a bid to take control of the newly-established Islamic Republic. It killed several of Iran’s new leaders in the early years after the revolution, including the then President, Mohammad Ali Rajayee, Prime Minister, Mohammad Javad Bahonar and the Judiciary Chief, Mohammad Hossein Beheshti who were killed in bomb attacks by MKO members in 1981.

The group fled to Iraq in 1986, where it was protected by Saddam Hussein and where it helped the Iraqi dictator suppress Shiite and Kurd uprisings in the country.

The terrorist group joined Saddam’s army during the Iraqi imposed war on Iran (1980-1988) and helped Saddam and killed thousands of Iranian civilians and soldiers during the US-backed Iraqi imposed war on Iran.

Since the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, the group, which now adheres to a pro-free-market philosophy, has been strongly backed by neo-conservatives in the United States, who argued for the MKO to be taken off the US terror list.

The US formally removed the MKO from its list of terror organizations in early September, one week after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sent the US Congress a classified communication about the move. The decision made by Clinton enabled the group to have its assets under US jurisdiction unfrozen and do business with American entities, the State Department said in a statement at the time.

In September 2012, the last groups of the MKO terrorists left Camp Ashraf, their main training center in Iraq’s Diyala province. They have been transferred to Camp Liberty which lies Northeast of the Baghdad International Airport.

Camp Liberty is a transient settlement facility and a last station for the MKO in Iraq.

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Mujahedin Khalq; A proxy force

Mojahedin Khalq Trapped in a State of Limbo

The US and its European allies are responsible for MKO’s current state of living in limbo

In his briefing of November 29 to the Security Council, the Special Representative of the The US and its European allies are responsible for MKO’s current state of living in limboSecretary-General (SRSG) for Iraq, Mr. Martin Kobler, stated: “I should like to take this opportunity to reiterate the Secretary-General’s appeal to Member States to offer resettlement opportunities to former residents of Camp Ashraf. Without such an undertaking, there can be no sustainable solution for the residents.”

The statement is clearly taken to imply that, despite unconfirmed rumors, no country has so far announced readiness to accept the members of Mojahedin Khalq Organization (MKO, MEK, PMOI, NCR) as refugees. The unanimous reluctance to receive MKO is in fact a negative response to the call for a durable and workable solution to the issue of residents’ resettlement. Although it has led the process to a standstill, at the first look it seems it is MKO that benefits the situation most of all as it never intended to leave Iraq and is doing its best, through a widespread propaganda, to grab at a chance of turning the transitory camp into a permanent camp of refugees. The consequence, however, might lead to a serious crisis hard to handle since the Iraqi government is decisive to banish the group. But the basic question that goes unanswered is why countries resist letting MKO on their soil?

For sure, there are sound reasons behind this universal unwillingness. A first group of these countries, including the US and European countries, make sure to keep in with MKO while withdraw to offer any refugee opportunities to have them on their soil. It is simplistic to think that their refusal is just for considering MKO a security threat, a fact that they never deny. But for a number of political justifications, these countries prefer to convince, and if possible force, the Iraqi government prolong group’s stay there. Having the military option still on the table, the US and its allies look at the group as a multi-purpose tool against Iran as used in Saddam’s era. However, MKO has already proved to be a working instrument where other imposed political solutions fail to work; MKO may play the role of one of many sticks for these countries’ resort to the policy of carrot-and-stick when engaging in talks to resolve Iran nuclear issue. The removal of MKO from the terrorist list by these countries has been in line with the same policy; for the designation of foreign terrorist organizations and their removal have become a highly politicized exercise in which some groups are just designated to be used as political approaches. In fact, there is really no change in the nature of the relations between MKO and these Western countries before and after its designation.

A second group of countries are concerned about the political consequences of letting MKO on their soil. Before allowing MKO as refugees, these countries should consider the advantages and disadvantages as there would possibly be a darkened and even a suspended diplomatic relation with the Islamic Republic. Of course, for a country like Israel it makes no difference but no doubt, it has to pay big prices for a direct and open alliance with the notorious group it has long tried to deny any collaboration. However, these countries political prescription for MKO is not different from the first group; MKO continue its living-in-limbo style residence in Iraq for the present.

The temporary accommodation is typically secure, suitable and affordable for MKO under the supervision and monitoring of the UN both for the relocation and the situation in the temporary camp around the clock. The UNHCR has a team at the camp to carry out the verifications for refugee status, a futile attempt so far since no third country has offered a suggestion. Within its set framework of responsibility, UN can do nothing beyond urging the Iraqi government to tolerate the current situation to find the “sustainable solution for the residents”.

The fact is that neither the UN nor its Secretary-General’s Special Representative in Iraq anticipated such a stalemate in the issue of MKO and Ashraf residents. At first presumed to be a decisive solution to resettlement of residents in third countries, the relocation remains a difficult challenge itself. No effort will be productive to tackle with the challenge unless the US and its European allies make a small change in their political perspective for humanitarian causes.

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