Page 520 – Nejat Society

Mujahedin Khalq Organization as a terrorist group

The US never conducted a comprehensive search of Camp Ashraf

Research by RAND confirms that not all spots in Camp Ashraf were fully inspected

The remarks by the attorney for the U.S. Department of State, Robert Loeb, have provoked backlashes from MKO. During a May 8 hearing before the US Court of Appeal for the District of Research by RAND confirms that not all spots in Camp Ashraf were fully inspected Columbia, Mr. Loeb stipulated that a decision on MKO’s status could be made within 60 days after the group’s main base, Camp Ashraf, is completely evacuated. He said that said the lack of total unfettered access to the MKO’s base inside Iraq demands more deliberation and time be given to the decision. Loeb argued questions still remain whether “hard core” elements of the group harbor weapons inside the base and thus retain the “capacity” to launch attacks.

Reported by the U.S. Committee for Camp Ashraf Residents (USCCAR), MKO-run active committees in the US, Mr. Loeb’s remarks are “absurd”: “Allegations by the State Department lawyer on lack of access to, and suspicion of existence of weapons and ammunition at Camp Ashraf, are absurd and insult the professionalism and integrity of U.S. troops who served at Camp Ashraf”.

Mr. Loeb in the court remarked that the U.S. military had “never been able to inspect it [Camp Ashraf].” He also stated that the residents of Camp Ashraf did not permit the U.S. military to inspect the camp. “The MEK did not permit it at that time, and the military was unable at the time” to inspect Camp Ashraf, and “the MEK did not permit an inspection. . . . They did not permit a sort of door-to-door inspection of looking for [caches] of weapons or to actually disarm them door-to-door.” He also claimed that the U.S. military had been unable to verify that the MEK had disarmed.

Quoting some US military commanders, MKO disputes the claims by the State Department lawyer by saying that “Having served at Ashraf during several tours of duty in Iraq, we repeatedly inspected the entire camp without any hindrance and found no sign of weapons or ammunition, nor any plans or intentions to acquire weapons or use violence. These inspections were undertaken impromptu and without prior notice. At all times and during every inspection, the leaders and residents of Ashraf cooperated fully with the U.S. commanders and forces”.

But the research already done by RAND Corporation is much more reliable to decide which party is on a right path of the facts. In a part of RAND’s A Policy Conundrum it is well confirmed that there are still spots and buildings in Camp Ashraf never fully inspected by the US forces in contrast to the group’s claims.

Lack of manpower has also meant that MNF-I has never conducted a comprehensive search of Camp Ashraf. The MeK would not allow it, and MNF-I was unwilling to divert manpower at FOB Grizzly from regular regional security missions to force a search upon the group. As a result, there are buildings at Camp Ashraf that no American has ever searched. Former JIATF staff believe that weapons, personnel files, and possibly even MeK members detained by the leadership would likely be discovered in some of these buildings. At the very least, on the basis of rumors that the MeK were storing WMD for Saddam, the Iraq Survey Group, an international team organized by the Pentagon and the CIA to hunt for Iraq’s alleged WMD stockpiles, should have secured access to every building.

May 13, 2012 0 comments

USA

U.S. not ready to remove MEK from terror list

An Iranian dissident group on the U.S. government’s list of terrorist organizations is showing signs of cooperation, but the United States has not decided whether to remove it from the list, a Department of Justice attorney told a federal appeals court panel Tuesday.

An attorney for Mujahedin-e Khalq urged a three-judge panel on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia to issue a writ of mandamus, essentially an order compelling the State Department to comply with a previous order, and to make a decision on delistment in a timely manner.

MEK is seeking the enforcement of a 2010 ruling by the same court ordering the State Department to review the group’s status on the Foreign Terrorist Organization list. In its ruling, the District Court gave the State Department 180 days to review the request from MEK to be removed from the terror list.

Robert Loeb, who argued the case on behalf of the administration, said the lack of total unfettered access to the MEK’s base inside Iraq demands more deliberation and time be given to the decision. Loeb argued questions still remain whether "hard core" elements of the group harbor weapons inside the base and thus retain the "capacity" to launch attacks.

Once the base is completely emptied, a decision on MEK’s status could be made within 60 days, the U.S. government has said. In court, Loeb stipulated that 60-day period could be subject to extension based on anything learned within that period.

The group has been on the terror list since 1997 because of the deaths of Americans during the 1970s. The group was granted refuge in Iraq by Saddam Hussein during the Iran-Iraq war. The MEK supports the overthrow of the Iranian theocracy.

The Obama administration has argued it needs to assess the MEK’s move from its previous base of operations at Camp Ashraf in Iraq to a processing center at a former U.S. base in Iraq before making its decision. The move is being conducted under U.N. auspices after the Iraqi government ordered the camp closed at the end of 2011.

Mark Toner, deputy State Department spokesman, released a statement this past weekend praising the "continued cooperation" of Camp Ashraf residents. Over half of the approximately 3,000 residents of Camp Ashraf have been relocated to Camp Hurriya, Toner said, with the goal of eventually settling in countries outside Iraq.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told a Senate panel last year that the way the transfer was carried out would influence the eventual decision on removing the group from the terror list.

Loeb said the administration understands the "duty" to make a timely decision on MEK’s status, but said the administration also has a duty to the public to "get it right."

The group is also known as the People’s Mujahedeen Organization of Iran.

Viet Dinh, a former Justice Department lawyer representing the MEK, said the group no longer poses a military threat because the U.S. Army peacefully disarmed the group after the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The U.S. government treated MEK members as protected people under international law until the U.S. turned over responsibility to the Iraqi government.

Dinh told the court the State Department’s delay in making a decision is a violation of MEK’s due process rights, and liberties granted under the U.S. Constitution.

"The secretary has recognized (MEK’s) renunciation of violence and is legally bound to delist the organization," Dinh wrote in a filing in February." She cannot pocket veto (MEK’s) application for revocation of its terrorist status."

Col. Wes Martin, who served as base commander of Camp Ashraf in 2006 and was present for Tuesday’s proceedings, called Loeb’s argument "nonsense." Martin, who supports MEK’s removal from the terror list, told CNN he was certain Camp Ashraf has been completely disarmed.

The MEK enjoys the support of prominent high-ranking officials from past Democratic and Republican administrations who speak out against the group’s continued presence on the terror list.

By Jamie Crawford

May 13, 2012 0 comments

Imposture of MKO leadership for more bloodshed

Open letter of Mr. Homayoon Kahzadi to Mr. Ban Ki Moon Secretary General of United Nations

Honorable and distinguished Secretary General of United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki moon Open letter of Mr. Homayoon Kahzadi to Mr. Ban Ki Moon Secretary General of United Nations

Respectfully,

We are observing that the imposture and deceptions of the leadership of mujahedin’s cult( PMOI, MKO, MEK, Rajavi’s cult) for more bloodshed and killing of those captives in Ashraf has entered to the new phase and this time with new tricks they are trying their best to obstruct in the peaceful leaving process of those stranded captives from Iraq because according to Rajavi’s speech ¨ pmoi file should be terminated and closed in Iraq so if we are asked and inquired tomorrow , we respond proudly that we tried but we failed.¨ Yes this is exactly the mujahedin’s cult leaders tricks and tactics which this time with utilizing the nonsense and undermining of the Iraqi government and attributing Mr. Maliki to Iran , intend to prove and substantiate the Massoud Rajavi’s point and they pretend that the people are staying in Ashraf garrison and liberty camp with their own wishes and desires and they do not want to separate ,but the truth is except few people whose hands are smeared with blood of Iraqi people and the Iranian youth , no one wants to stay in the hellhole which is made by Rajavi even for a moment.

The leadership of this cult pretend that as if the captives want to stay in that hellhole , but I say no, the leaders and the operatives and killers in this cult want it .

Yours Excellency Mr. Ban Ki moon

I ,as a former member of this cult, who has experienced all the pains and hardships and tortures in this terrorist organization with my own flesh and blood and skin , would like to warn you about Rajavi’s danger which threaten the life and the destiny of those victims because the leadership of pmoi with flippancy and deception of the international organizations want to gain the following objectives:

Buying time for continuing the terrors

Killing of captives and the dissidents in both camps Ashraf and Liberty

Ruining the prestige of Iraq and its government

Ignoring of killing innocent people , because the leaders of pmoi after this relocation should respond to Iranian and Iraqi people as well as Kurds that why did they kill too many people?

Buying time because maybe they can postpone Rajavi’s trial even for few days and their intention is to rescue Rajavi from Justice.

I urge all international organizations and yours Excellency that do not pay attention to all those nonsense and absurd which are made and produced by the terrorist cult leaders and instead, bring them to Justice because the killers and cutthroats can not escape from Justice.

Honorable Mr. Ban Ki moon

Is not it an interference in a government affairs ? is not it a crime to attribute a prime minister of a country to another country ? should those killers and cutthroats interferer in the country affairs which they live in as guests ? so pay attention to all impostures and deceptions which this cult and its leaders utilize for keeping their dirty benefits and interests .

Yes, all those nonsense and absurd which the cult is saying are all lies for their own personal benefits because this relocation does not have anything to do with Iran or no-one else because either Iraqi government or Iraqi people have been suffering from the presence of this cancer tumor (pmoi) in Iraq and they want the expulsion of this cult from their soil.

Respectfully
Homayoon Kahzadi ,Paris

May 12, 2012 0 comments

Iran

Official blasts west’s double-standard attitude towards terrorism

A senior Iranian foreign ministry official condemned the western countries for sheltering members of different terrorist groups, including the anti-Iran terrorist Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO), and deplored the West’s double-standard attitude towards terrorism.

"We believe that despite the claims that others (Western countries) make about fighting terrorism, they provide the most support for terrorist groups," Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ramin Mehman-Parast said.

"In Europe the MKO has already been removed from the list of terrorist organizations and they are completely safe to continue their activities," he added.

When asked about reports that the US State Department may remove the MKO from its list of foreign terrorist organizations, Mehman-Parast said such moves could reveal the nature of Western countries.

The MKO has been in Iraq’s Diyala province since the 1980s.

Iraqi security forces took control of the training base of the MKO at Camp Ashraf – about 60km (37 miles) north of Baghdad – in 2009 and detained dozens of the members of the terrorist group.

The Iraqi authority also changed the name of the military center from Camp Ashraf to the Camp of New Iraq.

Many of the MKO members abandoned the terrorist organization while most of those still remaining in the camp 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.

Numerous articles and letters posted on the Internet by family members of MKO recruits confirm reports of the horrific abuse that the group inflicts on its own members and the alluring recruitment methods it uses.

The most shocking of such stories includes accounts given by former British MKO member Ann Singleton and Mustafa Mohammadi — the father of an Iranian-Canadian girl who was drawn into the group during an MKO recruitment campaign in Canada.

Mohammadi recounts his desperate efforts to contact his daughter, who disappeared several years ago – a result of what the MKO called a ‘two-month tour’ of Camp Ashraf for teenagers.

He also explains how the group forces the families of its recruits to take part in pro-MKO demonstrations in Western countries by threatening to kill their loved ones.

Lacking a foothold in Iran, the terrorist group recruits ill-informed teens from Iranian immigrant communities in Western states and blocks their departure afterwards.

The MKO, whose main stronghold is in Iraq, is blacklisted by much of the international community, including the United States.

Before an overture by the EU, the MKO was on the European Union’s list of terrorist organizations subject to an EU-wide assets freeze. Yet, the MKO puppet leader, Maryam Rajavi, who has residency in France, regularly visited Brussels and despite the ban enjoyed full freedom in Europe.

The MKO is behind a slew of assassinations and bombings inside Iran, a number of EU parliamentarians said in a recent letter in which they slammed a British court decision to remove the MKO from the British terror list. The EU officials also added that the group has no public support within Iran because of their role in helping Saddam Hussein in the Iraqi imposed war on Iran (1980-1988).

May 12, 2012 0 comments

Massoud Rajavi

Rajavi’s Mansions – Part2

Rajavi’s houses in Baghdad

Rajavi had a lot of houses, mansions and gardens in Baghdad. Some of them were located Rajavi’s houses in Baghdad outside the organization‘s bases and members didn’t know about them and some of them were inside the group bases, they were used as Rajavi’s private place or his office. A number of Rajavi’s mansions in Baghdad included:

1. Ramsar recreational centre in Habania Region: there were a few luxurious villas by the side of Habania Lake. It was considered as one of Rajavi’s clandestine bases. A very few members knew about the place. Maryam and Massoud Rajavi used to go there for vacation sometimes. They didn’t take there all of their security guards. They used to go there by the company of a very small number of the most reliable cadres.

2. Safe base in Al-Musbah region: it was a two –story building, completely furnished, neighboring two safe houses of Iraqi Intelligence service. The base was granted to the group for Rajavi’s meetings with Iraqi Intelligence officials. Sometimes, Rajavi had a short stay in the base before the meeting with Iraqi authorities and then an Iraqi agent escorted him to the meeting.

3. Babaiee base in Abu Nowas region: it was a building in a beautiful region opening to Dijla river. This was also gifted to the MKO by Iraqi Intelligence, used for visits between Rajavi and Intelligence authorities or for short-term stays.

4. Anzali Base in Aras Hinda region: the complex was again granted to Massoud Rajavi by Iraqi Intelligence. It was by the side of safe houses of Iraqi Mukhaberat (intelligence service) and used for visits with Intelligence officials.

5. Andolos base: the MKO owned several hotels and a lot of large and small houses in two avenues near Andolos square in Baghdad. Some of the bases were Saadati Seifi,Jalalzadeh,Tabatabaiee,Bakaiee,Zabeti,Dadashzade,Talar Baharstan, Malek marzban and Akbarzadegn.. . After the Kuwait War ended, two four-meter-height walls were built at the beginning and ending of the two avenues and large iron gates were installed at the two ends. There were other houses owned by Iraqi citizens who had difficulty to live there under security restrictions so gradually they sold their houses to the MKO and left the region. Thus the place turned into a strong castle in the heart of Baghdad. (This is exactly what Maryam Rajavi has done in Ouver sur d’Oise, Paris. She is expanding the base. They may own a large dangerous stronghold in heart of Europe in near future. It is now an isolated place to bar members from the outside world). Some of the houses located in andolos base were as followings:
a. Base Seifi: the base was Rajavi’s home in Baghdad in 1986. The first meetings with Iraqi authorities took place in that building. The houses neighboring Seifi base were evacuated and the street were blocked at both ends. Iraqi Security guards and MKO guards were protecting the base all the time. The basement was consolidated as a trench.
b. Base Bokaiee
There was a gorgeous building on Second Street of Andolos base. It was reconstructed like a palace-which was used for Rajavi’s meetings and receptions.
c. Building B: Ultimately Rajavi’s main base was a large 4-story building called “Building B” in an alley on second street. It was exactly located behind another building called ‘’Building A”. It contained 5 story and 100 rooms. It was kept empty all the time in order to protect Rajavi. It was only used a few months of the year for a limited number of authorities and forces who came to Iraq from abroad.

Later, they built a conference hall called “Talar Baharestan” to hold the group meetings there. In 1995 the hall was used for ideological sessions called “Hoze” where Rajavi threatened the forces that they would not be sent out any more. Anyone who was willing to leave the group, had to stay in “departure prison” for two years in order to remove his information, then he would be handed over to Iraqi Intelligence that would in its turn try them for illegal immigration to Iraq. There they would be imprisoned for eight years and later they would be exchanged with Iraqi war prisoners and sent to Iran. In the meeting, he spoke of “Iron fist”. He said that he would reply his opponents by “Iron Fist” and the help of Iraqi Intelligence.)

Note on Hotel Nofotil, Baghdad: Hotel Nofotil was located in front of Andolos complex which was like a huge castle. The hotel opened to the street where Rajavi’s house was located so it was considered a security problem so the organization rented two floors of the hotel at a very high fee. It was always empty to guarantee Rajavi’s security although Rajavi used to stay in Baghdad only three or four months of the year.

When I was a member of security unit in Baghdad, besides a large number of Iraqi forces about a hundred people used to protect Rajavi’s bases day and night.

Camp Ashraf
Various bases were built for Rajavi at camp Ashraf. Some of them were the followings:

1. Temporary houses next to Ashraf conference hall: exactly by the side of Ashraf conference hall, there were two temporary houses allocated to Rajavi. The first house had several rooms for reception and accommodation which was situated on the Southern side of the hall. The other house was on the South-Western side. It had a yard with planted parterre, bedrooms, living rooms and bathrooms. The house was built after some changes were made in the conference hall and Rajavi’s tribune was moved to another part. The houses were used only when Massoud Rajavi held public meetings in the hall. He was received there while he was taking a break between meetings.

2. Permanent base in commanding headquarters: this was a luxurious, large palace between St.400 and St.600. It had various buildings and large basements (shelters).it was never said to the MKO forces that the place was Massoud’s house but gradually members told each other.
The following picture shows protecting area around the palace. The blue arrow shows the underground shelter and the green arrow shows the small hall of the headquarters. On the north-Western part of the complex, there was a private shooting hall that was for Massoud Rajavi’s shooting practice.

3. Anti-bomb shelter and palace on St.100: on the Western side of water filtration plant of Camp Ashraf, on the corner of St.100 and St.400,a well-equipped ,luxurious and anti-bomb house was completely secretly built by Iraqi engineers and contractors. Members of the group were totally unaware of the existence of such a shelter. They were told that an underground water storage was established there!

The new base was built at millions of dollars cost and was named “Simorgh”. It contained a large green area around a central building with dozens of rooms and halls with a complicated plan. It took near three years to build the whole complex. The base was furnished with the most expensive and the most luxurious furniture that was purchased in Europe and brought to Iraq. It was said that the base was copied of a Saddam Hussein’s anti-nuclear bombs palace, for emergencies.

Massoud Rajavi lived in this base during his long-term clandestine life after 2003.

By Maryam Sanjabi ,MKO defector – Translated by Nejat Society

May 12, 2012 0 comments

Mujahedin Khalq as an Opposition Group

Posed Challenges, a cause of MKO’s uncertain future in the West

MKO’s posed challenges in the Western countries makes its future uncertain

It was just on April 10 that Martin Kobler, Special Representative of the Secretary-General, in his briefing to the Security Council concerning the transfer of MKO’s members residing at Camp Ashraf and the Temporary Transit Location (TTL) to other countries stated that “no country has committed to accept residents. A donor’s appeal meeting also took place the same day seeking to raise 39 million USD fund for the Ashraf project. Only one Member State made a concrete pledge and this falls far behind what we had hoped. Without international support, the process cannot succeed”.

No doubt, the residents stay in TTL is temporary and transitional and that other states are required to accept the resettlement of residents in their countries in line with their international commitments. One would better understand Mr. Kobler when addressing Member States had he specifically made reference to European countries that had already delisted MKO. At least he expects that these countries be the forerunners in accepting the residents if they really believe in removing it off the terror list. At this serious juncture, MKO desperately needs political and financial support of these countries more than any time. But as they have shown the least cooperation, a question raises that what is the reasons behind such procrastination to escape giving shelter to their favorite, de-proscribed group.

For sure, these countries have their own logic and reasons for indirectly expressing their disapproval. A review of the group’s past violent history and anti-social behaviors in Iraq and other European countries, regardless of the atrocities perpetrated against its own fellow Iranian, might well explain why they avoid risking acceptance of the group on their soil. What is just before European’s eyes is the group’s decade long persisting challenge with the Government of Iraq. Once forming close alliance with Saddam against Iranian regime, MKO acted also as his loyal mercenary in suppression of uprising Iraq dissidents. After the fall of the dictator, in a shift of position the group claimed to be standing beside the Iraqi people in a unified front to secure its stay in Iraq. As it is naturally a terrorist group whose strategy of struggle is founded on armed and violent warfare, soon it began to show its real, hostile attitude against the legally elected government and defied any reached legal decision; it preferred to make coalition with Iraqi insurgent groups. MKO in its struggle to survive not only claimed a position similar to that of Iraqi citizens with all granted rights but also postured as being in the vanguard of accomplishing democracy for Iraqi people and began interfering in the country’s domestic affairs.

Notwithstanding the ongoing challenges with the Government of Iraq, MKO has been the subject of many serious challenges and disputes for its defiance of legal and social laws in European countries and particularly in France, where its second headquarters are stationed. Some references to Antoine Gessler’s Autopsy of an Ideological Drift suffices to demonstrate that MKO’s presence in Auvers-Sur-Oise, the main strategic base for Mojahedin, has long been the center of many disputes with the French government. During their long stay there, Mojahedin have attempted to abuse the facilities for the achievement of their cultic and terrorist objectives and according to French D.S.T report, they have established another cultic-terrorist haunt in France. There are some more headlines as concrete evidences of violating and breaching asylum regulations according to Gessler’s.

1. Blatant defiance of the rules

Paris had required that the Iranian refugee leaders sign a written statement, containing the routine text promising to avoid all political activity on French soil. This would be respected for exactly two weeks.

2. Abuse of popular personalities

By hiding behind a broader front, the Mojahedin could manipulate Western public opinion as they wished. They had found the legitimacy that had eluded them for so many years.

3. Abuse of democratic capacities

Dramatizing simple situations, while distorting the facts to meet their own needs, the Mojahedin express their demands, published in press releases designed to create pity among the good people who are media consumers. They warn local authorities by subtle threats against them. In brief, they act in Europe as if they are in a conquered country.

According to our information, the organization does not use illegally obtained funds. On the other hand, the PMOI and some of its members are under indictment or civil action for misallocation of funds. This is notably the case in Germany, where significant sums of German private donations and State subsidies were used, in fact, for the purchase of arms for PMOI terrorists and militants in Iraq.

4. Violent behaviors in West

Yann Richard, researcher at the French Institute for International Relations (IFRI), considered a major specialist on Islam and author of Shi’ism and Islam, states that: “This group could probably be compared to the IRA or the PKK in its methods. These are rabid people who, should they actually come to power, would be worse than the present regime. They are bloody and violent madmen”?

“Concerning democratic freedoms, the sect has not yet accepted any other current of thought or any other identity but its own. In its small world and its international relations, everything is in place to punish its opponents. Prison, torture, secret executions, and dozens of other violations are common and in regular use by them against their ideological opponents. At this end of the 2O” Century, this is a blot on all humanity”.

The DST chief underscored how dangerous the PMOI was. It was more like a sect, a cult of personality for Massoud Rajavi and his wife. In 2001, the PMOI had claimed responsibility for more than 195 terrorist attacks on Iran from its base in Anvers-sur-Oise.

5. Launching attacks against embassies

“The People’s Mojahedin planned to attack Iranian diplomatic missions in Europe, except in France”, stated the Director of French Counter-Terrorism during a press conference.

It was, among other reasons, through fear of serving as a sanctuary for the PMOI’s subversive activities that France decided to strike the group so strongly. As M. Pierre de Bousquet de Florian, Director of Territorial Surveillance (DST), made clear, his agents were not acting on ground they did not know. “Just for 2001, there were 195 attacks and terrorist actions against Iran claimed in statements from Auvers-sur-Oise,” he medicated. He added: “We have learned that they were planning actions outside Iran, aimed notably at Iranian diplomatic missions in Europe. This is a future danger, but a clear one”.

6. Abuse of children for fundraising activities

As stated in the US State Department’s released list of designated terrorist organizations concerning MKO, “In addition to its terrorist credentials, the MEK has also displayed cult-like characteristics”. It also asserted that MKO’s members are required to undertake a vow of “eternal divorce” and that children are reportedly separated from parents at a young age. After separating children from their parents, these innocent children were sent to Western countries to take part in the street fund-raising activities under false pretences of being homeless Iranian children whose parents were executed by Iranian regime.

Reported by the LA Times quoting the FBI, “MKO members in the name of a Charity Committee for the Defense of Human Rights collected money from passengers, mostly Asians, under the false pretenses of helping refugees. They showed the photos of children suffering from hunger and apparently victims of mistreatment and torture in Iran. In this way, they gained the sympathy of passengers by telling them that they want the money to help the refugees.” (Nimrouz, No. 628, March 10, 2000, page 1 and 49.)

7. Establishing an international HQ in West

According to the French intelligence services, the Mojahedin’s aim was to move their “world operational centre” — previously based in Baghdad — to the Val d’Oise. If the searches of about 20 sites in the Val d’Oise did not turn up arms or explosives, the Rajavi’s villa was, nonetheless, ‘a real Fort Apache’. “We were surprised by the security systems,” stated Pierre de Bousquet de Florian. “We found between 8 and 9 million US dollars in cash, as well as systems for coded communications”.

According to an Interior Ministry source, Auvers-sur-Oise had been turned into the Mojahedin’s “International HQ”. Up until March-April [2003], their command structure was in Iraq and only moved with the outbreak of war.

8. Security threat

No European country denies the espionage potentiality of MKO that well threatens the state and social security of any country. The accumulation of sophisticated apparatus in a base where came under the raid of French police needs no further explanation: “Almost 200 parabolic antennas and a hundred computers were seized. Their examination should allow the investigators to sharpen their knowledge of the financial circuits financing the PMOI, which run through several countries and many bank accounts. During their searches, investigators also found radio scanners tuned to police frequencies”.

9. Wounding public emotions

The day after the police operation against the People’s Mojahedin in the Paris suburbs, European and world public opinion were shocked to discover individuals voluntarily turning themselves into human torches.

What level of fanaticism could push seemingly sane and healthy people to such extremes? Moreover, some of the “spectators” tried to block the access of rescue services which could have saved the victims’ lives. The French judicial system could only note the facts and prevent any repetition.

“Two Iranians suspected of preventing the intervention of rescuers while a woman was immolating herself in front of DST headquarters in Paris 011 Wednesday will be brought before an instructional magistrate for their criminal investigation.

French Government spokesperson, Jean-Francois Cope, considered these self-immolations as “obviously, extremely dramatic”. He added, “Alas! It also tells us a great deal about the mindset of their leadership”.

10. Money laundering and financing

One of the big unknowns remains the PMOI’s financing. Must we believe Maryam Rajavi when she flatly claims that the money all comes from fundraising among the Mojahedin and their supporters? This was notably the case in explaining the millions of dollars uncovered during “Operation Theo”. This is just the tip of the iceberg. The PMOI has a lot more at its disposal:

“… Maryam Rajavi rejoiced Thursday when she was freed thanks to the payment of 80,000 euros fixed by the Paris Court of Appeals. The bail was paid as of Thursday morning at the Paris Appeals Court’s administrative offices. Maryam Rajavi has been jailed since 21 June…

As to the 8 million dollars (7 million euros) found in the different homes of Iranian opposition members in Auvers-sur-Oise, Mrs Rajavi insisted that these funds belonged to the Iranian resistance: ‘Not a euro, not a dollar comes from any government or any country,’ she guaranteed, ‘Even if I am not informed of the details, I am sure that the movement can account to the judicial system for each cent’.

This statement is in serious contradiction with the police investigators who all note that large amounts of PMOI money circulate around the world through “dirty” networks.

11. Defying refugees’ rights

MKO has been recognized responsible for a variety of antisocial behaviors against its own defectors living in countries where they have been granted asylum. There are many cases of attacking their meetings and rallies in European countries and injuring them as well as direct and indirect threats. Many of former members have accused MKO of physical and psychological threats after their separation and starting a new life as European citizens.

12. Illegal cross-border travels

Members of the organization used false passports to travel to European countries and raise funds to buy arms and pay for their propaganda.

13. Escalation of costs and surveillance measures

Acceptance of refugees like members of MKO imposes extra costs on any country as has already imposed on France. The boss of France’s Direction for the Surveillance of the Territory (DST), Prefect Pierre de Bousquet confirms the danger posed by MKO:

“But it was the indirect consequences of the American intervention in Iraq that pushed us to accelerate our actions. The concomitant factors of the retreat to Auvers-sur-Oise of its leaders, veteran soldiers and intelligence officers coming to us from many sources were convincing. We could see that the PMOI aimed to establish its new world HQ in France, now that it had lost its Iraqi bases. For reasons of principle, as well as the presence of risks to our fellow citizens, we could not accept these developments”.

14. Operating under aliases

The main problem arises when a group, mostly a proscribed one, comes to operate under a variety of aliases or forms affiliated groups and associations that actually serve to fulfill the objectives of the mother group. MKO is one of the best examples. As described by the US State Department Report on the group: “The MKO’s penchant for aliases has created some confusion. The group’s original Persian name, the Sazeman-e Mojahedin-e Khalq-e Iran, has been shortened and translated into several commonly-used monikers: the Mojahedin-e Khalq, the Mojahedin, the MKO, the Mek, the people’s Mojahedin of Iran, and the PMOI. Currently, the group favors the “PMOI” appellation. The Mojahedin’s deliberate use of the name of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCR) also is misleading”.

MKO’s umbrella associations active only in England outnumbers 20, not speaking of a lot more active in other countries. The fact will reveal the extent of the jeopardy of offshoots of a terrorist organization. None of these organizations and unions was known to be the aliases of MKO when they were permitted to be established.

15. Provoking crises

According to French police, the raid on 17 June 2003 was “one of the biggest undertaken by the DST (French Counter-intelligence) in the last 30 years”. International press agencies reported that it was the result of more than three years of investigation. The post-raid incidents set of one of the serious, unprecedented crisis in France and other European countries. A number of the group’s insiders immolated themselves in public to protest Maryam Rajavi’s arrest. According to reports issued by Mojahedin, “16 people attempted to set themselves alight in three days in Paris, Berne, Rome, London, Ottawa, Athens and Nicosia”. The human tragedy ended with two deaths; two women, Sediqeh Mojaveri, 44-year-old, and Neda Hassani, 19-year-old, died because of the self-immolation injuries.

And there are many more to mention. The European countries as well as other the UN state members have witnessed MKO’s violent reactions to the Iraqi government’s decision to evacuate Ashraf and it agreed to relocate after inflicting many deaths and injuries on the both sides. It might be a scenario repeated in any country where they will be resettled. Besides, Rajavi in his recent message to his disciples has compared them to “ready to launch missiles”. As a result, is it logical in any way to jeopardize the internal security and political relations of a country just for receiving these residents?

The past experiences, at least for the France, has proved that you let some ranking members or leaders of MKO in a country and others will follow and open their way through the abuse of existing gaps in democratic rules and political leverages. While a country that houses them is expected to fully adhere to the principles and regulations and behave them according to international commitments, the group abides by no promise to respect any code of social and political behavior. However, there might be some countries that out of humanitarian concerns and under some external pressures or for political concerns yield and let some to settle on their soil. But they are well aware that they have to bear serious consequences, the first of which will be an angry and strong reaction from the side of Iran that pushes it even to reconsider its diplomatic relations, if it has any. How the public opinion and the opponent parties react is another question.

May 10, 2012 0 comments

Mujahedin Khalq; A proxy force

West has a duty to take care of its retired terrorists from the MEK

According to the Tehran Times, the IRI has raised concerns that the Americans want to transfer the MEK en masse to a new terrorist camp in another neighbouring country, probably Azerbaijan. West has a duty to take care of its retired terrorists from the MEK

Since these people are in fact too feeble to be actually used for anything, the intention behind such a move would be to antagonise the IRI and increase political tension. Such a move though would also suit others – Iraq, the EU and North America – by enabling them to wash their hands of this intractable problem; send them to a remote desert location where they can rot until death, circumventing the need to find homes for them in western countries.

Even dreaming of such a ‘solution’ would reveal that the dreamers are happy to ignore the human rights of these victims in the name of political gain or simple expediency.

So far European and North American countries have been reluctant to offer to take in the mostly elderly and sick former fighters. They should remember that it is their governments and other Western political pundits who have gleaned the greatest benefit from these victims. The MEK have been exploited relentlessly in the interminable political wrangling against Iran. Most have lost the best years of their lives trapped in the MEK’s Iraqi camps. It is now only fitting for these countries to pay back their debt to these victims by allowing them to retire with some dignity and ease, and with access to health care, in the West.

May 10, 2012 0 comments

Former members of the MEK

3 other MKO members flee from camp Liberty

Three other members of the terrorist Mojahedin Khalq Organization fled from Camp Liberty [Temporary Transit Location], a former U.S. military base near the Baghdad International Airport, the Persian service of the Fars News Agency reported on Wednesday.

It had been decided that 3200 MKO members living in Camp New Iraq be relocated to Camp Liberty [TTL] in eight groups, each consisting of 400 members.

The Iraqi government has recently evacuated the fifth batch of 416 members of the group from Camp New Iraq.

May 10, 2012 0 comments

Iraq

Iraq urges Int’l cooperation for rapid expulsion of MKO

Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari underlined that his country is determined to expel the terrorist Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO also known as the MEK, PMOI and NCR), and asked the world states to help Baghdad with the rapid expulsion of the terrorist cult.

"Iraq has fulfilled its international undertaking with regard to the transfer of these elements to Liberty Base and it is now the turn of the European, North American, and generally foreign states, to accept resettling the residents of Ashraf Camp in their countries because their stay in Liberty Camp is temporary and transitional," Zebari said during a meeting with Beat Schweizer, Head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Iraq, a statement by Iraq’s Foreign Ministry said on Monday.

The MKO is seeking to transfer its members to another country, but no world state, including the US and the European countries, has accepted to lodge the terrorist group.

To date, almost 1200 MKO terrorists have been transferred from Camp Ashraf to Camp Liberty which lies Northeast of the Baghdad International Airport, in three groups of 400 each, on February 18, 8, and March 20. About 2,000 members still remain in Camp Ashraf. Camp Liberty is a transient settlement facility and a last station for the MKO in Iraq.

The MKO cannot find a shelter outside Iraq as it is blacklisted by much of the international community, including the United States.

Many of the MKO members abandoned the terrorist organization while most of those still remaining in the camp 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 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 also argue for the MKO to be taken off the US terror list.

The MKO was in Iraq’s Diyala province for nearly three decades before it was moved to Camp Liberty.

May 9, 2012 0 comments

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