Mujahedin Khalq Organization's Propaganda System

Mr. Karami Open Letter to President Obama

Mojahedin Khalq propaganda in US

Mr. President,

You must be aware of the accelerated propaganda machine of Mujahedin Khalq Organization (MEK/MKO/PMOI). A number of prominent politicians and former officials of Bush administration including former national security advisor General James Jones, former mayor of New York, Rudolph Giuliani, former undersecretary of State, Nicholas Burns, former US secretary of energy, Bill Richardson and Professor Ruth Wedgwood who fail to have enough information on Iran and the true substance of MKO were allured by the group to attend their events in Paris and European Parliament.

You may wonder what is the MKO’s motivation behind launching such an American campaign! The motivation lies in the organization’s objective to use these politicians as a lever pressure against your administration in order to remove the group from DOS’s list of foreign terrorist organizations.

Mujahedin -e- Khalq make efforts to delist themselves not only politically but also through civil procedures and they do not hesitate to pay large amounts of money for that cause. It’s been many years now that MEK has been spending huge amounts to magnify the group as an alternative to the Iranian regime. It has bought a large range of people from all over the world to run its cause. The above-mentioned objective was not important to Rajavi until the fall of Saddam but after his collapse finding a new sponsor became Rajavi’s concern.

Before the fall of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, Massoud Rajavi used to brag to his audience saying that he didn’t care if MKO was in the list of terrorist organizations of the DOS and that it could list them a dozen times and MKO didn’t fear! But after MKO lost its main military and financial supporter (Saddam Hussein), the group’s political gesture changed entirely. They set off active champagne to remove their organization from the blacklist at any cost, although their activities against Islamic Republic haven’t changed significantly since they were removed from EU’s terror list.

Mr. President,

People’s Mujahedin Organization began its struggle in the 1960’s based on an anti imperialism ideology which considered the US as its main target. They launched several terrorist attacks against American civilians and officials in Iran:

In December of 1970 carried out an abortive attempt to kidnap U.S.Ambassador Douglas MacArthur.

In May, 1972 they assassinated the US. Counselor General Price and exploded some bomb in American installations.

President Richard M. Nixon’s trip was marred by a series of bombings, including one explosion at the tomb of the Shah’s father shortly before the President and his hosts were scheduled to arrive.

Explosion in Shell-Lavan Oil Cogan .Jan. 28 , 1973

Sound bomb explosion in International Hotel Cafeteria – Jan. 29 , 1973

General Hawkins assassination – Jun. 1 , 1973

Assassination of US embassy translator Hasan Khan – July 2 , 1975

For sack of the regime dependence on world monopoly and exploitation in Jan. to Feb.2, 1973, they exploded and set on fire several offices such as US Oil companies, TV & Radio stations and Pan American airlines.

In May24, 1974 for the anniversary of hanging of their leaders, this organization operated some explosive actions in American and Jewish economic companies and internal depended capitalists such as American and Jewish General, English0-Court Insurance Company Pork Shire and Jewish company Techno vice.

In Jan., 26, 1975 as a result of Kissinger entering –the US foreign minister- to Iran and some objections against him, a set of explosion in ITT companies (US multinational), Naraqi agricultural & industrial and John deer (American Insurance).

In May10, 1975 while returning of Shah from US and as a reaction to killing 9 persons of the former political members in April18, 1974(Bijan Jozni – Hassan Ziya zarifi – Aziz Sarmadi – Masha’of Kalantari – Mostafa Javan Khshdel – Kazem Zol-Anvar – Mohammad Choupan Zadeh – Ahmad Jalil Afshar) they chased the John Turner’s car and general Shepherds, two US counselors in Iran and then blocked two sides of the car and set fire on them by machineguns.

In July 3, 1975 the plan designed for assassinating Donald Eruona the American diplomat have been run. Assassinators blocked the way of US service car in Hashemi and Kheradmand junction and set fire on it. But because of darkness of the inside of the car an Iranian embassy employee have been mistakenly killed.

Following this operation a powerful bomb exploded in Iran & US committee for the memorial of Tir 30th 1331 movement and another one in English Consulate in Mashhad which have destructed a part of that building.

In August 27, 1976 three employees of the American Rockwell international company in California who have intended in a confidential spy process named “Ibex” in Iran, have been assassinated. In this year a powerful bomb have been exploded in Shemiran municipality.

May 11, 1975 – assassination of Colonel Paul Schaeffer and Lieutenant Colonel Jack Turner, U.S. Air Force officers in the mission.

In 1979, 25 members of MEK had an active role in the takeover of US embassy in Tehran. Here, I provide you with a film in which an MEK official is being interviewed in front of the Embassy. The fil

m was shown by Iranian TV only once.
http://www.youtube.com/user/mm46368666nnsb#p/a/u/0/edeh3g4fhtY

When the terrorist attack on US World Trade Center on September 11th, ended with massacre of a large number of innocent civilians, the whole world were shocked and left in sorrow and all the governments, and international bodies condemned the inhumane act while MEK were celebrating that catastrophic event in Camp Baqerzadeh where Massoud and Maryam Rajavi congratulated members, giving out sweets and candies. Massoud Rajavi addressed the members: ”this was the reactionary Islam [Bin Laden /al-Qaida] that trembled the basis of the US Imperialism and destroyed the twin towers that were their symbols of power. What if Revolutionary Islam [pointing to his Saddam-made army NLA] comes on the scene? ‘’

As a main violator of human rights, MKO hasn’t been able to exploit human right abuses in Iran, yet. In 2005, Human Rights Watch published a detailed record on cases of human rights abuses in the organization. Besides it has been about 14 months that families of Ashraf residents have been awaiting to visit their children in front of Ashraf gates but MKO officials ,under the order of Massoud Rajavi do not allow them to visit their families but they order the residents to launch catapults to their own families .

https://st.nejatngo.org/media/Report/MEK_Throw_Stones_Families_T.wmv

Sir,

The US Department of States has designated People’s Mujahedin of Iran and its political wing National Council of Resistance as a terrorist organization since the 1990’s when DOS didn’t have a large amount of important information on the group. In 2005, DOS report on MEK noted that MEK has the potential threat of a dangerous cult. The significant example of that potentiality turned into practice in June 2003 after the arrest of Maryam Rajavi by French police when members of the group set themselves on fire to protest her arrest in European cities.

Although the reports of DOS on MEK in 2005 and 2006 are not complete, they offer a few examples of numerous cult-like approaches of MEK.

Today, considering valuable information on MEK published by DOS and DOD, including RAND report, the terrorist cult of MEK must not be allowed to spread lies and feed American politicians with its disinformation campaign. MEK’s re-designation as a foreign terrorist organization will disappoint the group and its propaganda machine. You may want to take a look at the group’s latest request made by its spokesman Ali Reza Jaafarzadeh to find out how its deceptive propaganda machine works.

Some documents are attached that expose the real nature of Mujahedin Khalq Organization:

Lets create another Vietnam for America (pdf). [Mojahedin English language paper April 1980]
Letter to Imam (Khomeini) (pdf.)[Mojahedin English Language paper April 1980]
Some questions unanswered regarding the US military invasion of Iran (pdf)[Mojahedin English Language paper June 1980 ]
The song, War with America which is an epic song
Lets create another Vietnam for America(pdf).
(Mojahedin English language paper April 1980)
Letter to Imam (Khomeini) (pdf).
(Mojahedin English Language paper April 1980)
Some questions unanswered regarding the US military invasion of Iran (pdf).
(Mojahedin English Language paper June 1980)

Mohammad Karami, Paris

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Mujahedin Khalq Organization members' families

Mr. Atighi asks to retrieve his murdered son’s body

In the name of God the most compassionate and merciful.

I am Ghadir Atighi, the father of Bahman Atighi, who had been forcefully kept in Camp Ashraf as a hostage of Massoud Rajavi for over 15 years.

MEK using unburied bodies as a bargaining tool

I would like to inform the Iraqi committee in charge of Camp Ashraf and the judicial authorities in Iraq and Amnesty International and the Red Cross, the ministry of human rights in Iraq and all the international community that:

15 years ago in 1376 (1997), my son, Bahman Atighi was deceived by the operatives under the command of Massoud Rajavi to be taken to European countries for work. He was taken to the Iraqi camp, Camp Ashraf, allegedly to provide him with the appropriate European visa; a visa which, of course, was never provided.

He was forced to stay in this camp for 15 years during which time he was deprived from making even a simple telephone call or writing a simple letter to his family. During his 15 years of captivity, he did not have the privileges of an ordinary prisoner; political prisoners, murderers, or any other kinds of prisoners are allowed a 5 minute telephone conversation with their family once a year.

Massoud Rajavi admitted himself (by issuing statements in western media outlets) that my other son Siavosh Atighi has been picketing in front of the gates of Ashraf camp for the last 12 months and they [the MEK] have refused him the simple basic right of visit during this time. One year of picketing and Massoud Rajavi refused to show the smallest sign of humanity in himself, and refused to even show Bahman to his brother for 5 minutes from a 20 meter distance.

You! The ones that now insult our family members (in Western paid media). Have you even felt any humanitarian feeling ever in yourselves? Do you not think of anything except killing people?

God curse you who have kidnapped and kept our young son in the camp under the harshest possible situation for over 15 years. And now have admitted it yourself that his brother has been sitting outside only asking to have a short visit.

Now you hit Bahman from the back and now you killed him. Did I not or do I not have any right as the father of my son?

Your own TV channel announced on 24 Ordibehesht (May 14) that on 19 Farvardin (April 08) Bahman Atighi was shot from behind in his spinal cord and killed and you have been keeping silent ever since.

But your same TV channel announced on 04 Ordibehesht (April 24), that Bahman is in the hospital. On 22 Farvardin (April 10) you brought Bahman to within about 50 metres from the gates of Ashraf with minders and prison guards where his brother recognised him. Now after 15 days they are saying that Bahman has been shot by the Iraqi forces and then the Iraqis have arrested him and due to his injuries they took him to Baquba hospital and he died there!!

Again in another part, again in the same TV Channel, they claim that he died in the hospital inside Camp Ashraf due to insufficient medical attendance.

None of their words make sense. Not one of their sentences matches the next sentence.

As a father I claim all the rights belonging to Bahman. We claim the right for this case to be investigated. We claim that if there is any truth in this and if there exist any corpse belonging to Bahman, then it should be given a post mortem examination and the case should be examined so it becomes clear who has committed this crime. I believe that there is no one else except themselves [the MEK] who have committed this murder.

When they found out that Siavash has been sitting by the gates and insisting on visiting his brother so as to ask him if he wants to come with him, they resorted to this devious tactic to first hide him and then to physically eliminate him as they did.

I, as the father of Bahman Atighi and the father of Siavash Atighi, return Massoud Rajavi’s insults to himself and ask all the authorities, lawyers, the International Committee of the Red Cross in Iraq and in other parts of the world to help and investigate in this murder case. I ask for the rights of my son and myself to be respected. Siavash, my son, is appointed by me to follow the case as far as possible.

In the end I would like to say that I want the body of Bahman to be returned to me to take to Iran (for burial) …

Transcript from Video file by Iran Interlink
Link to the original Video file

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Iraq

Iraq determined to close Camp Ashraf

Iraq’s foreign minister says Baghdad is determined to close Camp Ashraf and expel Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO) terrorists from the country.
Iraq's foreign minister
“We have called on the international community and European countries to accept residents of the Camp Ashraf so the camp could be closed,” Hoshyar Zebari told Mehr News Agency on Sunday.

Earlier in May, the US proposed a plan to relocated Camp Ashraf residents to other parts of Iraq before their final resettlement in third countries.

Members of the MKO fled to Iraq in 1986, where they enjoyed the support of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and set up Camp Ashraf in Diyala Province, near the Iranian border.
The group has carried out numerous acts of terror and violence against Iranian civilians and government officials.

The terror organization is also known to have cooperated with Saddam in suppressing the 1991 uprisings in southern Iraq and the massacre of Iraqi Kurds in the north.

Tehran has repeatedly called on the Iraqi government to expel the group. Following the ouster of Saddam in 2003, the Iraqi government has set numerous deadlines for the terrorist group to leave the country but MKO has managed to maintain Camp Ashraf due to US backing.

Zebari said relations between Iran and Iraq is increasing, predicting that bilateral ties would develop further in the future.

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Iraqi Authorities' stance on the MEK

Iraqi lawmakers slam US intervention

Reacting to latest US government proposal to relocate the terrorist organization, MKO or Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization, to another place within Iraq’s territory, Iraqi lawmakers have called it another US intervention in country’s internal affairs. Iraqi lawmakers slam US intervention

The US government has proposed moving the camp of the MKO, known as Camp Ashraf, which is located in the Province of Diyala to another place inside the country.

The proposal comes only few days after the Iraqi government set a deadline of for MKO members to leave the country.

The Iraqi lawmakers from Sadr Movement have condemned US intervention in their country’s internal affairs. They believe the US is trying to keep these terrorists in Iraq to use them against neighbouring countries.

The spokesperson of the Iraqi government said the Iraqi government cannot accept to be under such burden and urged the International community to help the Iraqi government in the process of MKO expulsion from Iraq.

The members of the Iraqi national Alliance have also stressed on the importance of bringing an end to such interference.

The members in the State of Law Coalition said such behavior will have negative effect on the political process in Iraq and these actions are in clear contradiction to US claims of trying to keep the region peaceful.

In many occasions, the Iraqi people have showed their opposition toward the presence of MKO members in their country and called on government to evacuate the camp and expel its members.

Wisam al-Bayati
Download Iraqi lawmakers slam US intervention

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Iran

Iran: Terrorist states support Terrorist MKO

Iran’s Intelligence Minister Heidar Moslehi has criticized countries that are trying to remove Mujahidin-e Khalq Organization (MKO) from the list of terrorist groups, calling them "terrorist states."

“The reason these countries are doing this is because they are terrorist themselves,” Moslehi said on the sidelines of the Cabinet meeting on Sunday.

On Thursday, France dropped charges against 24 members of the terrorist MKO who were arrested in 2003.

In June 2003, French anti-terrorist police rounded up 165 MKO members in and around Paris for associating with criminal elements in connection with committing terrorist acts.

The decision to drop terror charges against MKO members is the latest move by a European country to act in favor of the terrorist group since the EU removed the organization from its terrorist list in 2009.

In 2010, the European Parliament issued a declaration and urged the US to remove the MKO from Washington’s list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations.

Moslehi added that the Islamic Republic would welcome the return of MKO members, and would treat them according to the country’s law.

Earlier in May, Iran’s Ambassador to Iraq Hassan Danaeifar said that Tehran has pardoned all the residents of the Camp Ashraf except for less than 100 individuals who have criminal records.

The Iraq-based group is listed as a terrorist organization by much of the international community and is responsible for numerous acts of terror and violence against Iranian civilians and government officials.

The MKO is also known to have cooperated with former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein in suppressing the 1991 uprisings in southern Iraq and the massacre of Iraqi Kurds.

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Iraq

Zebari:Iraq has decided to close Camp Ashraf

Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari says the decision to shut down the Camp Ashraf has been made by his country’s government.

Camp Ashraf is a place in Iraq, where the members of the terrorist Mojahedin Khalq Organization, have been confined since the fall of the Baathist regime in 2003.

Speaking to the Mehr News Agency in Baghdad, Zebari said that Iraq has asked the international institutions and European countries to accept the MKO members after they are deported.
Ibrahim Jafari, a former Iraqi prime minister and a sitting lawmaker, also says the demand for expulsion of MKO was made by all Iraqi groups and people.

Since 2003, when Saddam Hussein was outsted, the Iraqi people have sought the expulsion of the terrorist group from their country, Jafari told the Mehr News Agency.

The Iraqi people have no positive image of the MKO members and that is the reason behind their demand, he noted.

In addition, an Iraqi news agency recently reported that during a telephone conversation with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, Zebari said the Iraqi government had decided to expel the terrorist group within six months.

Thousands of Iraqis recently held demonstrations in front of Camp Ashraf, in which they demanded that the Iraqi government deport all the MKO members residing in the country.

The Saddam regime used MKO forces as mercenaries in suppressing dissident Shias and Kurds in south and northern Iraq.

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The MEK Expulsion from Iraq

Iraq to expel MKO in six months

The Iraqi government has decided to expel all members of the terrorist Mojahedin Khalq Organization, according to a number of reports.

The decision was made because MKO members are still committing hostile acts in Iraq and the Iraqi people can no longer tolerate them, the Mehr News Agency reported on Friday.

In addition, an Iraqi news agency reported that during a recent telephone conversation with EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said the Iraqi government had decided to expel the terrorist group within six months.

Zebari also emphasized the need to close Camp Ashraf, where the MKO members in Iraq have been confined since the fall of the Baathist regime in 2003, and asked European nations and other countries to accept the MKO members after they are deported.

The Iraqi government does not allow foreigners who violate its laws to stay in the country, he added.

Thousands of Iraqis recently held demonstrations in front of Camp Ashraf, in which they demanded that the Iraqi government deport all the MKO members residing in the country, Nahrainnet reported.
Meanwhile, the police of Iraq’s Diyala province has released documents showing that MKO members have been holding secret meetings where they discuss plots to undermine the security of the province.

The secret gatherings have negatively impacted the security situation of the province, according to the documents.

The documents also revealed that Al-Qaeda members have held many meetings with MKO members and provided financial support to the MKO.

In a recent interview with the Al Alam network, Iraqi MP Ali al-Shalah said Iraq will never allow any part of its territory, including Camp Ashraf, to be used for launching attacks against Iran.

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Iraqi Authorities' stance on the MEK

Adnan Seraj: Baghdad is resolved to expel the MKO

The US military forces in Iraq are actively involved in training members of an anti-Iranian terrorist group in the Taji military base in the suburbs of Baghdad. The American soldiers are reportedly training the Khalq-e Arab separatists in the Taji military base in Baghdad governorate on how to carry out bombing and other terror operations, Press tv reported. Iran arrested five members of the terrorist group in the past month over involvement in the assassination of Iranian police forces.

A member of the Iraqi parliament had earlier blasted Washington’s political games in the region, including its support for the terrorist Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO) as a pressure lever against Iran.

Speaking to FNA, Adnan al-Seraj underlined in April that Baghdad is resolved to expel the terrorist group from the country, but it has faced tough Washington opposition to the move.
"Washington is supporting and defending the group (MKO) in Iraq and its support for the group is aimed at imposing pressure on Iran."

"The Iraqi government’s decision for the expulsion of the MKO is very obvious and clear and the group should leave the country by the end of the current year."

The Iraqi lawmaker said that Baghdad is trying to find diplomatic ways to expel the group, and added, "If the US stops interfering in the expulsion process, the Iraqi government knows several peaceful ways to expel the group."

In April, Iraq announced that members of the terrorist group holed up in the country must leave by the end of the current year (2011).

Iraqi Government Spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said that the cabinet is determined to shut down Camp Ashraf located north of the capital, Baghdad, and disband the terrorist group.

"The council of ministers has committed to implement an earlier decision about disbanding the terrorist group by the end of this year at the latest, and the necessity of getting it out of Iraq," the official noted.

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.
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).

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.

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Mujahedin Khalq; A proxy force

Giuliani, Dean Paid To Advocate For Terrorist Group

An article in today’s Wall Street Journal looks at the considerable support that the exiled Iranian Islamist-Marxist cult Mujahideen-e Khalq — which is designated by the U.S. State Department as

Are US Politicians Giving Support to "Terrorist" Mujahedin-e-Khalq?

a foreign terrorist organization — has been able to cultivate, both in European capitals and in DC, getting people like Rudy Giuliani and Howard Dean to speak at their events.

The article notes that these speakers “wouldn’t disclose their speaking fees, but many of them charge between $25,000 and $40,000 per appearance.” Dean also said that “he has made both paid and unpaid speeches for MeK.”

As I noted back in December, such activities skirt very close to violating U.S. law in regard to “material support” for terrorism. Responding to this charge when it was raised by attorney David Cole, Giuliani and his colleagues quoted the relevant law: “Individuals who act entirely independently of the [FTO] to advance its goals or objectives shall not be considered to be working under the [FTO]’s direction and control.”

“As a result,” Giuliani et al concluded, “we felt quite secure, thank you, in relying on the protection Congress placed in the statute, backed up by the First Amendment.”

But can Giuliani and others really be said to be “acting entirely independently” of the MEK if they’re getting paid explicitly to advocate on their behalf?

That question aside, the MEK is clearly ramping up its lobbying effort here in DC. Yesterday, the Washington Post ran a full page ad calling on State Department ed-list the MEK. The ad claims that the MEK is “Iran’s principal opposition movement,” which would surely come as a surprise to Iran’s actual opposition movement.[..]
The Washington Post ad was paid for by the National Association of Iranian Scholars in Britain, which is listed as one of a number of MEK aliases by the Iran Interlink website, run by former MEK members.

Also yesterday, the Washington Times ran a pro-MEK ad of a different sort, in the form of a ridiculously misleading op-ed by Daniel Pipes. “The MeK issue reveals Iraqi subservience to Iran with special clarity,” wrote Pipes, suggesting that that the Iraqi army’s recent violent entry into Camp Ashraf north of Baghdad — where MEK members have lived since 1986, protected first by Saddam, then by the U.S. — was done on Iran’s orders.

While I appreciate the fact that neocons like Pipes have awakened to the fact of Iranian influence in Iraq (enabled, of course, by the U.S. intervention), the idea that Iraqis should need special Iranian encouragement against the MEK is amusing. The MEK fought alongside Hussein’s forces after the 1991 Gulf War to put down the Shia uprising in Iraq’s south and the Kurdish uprising in the north, driven by MEK leader Maryam Rajavi’s infamous command to “Take the Kurds under your tanks, and save your bullets for the Iranian Revolutionary Guards.” Given the significant Shia and Kurdish presence in the new Iraqi government, it should come as no surprise that that government is not positively disposed toward the MEK.

The question of what to do with the residents of Camp Ashraf — which includes a number of children — is a tough one, but it should be separated out from whether they should be taken off the terrorism list. Barbara Slavin had a very good piece in March, looking at the delusion of some high-profile MEK supporters that the U.S. could support them as a credible Iranian political opposition force. It’s clear that some would like to treat the MEK as an Iranian version of Ahmad Chalabi’s Iraqi National Congress. Responding to that comparison yesterday, Kombiz Lavasany wrote via Twitter, “In Chalabi’s defense, not sure Iraqis knew or cared about him. Everyone in Iran just hates the MEK.”

wonkroom.thinkprogress

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France

Is France doing Washngton’s Dirty work?

France drops charges against Iran opposition group

PARIS – French investigators have dropped terror charges against 24 members of an exiled Iranian opposition group whose arrest in 2003 triggered several sympathizers to set themselves alight in protest.
France drops charges against Iran opposition group
Judicial officials said Thursday that nine people remained under investigation for financial misdoings, including suspicion of financing terrorist groups. The officials were not authorized to speak publicly and asked not to be named.

Maryam Rajavi, the leader of the People’s Mujahedeen Organization of Iran, was among 150 people detained in a sweep of their European headquarters in suburban Paris by hundreds of masked police in June 2003. During the raid, police discovered $9 million in cash. After questioning, most of those detained were let go.

France’s counterintelligence agency claimed the group was planning attacks on Iranian diplomatic missions and assassinations of Iranian secret agents in Europe.
There also were suspicions the group — which advocates the overthrow of the Tehran regime — was planning to make its headquarters outside Paris a nerve center for terrorism after losing its firepower in Iraq, where it mounted attacks on neighboring Iran. The military wing, the Mujahedeen Khalq, was disarmed by U.S. forces in Iraq in April 2003.

The group has vehemently denied all charges against it, saying the case was mounted to appease Iran. Rajavi said Thursday the decision to drop most charges "nullifies and devastates a decade-long investment, demonization and disinformation campaign by the clerical regime (of Iran), its agents and witnesses against the Iranian resistance and its symbols."

The arrests and detention of Rajavi set off protests in France and several other European countries, with people setting themselves ablaze. Two died — one at a Paris protest, one outside the French Embassy in London — and six others were injured.

Rajavi, who married Mujahedeen Khalq leader Massoud Rajavi in Iraq, has been named "president-elect" in a future Iranian government. She was freed on $93,000 bail.
Founded by Iranian leftists opposed to Iran’s U.S.-backed Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the People’s Mujahedeen Organization of Iran is an arm of the Mujahedeen Khalq, a guerrilla organization under Iran’s Shah Mohammed Rez Pahlavi that briefly allied with the Islamic clerical regime that came to power in 1979, but its blend of Marxism and secular Islamism eventually pitted it against the mullahs.

It insists it is a peaceful umbrella movement of exiled Iranian opponents based in Auvers-Sur-Oise, north of Paris, and says its members are not Islamists, although female members, including Rajavi, wear headscarves.
The People’s Mujahedeen is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States. The European Union removed the group from its terrorist list two years ago.
——————————————————————————————————————

Paris pardons Mojahedin Khalq terrorists

PressTV
France has dropped charges against two dozen members of the notorious Mujahidin-e Khalq Organization (MKO) that were arrested and charged back in 2003.

A file photo shows a member of the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MKO)
holding his weapon as he stands guard near the terrorist group’s base in
Camp Ashraf in northern Iraq.

In June 2003, French anti-terrorist police rounded up 165 MKO members in and around Paris for associating with criminal elements in connection with committing terrorist acts.

French investigators announced on Thursday they have decided to drop terror charges against 24 of the detainees, the Associated Press reported.
However, judiciary officials said that nine members remained under investigation for financial crimes, including financing terrorist groups.

During the June 2003 operation, French police forces discovered USD 9 million in cash amid suspicions that the group was planning to relocate its headquarters from Camp Ashraf in northern Iraq to a suburb of Paris.

France’s counterintelligence agency also stated that the group was planning attacks on Iranian diplomatic missions as well as assassinations of Iranian officials in Europe.
French authorities, however, later released most of the MKO members detained in the 2003 raid.
The decision to drop terror charges against MKO members is the latest move by a European country to act in favor of the notorious terrorist group since the European Union removed the organization from its terrorist list in 2009.

Most members of the MKO fled to Iraq in 1986, where they enjoyed the support of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. They set up Camp Ashraf in Diyala province, where they launched attacks against neighboring Iran.

April 27, Iranian Justice Minister Morteza Bakhtiari said 12,000 Iranians have fallen victim to MKO’s acts of terror since the Islamic Revolution in 1979 and blasted the US and western Europe for their continued support of the terrorist group.

The terror organization is also known to have cooperated with the late dictator Saddam Hussein in suppressing the 1991 uprisings in southern Iraq and the massacre of Iraqi Kurds in the north.
Last month, the Iraqi government said Baghdad was determined to shut down the MKO base in the country and to disband the terrorist group.

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