Mujahedin Khalq; A proxy force

MKO Supporters, Lack of awareness or deliberate plot?

There is little that can threaten the relationship between the US and Iran, except when it comes to the Mujahedin-e-Khalq (MKO). The MKO, a cult-like terrorist organization, has, through a massive propaganda campaign, been aggressively brushing its ugliness under the rug. And to some, it may look like its effort is starting to pay off. The fresh representation of the group is carefully constructed to exhibit the right mixture of human rights advocacy, victimless, and political force. Politicians who have bought into the MKO’s cleaner image fall into one of two categories—those who honestly don’t know about the group’s horrific nature or those who are profusely aware of the group’s character but are carefully and confidently willing to step forward and exploit them for a political agenda.

The MKO, a cult-like terrorist organization, has, through a massive propaganda campaign, been aggressively brushing its ugliness under the rug

The MKO’s exact moral fiber is well known among Iranian nationals, and most find the group a bizarre collection of detestable figures who participated in murdering thousands of Iranian citizens—this is not well-known outside Iran, and the MKO would like it to stay that way. Most Iranians and a grim minority of Western journalists and scholars understand that the MKO has a Hitleresque type leadership. People who follow the activities of the MKO know that the US State Department designates the MKO as a "cult-like" terrorist organization that "uses propaganda and terrorism to achieve its objectives." [1] The Congressional Record states that, “for politically expedient reasons, the MEK presently assumes various titles. Some of the most commonly used ones include: The MEK [or MKO], the Organization of the People’s Mujahedin of Iran (PMOI), The NCR, Iran Relief Fund (IRF), and the Muslim Iranian Students Society (MISS). In the same vein, the MEK has also misrepresented itself as ideologically akin to the Muslim Afghan Mujahedin freedom fighters.” [2] But to the mainstream public the MKO may appear to be a legitimate organization pushing bonafides democracy. In fact, it has long been documented by the US government that even though the group is a terrorist organization (and its assets have been frozen by the US Treasury Department under Executive Order 13224 [3]), it identifies itself as a genuine “human rights” organization and has even sponsored several front groups in order to push its message of replacing the current government of Iran with its own.

The MKO has lobbied aggressively and gained the support of some Western politicians. And those who don’t support them seem to turn a blind eye. There was an honest effort to expose the group’s terrorist activities by Senator John McCain shortly after Bill Clinton’s first election, but that effort sadly died down when McCain felt it was too controversial of a topic to engage in—a trap may politicians fall into. At least he tried, and his effort is on the Congressional Record. [4] Politicians who fail to educate themselves and fail to acknowledge the atrocities of the MKO suffer from indifference, and this indifference allows the group more power to weasel around, lobby, and seek favors in political circles. Moreover, politicians who educate themselves about the MKO and yet fail to denounce the group are committing a moral offense. In recent years the MKO cult, despite their status in the Congressional Record have lobbied both the European Parliament and the US Congress in order boost their campaign (with the ridiculous goal of taking over Iran). The MKO managed a chilling triumph when they uncompromisingly applied pressure to, and then obtained support from enough EU representatives to get a declaration issued in late November 2010 from the European Parliament which urges Washington to remove the MKO from its list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations, a declaration neo-cons later planned to take advantage of.

As part of their campaign, the MKO insists that it has not engaged in terrorist tactics for over twenty years. In the face of this claim, a 2007 RAND report describes the MKO as “skilled manipulators of public opinion.” The report, commissioned on behalf of the US Department of Defense says that “during the more than four decades since its founding, the MEK has become increasingly adept at crafting and promoting its image as a democratic organization that seeks to bring down Iranian tyrants, both secular and religious.” [5]

Although terrorist activities of the MKO are well documented by the media, foreign governments, and the US government, a US State Department paper reports that “despite Mujahedin assertions that the group has abandoned its revolutionary ideology and now favors a liberal democracy, there is no written or public record of discussion or debate about the dramatic reversals in the Mujahedin’s stated positions. Moreover, the Mujahedin’s 29 year record of behavior does not substantiate its capability or intention to be democratic. Internally the Mujahedin run their organization autocratically, suppressing and eschewing tolerance of differing viewpoints."[6]

Now, in the wake of increasing pressure on Iran, a number of important right wing figures including Michael B. Mukasey, Tom Ridge, Rudolph W. Giuliani, and Frances Fragos Townsend attended the group’s gathering in Paris where they advocated the group as an alternative for the government in Tehran. Their support for a foreign terrorist designated organization bugged a large number of US journalist and educators. As a reply to criticism against them the four Paris lecturers wrote an article in the *National Review*published January 10, 2011 basically denouncing the State Department for including the MKO on the Foreign Terrorist Organization list.
They implied that the MKO was on the list in the first place because of a US political move made to ease relations with Iran. Following the European Union’s lead, Mukasey and his neo-con gang propose to actually delist the MKO. They have been vigorously backing the MKO and have petitioned members of congress to do the same, bragging that “more than 100 members of Congress have supported a resolution to undo this designation.” [7] The article is a perfect example of shallow rhetoric designed to convince the public to soften its stance on seemingly non-violent Muslim groups, while promoting an idea that Iran is the enemy, and the MKO is all about human rights. But what they are not stating is that the MKO is a violent, militant group who assassinated Americans in the 1970’s, and then participated in taking over the US Embassy in Tehran in 1979, all of which is well-documented by the US State Department. These rock star figures, Michael B. Mukasey, Tom Ridge, Rudolph W. Giuliani, and Frances Fragos Townsend are backstabbing the American public—bluntly making a political move as leverage against Iran—all because they either lack understanding about the true nature of the MKO, and have seriously and dangerously bought into the MKO’s scheme, or they are simply justifying their own agenda which is to destabilize the Middle East even further—using the MKO to target Iran. Either case is dismal. American politicians need to be informed, and the American people need the real facts. It is immoral for an American political band, or any political band for that matter, to assist the MKO. It is immoral to set an agenda for Iran without giving any consideration to the sentiment of the Iranian public, who feel complete repugnance for the most reprehensible terrorist group the nation has ever known The outcome of the MKO’s lobbying in the US congress remains to be seen. How America comes to see the MKO, and how they treat the MKO will have a significant impact on US-Iran relations. President Obama has made it clear to the public he is concerned with the relationship and the *New York Times*reported that he has “willingness to conduct talks at the highest level with Iran.” [8] And when that time comes, if it comes at all, undoubtedly Iran will want to discuss the MKO. For Michael B. Mukasey, Tom Ridge, Rudolph W. Giuliani, and Frances Fragos Townsend, and the 100 members of congress who want to remove the MKO from the Foreign Terrorist Organization list, a blockage of Obama’s presidential diplomatic effort with Iran seems not only counterproductive, but it confuses the American public, and fuels additional mistrust of US foreign policy. Now is the time for the US State Department to do what they admit they have not, and that is to have “a serious written or public record of discussion or debate about the dramatic reversals in the Mujahedin’s stated positions.” [9]

References:

[1]Katzman, Kenneth. US State Department Report, Library of Congress.
Congressional Research Service.The People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran.
Washington, Nov 1992. Doc. call no.: M-U 42953-1 no.92-824F
as posted on the Iran-interlink.org website:
http://www.iran-interlink.org/files/child%20pages/USstatedept.htm
See also: Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
website: http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/pdfid/4ac9c2c52.pdf.
See also: CORI (Country of Origin Research and Information) website:
http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/pdfid/4ac9c2c52.pdf

[2] Congressional Record, Senate Proceedings and Debates of the 103rd Congress, First Session Thursday, January 21, 1993
SUPPORTING THE RIGHT OPPOSITION GROUPS IN IRAN AND IRAQ
(Document Citation: 139 Congressional Record, page S172-03)
http://www.iranaffairs.com/iran_affairs/2009/11
/the-mko-mek-pmoi-facts.html

[3]US Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control
http://www.treasury.gov/offices/enforcement/
ofac/programs/terror/terror.pdf

[4]Refer to the Congressional Record, Senate Proceedings
and Debates of the 103rd Congress, First Session Thursday, January 21,1993
SUPPORTING THE RIGHT OPPOSITION GROUPS IN IRAN AND IRAQ
(Document Citation: 139 Congressional Record, page S172-03)
http://www.iranaffairs.com/iran_affairs/2009/11/
the-mko-mek-pmoi-facts.html

[5]NIAC NEWS. "MEK Supporters in Congress Turn up Pressure
on Administration to Take Group off Terrorist List."
*National Iranian American Council* November 23, 2010: Web. 21 Jan 2011.
http://www.niacouncil.org/site/News2page=
NewsArticle&id=6876&security=1&news_iv_ctrl=1061

[6]Katzman, Kenneth. US State Department Report, Library of Congress.
Congressional Research Service. The People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran.
Washington, Nov 1992. Doc. call no.: M-U 42953-1 no.92-824F as posted on the
Iran-interlink.org website:
http://www.iran-interlink.org/files/child%20pages/USstatedept.htm
See also: Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
website: http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/pdfid/4ac9c2c52.pdf.
See also: CORI (Country of Origin Research and Information) website:
http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/pdfid/4ac9c2c52.pdf

[7] Mukasey, Michael B., Tom Ridge, Rudolph W. Giuliani,
and Frances Fragos Townsend.
"MEK Is Not a Terrorist Group."*National Review Online* January10,2011
Web. 21 Jan 2011.
http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/256689/
mek-not-terrorist-group-michael-b-mukasey-tom
-ridge-and-frances-fragos-townsend.

[8] Gordon, Michal R, and Jeff Zeleny. "If Elected Obama Envisions New Iran
Approach." *New York Times *Online November 2, 2000,
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/02/us/politics/02obama.html

[9]Katzman, Kenneth. US State Department Report, Library of Congress.
Congressional Research Service.
The People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran.
Washington, Nov 1992. Doc. call no.:
M-U 42953-1 no.92-824F as posted on the Iran-interlink.org website:
http://www.iran-interlink.org/files/child%20pages/USstatedept.htm
See also: Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
website: http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/pdfid/4ac9c2c52.pdf.
See also: CORI (Country of Origin Research and Information) website:
http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/pdfid/4ac9c2c52.pdf
 

By Mazda Parsi

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Mujahedin Khalq Organization

MKO’s access to the Qandil Mountains

According to Iranian media sources, the White House had in a message called on the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) to allow the elements of the Mojahedin Khalq Organization (MKO) access to the Qandil Mountains in return for an end to Turkish army attacks on PKK strongholds.

Although many officials in Baghdad and South Kurdistan, including spokesman of Peshmarga Ministry, Jabbar Yavar, Iraq-Governor of Erbil, Nozad Hadi, rebuffed the reports, dubbing it fabrication, one cannot recant the US dynamic cooperation with the Iranian Oppositions in Iraq, especially after 2003, including the MKO.

Following the surrender of 7, 000 members of the group to the US Special Forces in 2003, the US intelligence community heavily relied on military, intelligence and logistic support of the group to confront Iranian terrorist activities inside Iraqi territory, and map out any plausible future attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities. Despite listing the group in FTC (Foreign Terrorist Organization), the group was never meant to be undermined or dismantled in any form.

Over 2,000 pieces of military equipment were seized from MKO by the US forces in Iraq. Some supporters of MKO were recruited as Farsi linguists in Camp Ashraf. Both the US and Iranian intelligence apparatus were closely monitoring the activities of the group. Iran attempted hard to put pressure on the Shiite-led Iraqi government through its proxies and agents to terrorize its members and expel them out of Iraq. Some of the group adherents did not brook the situation in Camp Ashraf in Baghdad, defected and returned to Iran, passing huge amount of highly-classified information to the regime.

"With respect to Iran, there is a clear opportunity for the Iranians … to demonstrate some willingness to engage meaningfully with the international community," Hillary Clinton said in her first remarks since becoming the US Secretary of State.

In 2008 the Bush administration meted out some $400 million for covert operations against Iran, a significant portion of it was diverted to the MKO. The EU has lifted ban on MKO in January,www.ekurd.netand lately an appeals court in the US ruled that the State Department should review the designation of the group, a vivid indication that the group is being prepared for some special assignments in Iran.

The organization is an Iranian opposition group having emerged in 1960s to oppose the Shah of Iran, capitalism, and western imperialism and later fighting the ideology of the Islamic revolution, which does concern us as Kurds as much. However, the role that MKO played and the horrendous crimes it committed against Kurdish citizens of South Kurdistan, especially their collaboration with Saddam in massacres and genocides, hold us ethically liable to disallow them any access to our Kurdish mountains.

What MKO did, it even outstripped shah’s SAVAK (National Intelligence and Security Organization) in terms of its persecution of its opponents.

Kurdish Regional Government should press charges on moral grounds against MKO for joining Saddam’s army during the Iraqi-Iran war (1980-1988) and helping the dictator in suppressing Kurdish 1991 uprisings and massacre of Iraqi Kurds.

MKO is responsible for numerous acts of terror, violence, assassination attempts against Kurdish civilians and government officials in South Kurdistan.

MKO and its affiliates owe the Kurdish nation on official apology.

By Baqi Barzani, for ekurd.net

Baqi Barzani is a Kurdish citizen of Sought Kurdistan [Iraq]. He advocates the notion of " establishing an independent Kurdish state". He contributes to various Kurdish media outlets, especially ekurd.net.

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Mujahedin Khalq Organization as a terrorist group

Iran overcomes US-backed Mossad

Iranian Intelligence Minister Heidar Moslehi says the Islamic Republic has succeeded in overcoming the so-called strong Israeli intelligence service Mossad supported by the US and Western states.

Iranian forces managed to penetrate into the depth of Mossad information system and recognize and dismantle its different networks, Moslehi told reporters on Tuesday.

His comments came after Iran’s Intelligence Ministry said on Monday it had dismantled an Israeli spy network and arrested the main perpetrators in connection with the assassination of Dr. Massoud Ali-Mohammadi, an Iranian nuclear scientist and a lecturer at the University of Tehran.

One of the detained terrorists, Majid Jamali-Fash, confessed that he had received training in a military base outside Tel Aviv.

On July 12, the Iranian nuclear physics scientist was killed in a remote-controlled bomb attack in the Iranian capital, Tehran.
The bombing took place near the professor’s home in northern Tehran.

“One of our biggest achievements was penetration into intelligence system of (Mossad) culprits which enabled us to recognize the nature of their measures,” the Iranian minister went on to say.

“The spy and terror networks were working as a cell which means that they had no information about each other’s activities and they did not know one another,” Moslehi added.
He also warned of threats against top scientists in regional countries, saying, “All prominent scientists are posed to the terror threats of security service of the Zionist regime (Israel).”
He stressed that Israel opposes scientific progress of Muslim and regional countries and said, “We feel responsible to give information to other regional and Muslim states about moves by the Zionist regime.”

The Iranian minister pointed out that Israel is a regime whose existence is based on “terror, horror and occupation” and stressed that the Islamic Republic would definitely adopt intelligence measures to counter Israel.

Moslehi further noted that sedition incited by enemies after the June 2009 presidential election in Iran raised the enemy’s hopes and urged leaders of sedition to give explanation about their roles in creating an intelligence gap which inflicted such damage on the country.

“With regard to an intelligence gap created in the Islamic Republic during (last year’s) sedition movement, the enemy though that it could use the opportunity to achieve successes while (Iran’s) intelligence bodies were embroiled in the sedition,” he said.

Moslehi warned regional countries which cooperate with Israel that any facility they provide to the regime is regarded as a “threat” to Iran and the entire region.
“These countries will turn into bases for terrorist moves of the Zionist regime,” he said.

The Iranian minister reiterated that based on information obtained by the Islamic Republic, Israeli and NATO officials had meetings with members of terrorist cells, including Party of Free Life of Kurdistan (PJAK), Jundallah and the Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO), to achieve their own objectives.

“In the meetings, Mossad told MKO members that they should focus their activities on nuclear sites of the Islamic Republic and damage them.”

However, he emphasized that Iran managed to deal a heavy blow to Israel’s intelligence service and noted that more than 10 Israeli spies have been arrested.

China Forum

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The cult of Rajavi

Human Shields to Shelter Rajavi’s Cult Bastion

The transfer of the control of Camp Ashraf to Iraqi forces since 2008 and the Iraqi government’s determination to make a decisive decision about the residents of Ashraf has enraged Rajavi and his propaganda machine into a broad campaign against the Iraqi government. MKO’s first reaction was arranging a series of suicidal operations. On July 29, 2009 there was a report of deadly clashes between hundreds of Iraqi police forces and the members of MKO residing in Camp Ashraf that left 11 members dead and scores injured from the both side. While the reasons for the clash was said to be unclear at first, few knew that it was a pre-organized self-destruction plan by a number of Rajavi’s devotees to provoke Iraqi forces to trigger the clash that was well videotaped and broadcasted by the organization itself.

While the Iraqi forces and their commanders were still under the shock of the suicidal and violent behavior of the camp residents, MKO felt easy to feed its propaganda machine for months. Of course, after the events the Iraqi authorities, not acquainted with the group’s self-destructive tactics, were more cautious to adopt appropriate methods when dealing with MKO. The prudential measures were aimed first to secure the rightful demands and rights of Iraqi people and second, to restrict and prevent MKO’s misinformation apparatus and propaganda blitz as its adopted post-disarmament tactic. Despite all these efforts, Rajavi was, and is, focusing on an interlocking violent-political campaign to achieve two objectives; first, to draw attention of the international community through fraudulent claims and misinformation, most of which are distributed and circulated by the group’s paid or naïve political advocates. By rising tension at the camp against the Iraqi plans that are aimed at rightful measures to have more control over the camp, Rajavi also intends to show a martyred image of the residents to question the legitimacy and capability of the Iraqi government in holding the control of Camp Ashraf in an attempt to return the protection of the camp to the US forces.

Now, it has turned to be Rajavi’s short-term strategic goal and agenda. In this hostile and antagonistic behavior against the Iraqi government MKO is also invoking the support of many Western advocates who are engaged in an endless battle of condemning the Iraqi Government and calling for the establishment of US forces in Ashraf voicing that these forces have an obligation to provide the residents’ permanent protection. But they are not the sole means to accomplish Rajavi’s ends. The best means at hand are the members of the organization themselves who are victimized as human-shields to bulwark Rajavi’s cult bastion. However, as the international community is misinformed of what is really happening at the camp and its vicinity, Rajavi at the present grabs at two opportunities to accomplish the above stated objectives.

One is feeding his propaganda machine by making groundless claims following the continued and prolonged picketing of the families of the members outside the camp, families that are deprived of their rights and prevented to meet their enslaved children and relatives unconditionally and without his security monitoring. He blames the families of being a pack of Iranian and Iraqi agents tasked with torturing and disturbing the camp residents psychologically by installing multiple speakers around the camp. Of course, the truth is that the installed speakers are the only means the families have found working to have their voices heard by the insiders to counter Rajavi’s security measures and the falsely made claims.
The patients in the Camp Ashraf suffering from a variety of chronic and acute illness are also callously manipulated as the tools of propaganda. To baffle rightful judgment by perversion and to misuse humanitarian emotions of the world and evoking sympathy of outsiders toward Ashraf residents, Rajavi claims that the patients are prevented by the Iraqi forces to be transferred to Baghdad hospitals for receiving due treatment. Of course, Ashraf residents have no problem in transferring their patients to Iraqi hospitals and the Iraqi authorities have never ceased the entrance of medicine and other necessary medical facilities to the camp. What is opposed to is the exit of attendant agents that the Ashraf leaders insist to be accompanying the patients. On the one hand they voice concerns about the worsened condition of the patients suffering from cancer, cardiopulmonary, respiratory, and other deadly diseases, on the other hand they object to sending out patients unaccompanied and unsupervised.

To justify the escort of patients, it is stated that the patients need interpreters in hospitals to help them explain their illnesses and suffering. At the first look it sounds reasonable, but for those familiar with MKO’s system of control and security it means a strict, cultic method of control that contradicts disconnection of the members from the main body even for a short period of time. And you may become even more suspicious when you come to consider that the insiders, and the patients among them, are unable to express a few Arabic and English words after at least a two-decade long stay in Iraq. And a question for sure may form in the minds that who are these claimed interpreters so liable that nobody else in whole Iraq can undertake their job. What are the cult leaders really anxious about is not the precarious condition of the patients but losing their powerful cult grip over the life and minds of the enslaved individuals in case they leave the camp alone.

What the outsiders are not generally aware of is the methods and ploys Rajavi has developed to control the members’ lives. The watching and controlling measures that monitor the members even in their privacy never permit any risk of leaving a member alone with an outsider, be it a health caretaker or a member of his/her own family. That is why Rajavi objects to letting the member out of the camp or meeting their families alone and unsupervised. He knows well that the thought-reform atmosphere within the camp that is reinforced by a collective modeling behavior of the members prevents insiders from challenging his system, but any short contact with the world outside will open their eyes to the reality in a flash.

The death of a few patients, who have to otherwise risk their life as human shields even if healthy, benefits Rajavi’s system both in winning a propaganda warfare against the Iraqi government and safeguarding the internal integrity of its cult structure. Indeed, all humanitarian claims of Rajavi and bizarre games he plays are rooted in his personal concerns and his fear of organizational collapse that has so far survived even years after the collapse of his patron dictator in Iraq.

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Mujahedin Khalq; A proxy force

Dr. Abolhassan Banisadr opposes MKO and American warmongers

RFI Interviews Abolhassan Banisadr

Radio France Internationale: RFI Interviews Abolhassan Banisadr
A number of high authorities of Bush Administration including, former Homeland security advisor Tom Ridge, former Homeland Security Advisor Francis Townsend , former attorney general Michael Mukasey former New York City mayor and Rudy Giuliani asked US administration to change its current policy towards Islamic Republic of Iran declaring their support for Mujahedin Khalq Organization.

The US prominent politicians attended the conference held by MKO last night to speak on behalf of the group under the title “Ashraf and Policy on Iran.”

Former NY mayor Giuliani spoke of necessary change in US policy towards IR:”Appeasement of dictators leads to war, destruction and the loss of human lives,” Giuliani said. “For your organization to be described as a terrorist organization is just really a disgrace.”

Mr. Banisadr, how do you evaluate such a behavior by some prominent republicans if we don’t consider it a shift in policies?
Dr. Abolhassan Banisadr:

Well, regarding Mr. Rajavi, it is a 180 degree change. MKO started its activities by assassination of Americans in Iran. Now the organization is doing something that’s never been recorded in our history. They pay western politicians to travel and to participate in their gatherings to gain their support.

Imagine the Iranian community seeing the group directly and clearly backed by people like Mr. Mukasey who was secretary of DOJ while Iran Gate scandal or John Bolton, a neo-con who attended another MKO conference to support the group. They are told by these prominent people,”Remove the current regime and replace it by this obviously dependent group[MKO]!” I’m not surprised if the above- mentioned American figures do not know Iranian people and are not aware of the situation in Iran. This means that such behaviors by these people just stabilize the Iranian regime but not weaken it. Fighting against dictatorship is not feasible by publicly supporting groups like Mr. Rajavi’s group.

That was about the Iranian side. And about the American side, as I told in US Republican Party there are different affinities. Those who were in Bush administration are not simple. They are a bunch of warmongers who moved ahead the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and caused the current situation in Iran. As it was investigated those wars were launched for gas and oil. Gas and oil of middle Asia in Afghanistan war, the oil of Iraq and the Gulf; total control over the gulf. They are such type of people!

They are not naïve people to come here just to support Rajavi’s group. They know well that the group has no base in Iran and Iranians hate them. I don’t think they are not aware but they are not able to do anything else.

Those elements who advocate freedom and independence do not resort to foreign powers and they have always made all their efforts to prevent foreigners from making alternative for Iranian regime and they will never let them make it. That’s the task of Iranian people. The independent alternative exists and we are sure that Iranian’s movement will win.
RFI: So, Mr. Banisadr, don’t you think that republicans could make a change in current US policy?

Dr.Banisadr: I don’t think there is a change at all. Think of when they invaded Iraq where Mr. Rajavi was harbored by Saddam. If they had been trustworthy about their claims for war on terror ,they should have removed the group’s base Camp Ashraf from Iraq immediately after their arrival since they considered MKO as a terrorist group, but they didn’t do so, instead they protected the group. Mr. Bush’s gone, Mr. Obama has come and the US policy is still based on protecting the group. We would speak of change in policy if they eradicated MKO from Iraqi territory.

A number of people suggest that MKO expulsion is wrong! They want to organize the group against Iranian regime! I mean they want to use MKO as a tool against Islamic Republic!

RFI: Do you think Obama administration will accept to use MKO in its policies towards Iran?

Dr. Banisadr: well, if you refer to Wikileaks reports, they say they will do so! However, we haven’t seen such report about MKO yet but there are reports on such use of other ethic minorities by US. They are using them now! So it is not unlikely that this administration [Barack Obama] seeks to use the group but those who run US foreign policy seem to know that using this group against Iranian regime is more harmful than beneficial because it will multiply public hatred among Iranian community!

RFI: Mr. Banisadr I’m very thankful to you for your presence in this show. I notify that Mr. Abolhassan Banisadr was the first President of Islamic Republic who resides in France now.
Translated by Nejat Society

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The MEK Expulsion from Iraq

Iraqi FM: Mojahedin Khalq terrorists will be expelled humanely

Text of report by Saudi-owned leading pan-Arab daily Al-Sharq al-Awsat website on 9 January

[Interview with Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari, by Sawsan Abu-Husayn, place not given: "Iraqi Foreign Minister: Settling the Dossiers with Kuwait Is a Priority; Iraq Will Become Stable by Returning to Its Arab Environment"]

Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari has praised the Arab role and presence in Iraq. Zebari points out the importance of convening the Arab summit on its scheduled date in March 2011.

In an exclusive interview with Al-Sharq al-Awsat, Zebari stresses that the Arab countries have gone beyond the stage of "wait and see" after the end of the political crisis and the formation of the government, and now there is more support for Iraq. He describes the visit by the Arab League secretary general at this stage as "important."

Zebari says: During the next few days, Baghdad will nominate the ministers of defence, interior, and public security, whose positions have been kept vacant. Zebari points out that deciding the portfolios of these ministries requires understanding and controls, the most important of which is efficiency, non-politicization, and managing the security dossier that concerns the lives of the citizens.

Zebari refers to the controversy over the National Council for Strategic Policies, which will be chaired by Iyad Allawi, stressing that it is impossible to have a "government with two heads," or with duplicate missions. He points out that the powers of this council will not be procedural or executive, but they also will not be merely advisory. Zebari points out that Allawi is convinced of the importance of partnership, and of establishing the council on clear bases.

Zebari rejects the claims circulating about Kurdish demands for secession from Iraq, and points out that what has been attributed to President Mas’ud Barzani in the media is not accurate; he says: "There were errors in translation. Barzani said: The Kurds as a nation of some 30 million people across the world, have the right to self-determination; however, the Kurds in Iraq have decided to live in the united democratic federal Iraq."

The following is the text of the interview:
[Abu-Husayn] What are the expected results of the visit by Arab League Secretary General Amr Musa to Iraq?

[Zebari] The visit is important. It comes at a pivotal stage, especially after the formation of the Iraqi Government. The fundamental aim of the visit is to congratulate the new government and the leaders for making the language of reason, logic, and national interests prevail over the language of personal interests. Iraq has succeeded in this test after nine months of political crisis and disputes there is a positive result, and Iraq has given the entire world the message that no one has resorted to violence and carrying weapons to resolve the disputes of forming the government, as consensus has been reached after dialogue, understanding, and concessions from all. The greatest winner has been the Iraqi people, and not this-or-that country; it is not Iran, the United States, Syria, or Turkey. The solution is an Iraqi one that has been reached after long negotiations.

Therefore, I consider that the visit by the secretary general is very important, especially as the Arab League has communicated with Iraq, and with all the governments, and has given huge help. I remember two conferences that were held at the Arab League headquarters; they were the accord and reconciliation conferences. They had a great impact during the stage of violence and division. The messages that emanated from these two conferences were important, so were the resolutions issued by all the Arab summits. During the Arab League ministerial meetings, the secretary general and the General Secretariat have always stood by Iraq. This is a testimony for the sake of God and history; everybody has been on the side of stability and reconciliations, and of an effective Iraq in the Arab environment.

Also the visit acquires importance because it is related to the efforts exerted by the Iraqi Government to host the Arab summit in March 2011. We will cooperate with the Arab League and offer everything required. Also we will inform the secretary general about all the details of the political, security, technical, and logistical processes. We are optimistic that the summit will convene on the scheduled date. There are the efforts exerted by all the governments of the countries concerned, which work with the help of the entire Iraqi people to host this great Arab festivity. The secretary general also will listen to all the Iraqi leaders about the developments of the situation and stability in Iraq, as well as the extent of the achieved national partnership, and what is required at the Arab level to consolidate these efforts.

[Abu-Husayn] What is your assessment of the Arab role in Iraq? What does Iraq want at this stage?

[Zebari] An important development has occurred in the Arab role. After the formation of the government, the first Arab and international official to visit Iraq was the Egyptian foreign minister, my friend Minister Ahmad Abu-al-Ghayt. After that there was the visit by the Jordanian prime minister accompanied by half the ministers of the Jordanian Government. There is an expected visit by the Kuwaiti prime minister, another by the Syrian prime minister, also by the brethren from the UAE, and after two days there will be a visit by the Turkish foreign minister. This on the one hand; on the other hand, currently two countries have nominated their ambassadors to Iraq; they are Yemen and Sudan, and the Yemeni ambassador has arrived already. We have a Libyan delegation that has come to discuss the issue of reopening the embassy, and we have given them all facilities. We have pledges from fraternal Arab countries in North Africa to reopen their embassies. We have a number of representing ambassadors from Egypt, Syria, Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon, Kuwait, Bahrain, and the UAE. Therefore, the issue of the Arab countries opening up to the new Iraq is a mutual need on both sides.

[Abu-Husayn] Do you consider the convening of the Arab summit as a new stage in the Arab support for Iraq?

[Zebari] Certainly; this is because Iraq and its stability are considered among the challenges facing the entire Arab policies. Iraq is a central member of the region, and of the area; therefore, the stability of Iraq, and the restoration of its vitality after all this suffering require continuous Arab support, understanding of its circumstances, and positive interaction with it. I believe that the majority of the Arab countries have gone beyond the stage of wait and see, which was due to what was happening in Iraq, but after the formation of the government there are decisions to give more support for Iraq.

[Abu-Husayn] As Iraq’s foreign minister, what are your priorities at the current stage?

[Zebari] Security is first, and then cooperation with all the neighbouring countries. The second priority is related to the stage after Iraq overtakes the international resolutions. There were more than 73 UN binding resolutions under Chapter 7, which is a record. We have put an end to these resolutions about the weapons of mass destruction, disarmament, the oil-for-food programme, and the freezing of funds. This was achieved after efforts and legal work. The second priority after security is putting an end to the resolutions related to the situation between Iraq and Kuwait, and turning a new leaf. Yesterday we had an extensive Kuwaiti media delegation consisting of some 40 chief editors and representatives from all the satellite channels. The dialogue with them was extremely positive after they inspected some of the positions and regions in Iraq. At the same time, we give the same attention to the relations with Kuwait. I imagine that there are good intentions on both sides, and we are looking forward to an important visit by the Kuwaiti prime minister.

At this stage, we also are interested in the flow of investments into Iraq, in the economic and trade relations, and in the work of companies in the fields of oil, reconstruction, and rehabilitation. Recently, Egypt contracted a good agreement represented by an important presence in the energy, electricity, roads, construction, and water sectors. We encourage this.

Also convening the Arab summit on Iraqi territories is a priority for us; all the government and diplomatic efforts focus on convening the summit and making it succeed. I imagine that this will be a major transformation.

[Abu-Husayn] What about the relations with the United States and the west at this stage?

[Zebari] We have an agreement on cooperation and partnership with the European Union, which we will sign soon. The relations with the United States are excellent; we are committed to the security agreement, and the Strategic Framework Agreement between the two countries; and there is cooperation in all fields. We have good diplomatic representation at the international level, and there are some 86 diplomatic missions. We can say that Iraq has started to regain its natural legal status, i.e. the one that preceded the imposing of the sanctions, and the overcoming of the Chapter 7 resolutions has helped us a great deal in dealing in an equal and independent way.

[Abu-Husayn] If we talk about the domestic situation, and filling the vacant portfolios in the government, what is new in this respect?

[Zebari] The government practically is formed. The most important thing in the government, and in the Iraqi political system and Constitution is the agreement on the three presidencies, i.e. the president, the prime minister, and the speaker of parliament. The Council of Ministers has started to convene its meetings, and the ministers are working; what remains is to decide the portfolios of the interior, defence, and national security ministers. This needs reaching an understanding on the selection of ministers, because the idea and the principle require the existence of controls and criteria for those who occupy these posts; the most important of these criteria are efficiency, non-politicization, and managing the security dossier, which is related to the lives of the citizens. In my opinion, soon, perhaps within a week or 10 days, the names of those who will occupy the three ministerial positions -defence, interior, and public security ministers -will be announced. Thus, it can be said that the issue of the government has been concluded with the participation of all the fundamental political blocs.

[Abu-Husayn] What about the position to be occupied by Iyad Allawi? Have the duties been determined?

[Zebari] The National Council for Strategic Policies is considered an important body. There was a dispute over the powers of this council, whether they will be executive or advisory. It is necessary to legislate for this council by a law, as it is a new body that does not exist in the Constitution. Therefore a draft law about it was submitted to Parliament. In my opinion, there can be no "government with two heads," or with duplicate missions. To be frank, this council will not have direct executive procedural powers, but also it will not be merely an advisory council to express opinions and give advice. This is because the membership of this council consists of the three presidencies, the fundamental leaders in Iraq, and the sovereignty ministries, which are considered the nucleus of the government, When all these members agree on a policy or a programme, it will be difficult for the government to oppose what is decided, especially as all the leaders and presidencies have extensions in the government and in parliament.

[Abu-Husayn] Does this mean that the decisions issued by the council will be taken into consideration?

[Zebari] It will be given great attention, and it will be impossible for the government to reject it, especially in the fundamental and destiny issues. For instance among the issues studied by this council are: important laws submitted to parliament, and pending issues, including issues related to the province [Kurdistan], the oil and gas law, the real national partnership, and the relations and the situation between Iraq and Kuwait, which need an unified stance, a clear and explicit opinion, and a political decision. There also are other important issues related to the relations with other countries, such as Iran, and the issue of the borders and reparations.

In my opinion, Mr Iyad Allawi has become convinced of the importance of partnership, and the establishment of this council on clear bases. The council will be formed soon, there are continuous talks with the prime minister, and there are no problems whatsoever.

[Abu-Husayn] Talking about the relations with Kurdistan Province, recently voices have been raised calling for self-determination for the Kurds. Does this mean a desire to secede?
[Zebari] What President Mas’ud Barzani has said was not as it was announced in the media organs. There were errors in translation. Barzani said: The Kurds as a nation of some 30 million people across the world, have the right to self-determination; however, the Kurds in Iraq have decided to live in the united democratic federal Iraq.

[Abu-Husayn] What about the results of the visit by the Iranian foreign minister to Iraq?

[Zebari] First of all, the visit came within the framework of offering congratulations to the new Iraqi Government. By the way, the Iranian foreign minister was born in Karbala in Iraq, and he speaks Arabic fluently with Iraqi and Lebanese accents. There was an opportunity to discuss a number of issues, and to prepare for the work of the higher committee, which will convene soon. There is a higher committee for demarcating the land and river borders, especially after the conclusion of the work of the technical committee, which currently is convening. We consider this committee to be very important with regard to the issue of fixing the border posts along 1,300 km of borders. We would like to conclude this issue, because there are interference, violations, transgressions, a dispute over the joint oilfields, and a dispute over the course of Shat-al-Arab River. Despite all this, Iran is cooperating with us in order to conclude all these issues.

We have another issue with Iran, it is related to the visits by the Iranians to the sacred shrines. This is an extremely important issue at the security and economic levels. We will organize this issue through agreements that will control it.

In addition to these issues, we discussed the US presence, because Iran has a clear and explicit stance towards this issue. We have said to them that this presence will end with the end of this year, and that this presence is controlled by declared agreements between the two countries. In my turn, I asked the Iranian foreign minister to support the stability and the government in Iraq, and not to interfere. These are the basic issues, which we always discuss with the Iranian side.

[Abu Husayn] What about the issue of the Iranian opposition Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization [MKO]?

[Zebari] I have explained that the Iraqi Constitution includes a clear and explicit paragraph according to which no foreign armed group is allowed to operate on Iraqi territories, or to launch attacks on neighbouring countries. Therefore the MKO attacks were taking place during the era of the previous regime. We have stressed that this is no longer allowed. However, we have humanitarian commitments to the MKO members in Ashraf Camp, but we do not allow any transgressions so that they become a state within the state, and their presence is subject to controls and laws.

[Abu-Husayn] Iran criticizes the US presence in Iraq, and some people talk about US-Iranian competition over Iraq. What is your opinion of the current Iranian presence in Iraq?

[Zebari] The fact is the Iranian presence exists, and also the Iranian influence exists. To be precise, this is different from the past, because this presence is confined to the embassy and consulates channel, the common interests, the trade between the two countries, the exchange of visits, the identical religious school of thinking, the religious leaders, and the religious authorities. All these exist, but within a specific framework. Naturally we stress to them all the time that the relations ought to be through the official government channels, i.e. relations between one state and another.

[Abu-Husayn] At what level will Iraq participate in the Arab economic summit?

[Zebari] Iraq will participate strongly, as it participated in the first summit in Kuwait. We will support the Arab project for economic development. It is in the interest of all to focus on the economic and social issues.

Al-Sharq al-Awsat, London, translated by BBC Monitoring Middle East

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Organizations

The Third View on MKO during 2010

The Third View on MKO During 2010
No excuse can acquit MKO of violence and terrorism Palestinianthinkthank
Mojahedin Khalq used again to disseminate false information Iran Press Service
The West must cut its terror ties The Daily Star
Iran blames PMOI for Mousavi death UPI
Iraq FM: Mojahedin Khalq deportation based on Iraqi law BBC Monitoring middle East
MKO still deserves its terrorist listing Associated Press
Mojahedin Khalq lobby clutching at straws UK Parliament
US Congressional Research Service on PMOI CRS – Congressional Research Service
Blood of Iraqi Children at the Hands of MKO Terrorists Asharq Alawsat- Mohammed Javad Al-Doreki
Official Fatah Website drops all material related to MKO Dr. Aaron Lerner – IMRA
Iraqi pro-MKO MP cheats the cult Sot alIraq
DZI warns against PMOI money laundry DZI- German Central Institute for Social Issues
Feminist Terrorism: Not a Joke SpearHead.com – By Welmer
Americans support Mojahedin Khalq Terrorists as well as Jondollah Russia today
PMOI denied families meetings with their captured children in Ashraf Al Motammar
The Psychotic World of The Rajavi Couple and Their Marxist-Islamic Cult socyberty.com
UK: It is in the interest of Ashraf residents to cooperate with Iraq UK Parliament
Secrets of the Tea Party Paul shedon Foote
UK: No evidence of intimidation or harassment in the Camp Ashraf UK Parliament
Official American version of events at Camp Ashraf US State Departement
Al Motamar reports the meeting between families of the victims of MKO and UNAMI Al-Mmutamar
Miserable condition of Mojahedin Khalq hostages in Camp Ashraf Asharq al-Awsat
Mojahedin Khalq and Iraq – bribery, intrigue and chaos D. Amir al-Khalidi, Almutamar Newspaper
The crisis of Camp Ashraf Asharq al-Awsat
Turkish Official Deplores MKO’s Crimes against Humanity Fars News Agency
Families of MEK Victims Want Same Visiting Rights as U.S. Detainee Families Human rights today
Families lobby for PMOI visitation rights UPI
UNAMI continues to monitor Camp Ashraf UNIraq
Iraqi media reports on appeal of families at Camp Ashraf Al Motammar
Iranian families demand Ambassador Hill helps them meet their detained children Iraq Beituna Agency
Al adala reports on appeal of families at Camp Ashraf Al adala
Sadrists: MKO and al-Qaeda responsible for Diyala insecurity Sadrist movement board of trustees
KRG officers: MKO slamming Iranian shelling is futile AK News
Iraq confirms its intention to remove the Mojahedin Khalq Al Sumaria News
US to close base near camp housing MKO exiles Associated Press
Mojahedin Khalq and contradictory positions! Al Motammar
Washington backed MKO members arrested before detonating bombs Reuters
UK government denies any contact with MKO terrorists IRNA
Camp Ashraf Families of Mojahedin Cult Offered Solidarity by Paris Conference CNBC
Families’ picket in front of Camp Ashraf continues Addustour
Who are the terrorists? Washington Times
Iranians in Iraq’s Diyala call for release of relatives held in MKO Camp Ashraf Al-Manar TV

Hundreds stage anti-France demo outside France Embassy AFP
Israel’s Iranian Opposition? Mondoweiss.net By Kamran
Iraqi Official Reiterates MKO’s Terrorist Nature Fars News Agency
Iraqi TV stations report from Camp Ashraf Arabic Media
Iranian families ,after the vigil for more than four months.. Reporters network
Iraqi Criminal Court issues arrest warrant against Massoud and Maryam Rajavi Al Motammar
Interior Ministry announces receipt of arrest warrants for 38 leaders and members of MKO Alsumaria News
MKO hostile role in killing the opponents of former Iraqi regime Habilian Association
Iraqi court seeks arrest of MKO leaders for crimes against humanity Reuters
The Mujahedin-e Khalq: Who are they really? Word Press
MKO had a role in the assassination of Iraqi Judge Rianovosti News
Is the MEK a Terrorist Outfit? Mark Dankof
Mojahedin Khalq access to the Qandil Mountains Kurdish Aspect
Iraq and the American Pullout: Separate We Must Chatham House
Tom Tancredo’s Marriage to the Mojahedin Khalq Mark Dankof
State Department amused by MKO so called Revelations US State Department
MKO Terrorists from Iraq on the move Mathaba
Black Plague – Photos expose the MEK organized crime in Diyala Iraq Beituna Agency
Neoconservative Iran Policy Committee lobbies for terrorist MKO CASMII – by Ali Gharib
Israeli Lobby,American Neocons and Terrorist MKO Join forces to lobby USG to bomb Iran Christian Science Monitor – Scott Horton
Iraq evacuates Camp New Iraq (formerly Ashraf) UK Parliament
Baghdad will host the Black Plague Exhibition Sot alIraq
Canadian Lobbyist MPs defend their holiday trip to Paris paid by MKO terrorists The Canadian sentinel
Canadian MP’s hanging with MKO terrorists by Darcey Saturday – metisonline.ca
US promotion and support for MKO terrorists backfires Ismael Hossein-zadeh – Middle East Online
Mossad and Mujahadeen e-Khalq, Partners in Assassination Campaign Richardsilverstein
A former prisoner at Camp Ashraf reveals human rights violations in Mojahedin Alsabah, Hadi Anbuge
Joe Lieberman , MEK Murder in Iran , and the Mythology of a Righteous Almighty America Mark Dankof
Did Giuliani And Co. Provide ‘Material Support’ To Mujahedin Terrorist Group? Matt Duss, Think Progress
German Central Institute for Social Issues on PMOI money laundry DZI- German Central Institute for Social Issues

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The Ideology of the MEK

On the Formation and Survival of Terrorism

Over the past two centuries terrorism has been used for various reasons to achieve various goals. Terrorism has been used by a variety of social, religious and political zealots and ideologues and the historical development of terrorism shows that it is a tool mostly manipulated Mujahedin insisted to continue their armed strategy and rejected new rules as they had their own interpretation and analysis of the post-revolution erafor a change. So far, and despite extensive academic and non-academic studies to examine the reasons behind the formation of terrorist groups, little has been done to investigate the role of the states in either the emergence of terrorist groups or sponsoring them. It can be examined at least from two perspectives; first, the role of authoritarian and dictatorial regimes in the emergence of violent underground and terrorist groups, and second, the catalyst role the terrorist groups play for some states.

Authoritarian and repressive governments and regimes are themselves a cause of terrorism since they routinely stifle civil liberties in order to maintain their hold on power and keep society in check. These regimes instigate public discord and cause the emergence of violent underground groups to fight for a change. As they are also corrupt governments, resources, privileges, and advantages are reserved for a select group of the people or ruling elite and thus, corruption encumbers the fair distribution of social services and adds another layer to the resentment caused by the lack of political participation. To combat the authority of the repressive regimes, the emergence of campaigners and groups, some already committed to pursuing their goals through nonviolent means, proves to be a necessary. At least in the past century it has been the cause behind emergence and formation of violent groups in Iran. Hardly can we distinguish between the political groups whose main approach is armed warfare and the terrorists because the very same political groups end to terrorism due to their infrastructural ideology of armed and militant struggle. Of course, there are few that make a revision and adapt to the made change and get advantages of their democratic potentialities to secure their political interests through peaceful means. We have the example of the both groups in Iran’s history of the past century; the People’s Devoted Guerrillas and the Mujahedin Khalq.

The People’s Devoted Guerrillas, the majority, made a thorough revision in the principles of its political and strategic struggle after a fairly realistic analysis of the Iranian post-revolution situation and became a political process. However, a few of the survivors remained loyal to the armed policy, but because of their extremist inclination to Leninist ended to the abyss of terrorism and, for several reasons like weakness in organizational structure and the like, accepted the hegemony of Mujahedin Khalq. Thus, a militant group formed to fight the ousted Pahlavi’s regime divided into two branches each dedicating itself to a separate path of struggle.

The second group surviving pre-revolutionary armed warfare was Mujahedin Khalq Organization (MKO, MEK, PMOI, NCR, NLA). Mujahedin insisted to continue their armed strategy and rejected new rules as they had their own interpretation and analysis of the post-revolution era. They refused to deliver their weapons over to the newly formed regime and instead opened a front of controversy that led them to pursue their goals through violent means that eventually culminated to terrorism. The role of Pahlavi’s authoritarian and repressive regime for the birth of the two challenging groups, among many other armed groups, was inevitable and the shaping of all these groups, because of the regime’s non-flexibility and quashing of the scattered opposition and opponents, could in some way counterpoise the draconian pressure of the regime. Here, we can well see the connection between dictatorial governance and the formation of an armed movement that was wholeheartedly transformed into a global terrorist group.

The catalyst role the terrorist groups play for some states has to be also explored. That is, some imperialist and colonizing states facilitate the formation of terrorist groups and provide for them under a variety of freedom fighting names in different part of the world in an attempt to secure their long-term strategic interests and objectives. While some counter-terrorist theoreticians highlight the need to understand the organizational, ideological, and financial aspects of a global threat as al Qaeda in order to defeat this global network of terror, little is said about the powers that fed it to become the notorious al Qaeda. There are proven evidences that the US government was funding and working with Al-Qaeda up to September 11, 2001. However, as these collaborator groups have their own expiry date, they are soon in disgrace with their sponsors. The outcome will be nothing but to turn them into global threats and become claimants of some power and authority.

Regardless of the manipulation of al-Qaeda by the US, terrorism is the outcome of both regional or global power imbalance and authoritarian influence. But what is of significant importance is that along with the birth of these purposeful terrorist groups other forms of violent groups pop out of the created chaotic situations. These parallel violent groups well fill the created social and political gaps and are even manipulated as puppet terrorists by rival political campaigners and the mafia-like criminal networks for a variety of purposes.

Natural enough, they can be also manipulated and sponsored by behind-the-curtain controlling powers that get their benefit from the terrorist-infected regions and countries.
Similarly, we can observe such an engagement in global relations. In an initiative to counter terrorism, some states arrange a blacklist of groups that are considered to have posed a threat not only against their nations but also against the global peace and security while the very same groups are proclaimed by some other states as freedom-fighters and even counter-terrorists. The duality before anything benefits the terrorists themselves who enjoy the support of their sponsors to survive. That is the present condition of MKO; it is a blacklisted terrorist group on the US terrorist list and considered a global threat while it is removed from the EU terror list believing to be a pro-democratic and freedom-seeker group. And MKO owes its survival much to these states, claiming to be policymakers of combating against terrorism that have made a compromise with the group under a multifaceted contract to advance their political goals. Words and policies are of no use and can help in no way to curtail terrorism unless there is a universal willingness to stop compromising with terrorists.

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Mujahedin Khalq 's Function

MKO Terrorists create groups against Iraqi People

Right Group Uncovers MKO’s Huge Soft War Funding in Iraq 

Habilian Association, an Iran-based human rights group, reported that the anti-Iran terrorist Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO) has made heavy investments to gain soft power in Iraq as part of its broader efforts to secure its presence in the country and gain political influence on Baghdad.

According to the Habilian report, the MKO ringleaders have provided financial and structural support for the establishment of over 20 publications and sociopolitical groups in Iraq in recent years in a bid to see their desired government in power.

The report said that the investment was vital for the terrorist group considering that MKO ringleaders tried hard to make Nouri Maliki face failure in his bid for becoming Iraq’s new Prime Minister.

Also, the soft war funding was an urgent necessity for the MKO since its affiliated publications and groups could support the MKO under the pretext of human rights against the Iraqi people and political groups who are growingly demanding MKO’s expulsion from their country, the report added.

Both Iraq’s parliament and government have ratified expulsion of MKO from the country.

Iraqi security forces took control of the training base of the MKO at Camp Ashraf – about 60km (37 miles) north of Baghdad – last year 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.

Earlier this month, Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari expressed hope that Baghdad would expel the anti-Iran terrorist Organization from Iraq soon in future.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting in Baghdad with visiting Iranian Foreign Ministry Caretaker Ali Akbar Salehi, Zebari said that he and his Iranian counterpart have discussed expulsion of MKO from Iraq at their meeting.

Asked about the fate of the MKO, Zebari said the two sides "hope to find a way to close the MKO’s case in Iraq as soon as possible".
"There are some humanitarian commitments to which our government is loyal, but fulfilling these undertakings should not harm Iraq’s national sovereignty," he said.
The MKO has been in Iraq’s Diyala province since the 1980s.

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).

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, 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 also argue for the MKO to be taken off the US terror list.

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Mujahedin Khalq Organization as a terrorist group

MKO’s Shift in Terrorist Modus Operandi

It has been frequently reiterated that Mojahedin Khalq Organization (MKO, MEK, PMOI, NCR, NLA) for a variety of ideological, strategic and other reasons has failed to alter its long practiced violent and terrorist approaches. The reasons are all grounded on a wholehearted devotion to its inbuilt violence and an understanding of the philosophy of the existence. However, it is not for long that MKO has come to claim it has made a thorough change to stop terrorism in the favor of adopting an alternative peaceful and civil way of democratic struggle.

No convincing theoretical explanation has so far the organization presented for such changes and the ambiguity still prevails for the unexpected, claimed U-turn of a fundamentally terrorist organization. Since MKO persist in dodging from logically convincing reasoning, the transition must be analyzed according to unconventional tactics of the organization and its engagements with other similar terrorist organizations in an attempt to mastermind unusual methods of coverage for its activities. These methods, unfortunately, have drawn less attention while it is of importance to have a study of them concerning the issue. The basic question, with regard to MKO’s claim of denouncing terrorism, one may pose is how practical the pretense could be and in case of a negative answer, how could it help the organization to survive.

The fact is that today the global consensus on the issue of fight against terrorism has forced many terrorist groups to withdraw from violence, go to isolation, temporary cease armed activities and in some way pose as analogous to pro-democratic devotees and parties. As a result, if we suppose that MKO has made a change in the procedures and practices of terrorism and violence, it is a miscalculation according to dozens of political and theoretical justifications and facts. Now the question is that how can such an organization that is struggling hard to be removed from the terrorist blacklists play a double standard of both maintaining its terrorist and militarist potentialities and portray a counter-terrorist in its political and propaganda profile? For sure there are concrete evidences to prove such a hypocritical behavior.

One is shift in modus operandi; that is, from this point on the organization sees no need to engage in terrorism and violence and to accept any responsibility under its commonly known logo and signature. Rajavi knows well that today assuming responsibility for terrorist acts has lost its effectiveness and the international community condemns these activities in any form. Facing a universal restriction, MKO like some other similar terrorist groups made a change in its profile that faces the world at large and has decreased much of its activities done under its old emblem specifically when issuing statements for terrorist perpetrations. Opening new branches under a variety of charity, humanitarian, women’s rights and other aliases, MKO began a new phase of bulwarking and feeding its main military structure. In this way, it strived to operate under a self-made legality and equality with a democratic group that gave it an open hand to have further collaboration with other opposition that operated with a terrorist transparency. We have still the reports of MKO’s support of Rigi’s terrorist group calling him the leader of a liberation movement after his arrest by Iranian forces.

Pushing the political and civil activities to terrorism is another adopted approach in which MKO sets guidelines for non-violent, civil activities. That is, while pretending to be siding with pro-democratic and civil factions, MKO ventures to impress them with its own ideological and political impressions. Interestingly, in contrast to its attempt to convince the international community to have withdrawn from a proven terroristic past to be removed from terrorist lists, MKO is in a never-ending struggle to incite peaceful oppositions to riot and engage in violent and insurgent activities against the Iranian regime. At least in the past two years it has been the prescription Rajavi would formulate for the opposition currents inside Iran. Through several messages sending out from his hideout, Rajavi sought to instill his self-set political and theoretical instructions into motivated protesters to intensify their public anger. Not only he tried to influence the internal protestors to incite domestic violent but also to impose himself as one of the leading figures at the lead.

A support of blind and revengeful assassinations has been another indirect mien of operating under democracy. During all the years that MKO claimed to have stopped terrorist activities, it has unequivocally backed all acts of violence and terrorism even those perpetrated with personal and revengeful motives. A look at its websites well explains how it has been, and is, supporting and sympathizing with the arrested criminals, rubbers, kidnappers and drug dealers as heroes and freedom fighters. Thus we see the footprints of Rajavi and his propaganda machine in provocation of any form of domestic political and criminal violence because he initially rejects any peaceful and public-approved democratic behavior.

Many terrorist organizations are believed to have abnormal potentialities to identify with a pro-democratic profile and to replace their known terrorist image with a leading role in guiding, organizing and managing other violent minorities. Hardly anywhere can you find such a creativity and ingenuity these organizations, regardless of being revolutionaries, freedom fighters or any other name, possess especially when they are on the verge of disintegration. In fact, “The prime tool of the revolutionary terrorism is use of creativity and ingenuity to guarantee the continuity of its organizational activities”. (Reich Walter; Origins of Terrorism, 19)

At the present, MKO does not seem to demonstrate serious threat as a terrorist group especially after being removed from the EU blacklist. That is because it does not directly involve itself in terrorist acts as did before. Instead, it has taken the initiative to impose its hegemony over other terrorist groups for reasons: first to fill the created gap of armed activities against Iranian regime and second, to quantitatively reproduce and educate dependent groups and individuals as well as organizing violent calls. In other words, submission of some pro-violent factions to Rajavi’s hegemony made him to call them under his banner by granting them excessive political, financial, media and propaganda support that in turn have been entrusted to him by his Western supporters. And this is a phase that can be named as a phase of administration of terrorism by disguised terrorists, a phase that has to be taken seriously, even if a temporal modus Vivendi to accomplish a joint political cause.

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