USA

US using MKO terrorists as bargaining chips, says BBC

Nearly four years after overthrowing of Saddam Hussein’s regime, the US are still using some 3,500 MKO terrorists at Ashraf camp in Iraq as a bargaining tool in its relations with Iran, BBC reported.

Britain’s state-funded broadcaster said the US cannot decide what to do in its hypocritical policy, with some statesmen in Washington still seeing the MKO as potential allies even though the grouplet is officially branded as terrorists.

A documentary for Newsnight, screened on Wednesday, suggested there was a split between the US State Department and Defence Department, where there was said to be a "strong pro-MKO lobby" despite the removal of Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson, former Secretary of State Colin Powell’s chief of staff, expressed regret that the terrorist group had been used as a US source of confrontation against Iran.

"I think failure of the US for six years to make some meaningful overture to Iran is a terrible mistake," Wilkerson told the program.

Kenneth Pollack of the Brooking Institute said that the US and Iran needed to work together to stabilize Iraq and on nuclear issues and that he did not want the MKO to be used "to muddy trouble waters." The documentary introduced the MKO a "cruel and manipulative cult" that had killed and wounded hundreds of Iranian politicians and civilians for more than two decades.

Former members were interviewed describing the psychological warfare and torture used by the Iraq-based terrorist organization as part of its system of control.

A spokesman for the MKO front group in London, Ali Safavi, even admitted that all members were asked to divorce to show their devotion to the organization that had led to the break up of their families.

From Iraq, where the terrorists had been given their military base as guests of Saddam, numerous invasions of Iran were carried out.

But since Saddam became an enemy of the west, they had become a terrible liability with the new Iraqi government wanting the MKO removed from Ashraf.

The report suggested that the US had missed opportunities to make deals with Iran first during its war in Afghanistan and then following its invasion of Iraq.

But it now believed that time was finally running out for the MKO and that they would be "probably be used as bargaining chips in a diplomatic game" by the US for better relations with Tehran.

London, Jan 18, IRNA

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USA

The BBC television program on the Communist MEK

The BBC’s January 17, 2007 television program on the Iranian Communist MEK (MKO, PMOI, NCRI, Rajavi Cult, Pol Pot of Iran) included an interview with Lawrence Wilkerson, a top aide to former Secretary of State Colin Powell. Wilkerson revealed that the State Department supported a plan to disband the Iranian communist cult at Camp Ashraf, Iraq. However, Vice President Dick Cheney’s office rejected the plan. The television program included also an interview with Congressman Bob Filner (Democrat-California and son of a Communist Party candidate for Congress) who supports this communist cult.

Hopefully, the American media will follow the lead of the BBC and examine in depth why a Republican Vice President supports a communist ult. Unfortunately, this is not the first time in American history that American political leaders have supported communist monsters. For example, there were members of the American government who supported Pol Pot in Cambodia. America has some responsibility for the killing fields of Cambodia. Some Iranians refer to Masoud Rajavi as the Pol Pot of Iran.

Americans need to continue to vote out of office the neo-conservatives (neo-Trotskyites) in the Democratic and Republican parties who support communist cults.

The following is the Comment of Paul Sheldon Foote on the group

The Iranian Communist MEK (MKO, PMOI, NCRI, Rajavi Cult, Pol Pot of Iran)has a long history of terrorism. In the 1970’s in Iran, the MEK murdered  American military officers and Rockwell International employees. During the American hostage crisis, to show that the MEK is more anti-Western than the Islamic leaders, the MEK clamored for the murder of the American hostages at the American Embassy in Tehran. In 1991, these Saddam Hussein-supported terrorists committed major war atrocities against Kurdish and other Iraqi  civilians. Around the world, the MEK has committed terrorist acts, even in New York City.

While this BBC segment contained an interview with Congressman Bob Filner (Democrat-California and son of a Communist Party candidate for Congress), viewers need to know that hundreds of members of Congress (including Republicans) have supported the MEK or have accepted political campaign contributions from MEK supporters. While this segment was a good, brief introduction to the MEK, BBC needs to go into more depth in future segments about the real reasons why many neo-conservatives (neo-Trotskyites), the Iran Policy Committee (staffed by a former CIA employee and former American military officers), and so many members of Congress have betrayed America by supporting this evil communist cult.

Viewers can learn more about the MEK by reading Anne Singleton’s book, Saddam’s Private Army, available from Iran Interlink.

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Iran

Iran offered to cut off Hezbollah in overture to US in 2003: BBC

Iran offered to cut off aid and support for the Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah and the Palestinian group Hamas, and promised full transparency on its nuclear program in a secret letter to the United States soon after the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the British media reported.

According to the BBC, the letter, which it obtained, was unsigned, but the US State Department understood that it came with the approval of the highest Iranian authorities.

The Islamic republic also offered to use its influence to support stabilisation in Iraq, and in return asked for a halt in hostile American behaviour, an abolition of all sanctions, and the pursuit and repatriation of members of the Mujahedeen Khalq (People’s Mujahedeen MKO).

The MKO is an exiled Iranian opposition group which fought alongside former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein’s army in the eight-year Iran-Iraq war, and is currently based in Iraq.

Initially, the State Department was positive on the offer, according to Lawrence Wilkerson, former US secretary of state Colin Powell’s chief of staff, who spoke to the BBC.

"As soon as it got to the White House, and as soon as it got to the Vice-President’s ( Dick Cheney) office, the old mantra of ‘we don’t talk to evil’ … reasserted itself," Wilkerson told the broadcaster.

"To our embarrassment at State … the cable that I saw go back to the Swiss actually upbraided the Swiss for being so bold and audacious as to present such a proposal to us on behalf of the Iranians."

According to Wilkerson, the State Department was also offered a deal by the Iranians after it led the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 which involved Iran giving up senior Al-Qaeda terror network figures in return for help pursuing the MKO.Powell and Wilkerson were unsure how high in the Iranian government the approach came from, however, and did not pursue the offer, the BBC said.

Iran offered to cut off Hezbollah in overture to US in 2003: BBC

LONDON (AFP) – January 18, 2007

Iran offered to cut off aid and support for the Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah and the Palestinian group Hamas, and promised full transparency on its nuclear program in a secret letter to the United States soon after the 2003 invasion of Iraq, the British media reported.

According to the BBC, the letter, which it obtained, was unsigned, but the US State Department understood that it came with the approval of the highest Iranian authorities.

The Islamic republic also offered to use its influence to support stabilisation in Iraq, and in return asked for a halt in hostile American behaviour, an abolition of all sanctions, and the pursuit and repatriation of members of the Mujahedeen Khalq (People’s Mujahedeen MKO).

The MKO is an exiled Iranian opposition group which fought alongside former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein’s army in the eight-year Iran-Iraq war, and is currently based in Iraq.

Initially, the State Department was positive on the offer, according to Lawrence Wilkerson, former US secretary of state Colin Powell’s chief of staff, who spoke to the BBC.

"As soon as it got to the White House, and as soon as it got to the Vice-President’s ( Dick Cheney) office, the old mantra of ‘we don’t talk to evil’ … reasserted itself," Wilkerson told the broadcaster.

"To our embarrassment at State … the cable that I saw go back to the Swiss actually upbraided the Swiss for being so bold and audacious as to present such a proposal to us on behalf of the Iranians."

According to Wilkerson, the State Department was also offered a deal by the Iranians after it led the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001 which involved Iran giving up senior Al-Qaeda terror network figures in return for help pursuing the MKO.Powell and Wilkerson were unsure how high in the Iranian government the approach came from, however, and did not pursue the offer, the BBC said.

LONDON (AFP) – January 18, 2007

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UK

Mojahedin Assets still frozen in EU and UK

UK Secretary of State: Mojahedin Assets still frozen in EU and UK

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the implications for the UK of the European Court Judgement of 12 December 2003 to annul the Council’s decision to freeze the funds of the People’s Mojahedin of Iran; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Beckett (Secretary of State, Foreign & Commonwealth Office) | Hansard source

On 12 December 2006, the Court of First Instance (CFI) of the European Community annulled the Council of the European Union’s decision to add the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MeK, also known as l’Organisation des Moudjahiddines du peuple iranien or People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran) to its list of terrorist organisations subject to an EU-wide asset freeze.

The specific Council Decision of December 2005 annulled by the Court has been replaced by a subsequent Council Decision of May 2006. The EU-wide asset freeze against MeK is therefore still in force. The EU keeps its entire terrorist asset freezing decisions under regular review.

The assets of this group are also frozen under UK domestic law. This is not affected by the CFI judgement, which is a technical decision on EU procedures. The Court did not rule on the substantive question as to whether the MeK is a terrorist group.

 

Source: Hansard, Thursday, 18 January 2007

Written answers, Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Iran

William Hague (Richmond (Yorks), Conservative) | Hansard source

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Iraqi Authorities' stance on the MEK

Presence of Armed Opposition in Iraq Unaccaptable

In a meeting with Deputy Iraqi Interior Minister for Security Affairs"Shirvan Al-Vaeli", Iranian Foreign Minister "Manouchehr Mottaki" said that in the light of good relationships between the two countries, the presence of Iranian opposition groups in Iraq is not acceptable and that Iranian government and people are waiting for the extradition of criminals and the expulsion of enemies from Iraq.

In the meeting, Vaeli stated: "We are satisfied with the good ties between Islamic Republic and Iraq. Iraqi officials are willing to strengthen bilateral relations and Iraqi PM stresses the development of ties with the Islamic Republic."

Referring to the efforts of enemies to intensify unrest in Iraq, he said: "Enemies of Iraqis seek to disrupt the process of establishment of Iraq’s legal institutions. Iraqi government is strongly determined to boost its security plans in order to establish security and stability in the country."

 Mehrnews – 2007/01/18

 

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USA

Iranian People Don’t Want MEK says Thomas Pickering

Iranian People Don’t Want MEK says Thomas Pickering in US Foreign Affairs Committee Hearing

 WITNESSES: THOMAS PICKERING, FORMER UNDERSECRETARY OF STATE FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS

FORMER CIA DIRECTOR JAMES WOOLSEY

Extract…

REP. TOM TANCREDO, R-COLO: It is just that, sir, and thank you.

Let me go from the strategic to the tactical in terms of the framework for our discussion here, both because of the time constraints and also because I think so much has been gained by the discussion to this point in time.

We’ve talked about the fact that the people in seem to be interested in regime change themselves. I think you put it, If the mullahs hate us as much as they seem to, then there must be something good about us, is the way many Iraqi people — I mean the Iranians — are looking at the situation today.

So if that is the case, then I hearken back to the situation we have with the MEK. And I wonder about whether or not it would not be in our best interest to take them off of the terrorist watch list, as they are certainly hated by the mullahs. And that is the one thing about which we are sure with regard to the MEK.

There are lots of, you know, gray areas, murky areas in the past, things we’re not positive about in terms of their responsibility for certain actions 30 years ago. But in the last couple of decades, anyway, it seems to me that it is pretty clear that they are, as a political — they are certainly not much of a military force, but a political force — and they may not even be that to any great extent. But to the extent that they are operating as a group of people who are articulating an opposition to the present regime, they understand the culture. They understand the language.

We are protecting them in Camp Ashraf . Here’s a group of people who are, in fact, on the terrorist watch list that we are protecting. Our troops are protecting them.

Wouldn’t it be to our advantage to somehow use these folks in pursuit of our goals? And in order to do that, wouldn’t it require their removal from that list?

LANTOS: Ambassador Pickering?

PICKERING : Yes, certainly. I’d be happy to answer the question. I think that the question is premised on the Middle East fundamental proposition, "The enemy of the enemy is my friend."

My view is that the MEK doesn’t represent the kind of government we would like to see in their past actions — and they’re all documented fairly well — in . To me, it would be a bigger burden.

And if the Iranian people knew what MEK had been doing in terms of its own activities and the way it behaved, particularly towards its own people, I think they, too, would see that as a negative rather than a positive.

LANTOS: Ambassador Woolsey?

WOOLSEY: I agree with Tom. Everybody is using Churchill quotes today, one of my favorite is, "If Hitler invaded hell, I should find a kind word to say for the devil."

(LAUGHTER)

And there’s a side of me that is tempted to cast about for anybody when can cause trouble for the Iranian regime. But I do think their being on the terrorist watch list at this point is a bar. And if somebody wants to look into the facts of all that and the history of it and exactly what they did and so on, it might be a useful review for someone to do. But I never have done it and I don’t know how it would come out. –HOUSE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS HEARING ON THE NEXT STEPS IN THE CRISIS

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Former members of the MEK

An Unexpect Trip Disarrays the MEK Headquarters

The trip of Ms. Fariba Hashtroodi* to Iran and her meeting with the representatives of Habilian Association and Mr. Ibrahim Khodabandeh has overwhelmed MKO members and leaders in their headquarters in France.

People close the MKO report of disappointment of members of this organization, particularly the members of Council.

That’s why the MKO has made so much noise by its forces- through taking position against Ms. Hashtroodi.

In recent months, the cases on defection of several MKO supporters and old sympathizers as well as MKO members and their departure from Auvers have been on Maryam Rajavi’s desk.

The issue of the European-based MKO members’ differences with the group has forced the Gestapo of this terrorist organization to take measures to control the situation; however, Ms. Hashtroodi’s trip to Iran thwarted these measures and accelerated the process of defection so that some people have left the Camp in Auvers in recent days.

In the process of defection, most of focus is on the situation in Camp Ashraf, since the MKO officials there in the Camp are watching the members individually to prevent them from going to the US-run Camp (TIPF). However, the situation in Auvers is not better than that of Ashraf, especially now that MKO leaders are not able to send dissidents to Iraq to control them in better way.

————————————————————–

* Ms. Hashtroodi was formerly a senior member of NCRI

 

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Missions of Nejat Society

MEK in Iran-Iraq Security Talks

In a meeting with Shirvan Al-Vaeli, Iraqi Deputy Interior Minister for Security Affairs, Gholam Hussein Mohseni Ezhei, Iranian intelligence minister, expresses regret for unrest in Iraq and promised that Iran would help its neighbor in establishing security.

In the Meeting, the issue of Mojahedin-e Khlaq organization, major armed Iranian opposition group based in Iraq, was also discussed.

The details of discussions have not been revealed, but the Iranian government has always asked for the removal of MKO’s camps in Iraq and extradition of its forces to Iran.

MKO, founded before the revolution of 1979, had troubled relations with the new government.

In early 1981, many of its leaders left Iran and settled in Iraq, that was at that time fighting with Iran.

Since that time, this armed group with more than 4000 organized members started border-crossing attacks inside Iran. Also, in the final days of Iran-Iraq war, they initiated the huge operation of "Forough-e Javidan", in which many of the members of the group were killed or captured.

The power and abilities of this group have decreased radically in recent years and they were disarmed after the US invasion against Iraq.

During past two years, after Iran issued public pardon for those MKO members who had not committed specific crimes, several MKO members returned to Iran.

BBC –  2007/01/17

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