BOB GELDOF walked away from a demonstration on Iran after hearing that one of the groups involved was on the UN’s terrorist list.
He was due to speak to a crowd gathered in Brussels where the EU’s Foreign Ministers were meeting and discussing growing concerns about the regime
The Live Aid organiser was on his way to Africa and stopped off in Belgium to address the gathering of Iranians against the current government
But he left after hearing that one of the group’s associated with the event, the People’s Mojahedin Organisation of Iran (PMOI), was on the terror list
There were banners demanding the PMOI be taken off the terror list, calling the recently elected president an assassin and describing Iran regime as terrorist.
Geldof, billed to speak for 25 minutes, did not appear to know the PMOI was a proscribed organisation
"I would not have anything to do with it if they are on the terror-list. We checked it out before we came," he said
But after speaking to the organisers, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), he walked away
The former member of the Boomtown Rats told the media he believed the Iranian government should be referred to the Security Council of the United Nations
"I do not know enough about the Iranian situation and I am not trying to become an expert but it’s a dangerous situation and we do not need more wars in that region", he said
Organisers of the rally were upset at his decision not to address the crowd of about 500 and said the PMOI should not be on the terror list
The organisation was condemned by a New York-based Human Rights Watch recently
The Irish Examiner, November 8, 2005
By Ann Cahill, Europe Correspondent