News

Iraqi lawmaker: Iraqis’ wounds made by MKO not healed yet

“Iraqi people do have a dark memory of Mujahedin-e Khalq organization (MKO, a.k.a. MEK and PMOI), and the decision for their expulsion is a key and national decision,” said an Iraqi Kurdish member of parliament.

Parizad Shaban was quoted by Ashraf News as saying that the hands of the Mujahedin-e Khalq organization (MEK, a.k.a. MKO and PMOI) are “smeared with the blood of people of southern and northern Iraq,” and the wounds of these people have not been healed yet.

MKO fled to Iraq in 1986, where it was welcomed by Iraqi executed dictator, Saddam Hussein. In return, MKO helped him suppress Shiite and Kurd uprisings in the Arab country in 1991.

Parizad Shaban called on all organizations and the media to work for the clarification of the crimes of this group-let for Iraqi people as well as the people around the world.

Surprised by the silence of some politicians and activists on the crimes of MKO, she reiterated that the presence of this group in Iraq “has no legal basis” and that Iraq is opposed to their presence on its soil.

Ashraf News, translated by Habilian Association

March 6, 2013 0 comments

Belgium

Belgium to host MKO members

Belgium Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs announced the country’s readiness to accept Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari met on 26/2/2013 at the Ministry HQ the Belgian Deputy Prime Minister Foreign Minister, Didier Reynders, those members of MEK who are willing to leave Camp Liberty, Ashraf News quoted a source close to the Iraq’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Didier Reynders made the proposal to Hoshyar Zebari to help solving the issue of MEK in Iraq, Source added on the condition of anonymity.

Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari met on 26/2/2013 at the Ministry HQ the Belgian Deputy Prime Minister Foreign Minister, Didier Reynders, and the delegation accompanying him.

The visit resulted in signing a memorandum of understanding for political and diplomatic cooperation between the two ministries to organize the visits and diplomatic meetings.

Nejat Society reporting from Ashraf News

March 4, 2013 0 comments

UN urge protection, durable solution for residents of transit camp Liberty

Senior United Nations officials today stressed the need to redouble efforts to resettle residents of an Iranian UN urge protection, durable solution for residents of transit camp Liberty exile camp near the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, which was the scene of recent attacks, and to find durable solutions for them outside of Iraq.

Camp Liberty, which houses more than 3,000 exiles, most of them members of a group known as the People’s Mojahedeen of Iran, was attacked on 9 February while most of the residents were sleeping. Six people were reportedly killed and several injured.

The camp is serving as a transit facility for the exiles while the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) carries out a process to determine their refugee status.

At a meeting in Geneva today, the High Commissioner for Refugees, António Guterres, and the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Iraq, Martin Kobler, discussed the process of resettling the residents of the camp to third countries and voiced their concern about their safety and security.

“After the despicable attacks on Camp Liberty on 9 February, it is particularly important that we redouble our efforts to resettle the residents and find durable solutions for them outside Iraq as quickly as possible,” said Mr. Kobler.

He noted that, under the memorandum of understanding of 25 December 2011, the Government of Iraq is responsible for the security and safety of the residents.

Mr. Kobler also thanked Mr. Guterres for the efforts of UNHCR and assured him that the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), which he heads, will continue to support the agency to bring about a quick resettlement of the residents to third countries.

“UNHCR strongly calls on all countries to redouble their efforts to find humanitarian solutions for this population outside Iraq and urges the Iraqi Government to do everything possible in the meantime to guarantee a safe and secure environment for this population,” the agency added in a news release.

March 3, 2013 0 comments

Iraq

Mukhtar Army lying in ambush for MKO

Blaming MKO for involvement in the recent political instability in Iraq, head of a newly established militant group in Iraq took responsibility for the February 9 mortar attack on Camp Liberty, which temporarily houses some 3000 members of the terrorist Mujahedin-e Khalq organization.

According to Habilian Association, head of Mukhtar Army Wathiq al-Battat, in his interview with Al-Mada Press, did not rule out the possibility of further attacks on Camp Liberty, and underscored that they are in ambush for the terrorist MKO group until they leave Iraq.

Camp Liberty, formerly a US base which is now the temporary home for about 3000 MKO members, came under mortar attack on February 9, 2013, leaving a number of MKO members dead and injured.

From the very first hours, MKO started condemning Iran for carrying out the attack, but Iranian foreign ministry spokesman denied the allegations and said Iran has nothing to do with it.

In a separate interview with the Associated Press on Tuesday, al-Battat said, “It is time for the people of the MEK to leave Iraq. We have demanded that the government kick the group out of the country, but the Iraqi government did not respond positively to our demand” he said.

The Iraqi cleric said the MKO’s presence in Iraq poses a “big threat” to Iraq and the lives of Iraqi people.

February 28, 2013 0 comments

Iran

MP Lambasts West’s Double Standards on Terrorism

A senior Iranian lawmaker blamed the western powers for their double standards on terrorism, cautioning that the West’s approach has strengthened terrorist groups in recent years.

"The United States and the EU recently delisted the terrorist Mojahedin-e Khalq organization (MKO, also known as the MEK, NCR and PMOI) from their list of terrorist organizations, and now they want to list Hezbollah as terrorist entity," Member of the Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Evaz Heidarpour Shahrezayi told parliament news agency on Monday.

The Iranian legislator described Israeli President Shimon Peres’ call on European Union to put Lebanese Hezbollah on its list of terrorist organizations as completely illogical.

"By lobbying with EU to designate Hezbollah as a terrorist entity, Israelis are trying to isolate the resistant group at the international level," he added.

"This is a clear manifestation of West’s double standard policy on the issue," he concluded.

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 grouplet 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 argued for the MKO to be taken off the US terror list.

The US formally removed the MKO from its list of terror organizations in early September, one week after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sent the US Congress a classified communication about the move. The decision made by Clinton enabled the group to have its assets under US jurisdiction unfrozen and do business with American entities, the State Department said in a statement at the time.

In September 2012, the last groups of the MKO terrorists left Camp Ashraf, their main training center in Iraq’s Diyala province. They have been transferred to Camp Liberty which lies in the Northeast of the Baghdad International Airport.

Camp Liberty is a transient settlement facility and a last station for the MKO in Iraq.

February 27, 2013 0 comments

The MEK Expulsion from Iraq

Maliki Asks UN to Accelerate Expulsion of MKO Members from Iraq

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki called on the UN to speed up the process of expulsion of the members of the terrorist Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO) from Iraq.

Ali Al-Moussavi, a senior advisor to the Iraqi prime minister, announced that Maliki has met with Martin Kobler, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Iraq over the UN’s activities in Iraq, including the transfer of the MKO from the country.

Moussavi said that Maliki has asked the UN representative to fulfill his pledge to rapidly implement expulsion of the MKO members from Iraq’s soil.

The advisor stated that Maliki has told Kobler that "Iraq can no more tolerate" the terrorist organization’s members and will not extend their presence in Iraq "even for one single hour", reiterating that any MKO overstay in Iraq will be illegal.

The United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) monitors the transfer of Camp Ashraf residents to Camp Liberty which lies Northeast of the Baghdad International Airport.

The MKO, 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 argued for the MKO to be taken off the US terror list.

The US formally removed the MKO from its list of terror organizations in early September, one week after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sent the US Congress a classified communication about the move. The decision made by Clinton enabled the group to have its assets under US jurisdiction unfrozen and do business with American entities, the State Department said in a statement at the time.

In September 2012, the last groups of the MKO terrorists left Camp Ashraf, their main training center in Iraq’s Diyala province. They have been transferred to Camp Liberty.

February 27, 2013 0 comments

Germany

Germany Supports MKO Expulsion from Iraq

Germany’s Ambassador to Iraq Britta Wagner said her government supports expulsion of the member of the terrorist Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO) from Iraq. Germany's Ambassador to Iraq Britta Wagner

According to a report by Buratha news website, Wagner praised in a statement the performance of the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) in monitoring transfer of the MKO members from Camp Ashraf, the terrorist group’s main training camp in Iraq, to the Camp Liberty, a transient settlement facility in Iraq.

"I would like to express the full support of the German federal government to the United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) that has monitored the transfer of Camp Ashraf residents to Camp Liberty," she said.

The MKO, 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 argued for the MKO to be taken off the US terror list.

The US formally removed the MKO from its list of terror organizations in early September, one week after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sent the US Congress a classified communication about the move. The decision made by Clinton enabled the group to have its assets under US jurisdiction unfrozen and do business with American entities, the State Department said in a statement at the time.

In September 2012, the last groups of the MKO terrorists left Camp Ashraf, their main training center in Iraq’s Diyala province. They have been transferred to Camp Liberty which lies Northeast of the Baghdad International Airport.

February 24, 2013 0 comments

Iraq

Iraqi people would never tolerate the MKO

Iraqi professor: USA and a few Iraqi officials back the Mujahedin e-Khalq organization and try to keep the terrorist group in Iraq for a while.

Referring to the U.S. role in the region’s instabilities, Seyyed Mohammad Javad Hasheminejad addressed the Iraqi people would never tolerate the MKO recent developments in the region and threats facing the nations in a friendly meeting with a delegation of Iraqi university Professors and scholars and said: “After the new Iraqi government came to power, the Americans found the developments in Iraq against their will and started to support and enhance terrorist groups to destroy the country’s security, they promoted the very same thing they had apparently came to fight.”

Habilian’s Secretary General added: “One of the most destructive terrorist groups in Iraq is Mujahedin e-Khalq organization. As though the group is acknowledged by the USA and other western countries as the sample of murder and crime and it is hated by Iraqi and Iranian nations since it has assassinated many innocent people in both countries, the United States is MEK’s most prominent supporter in Iraq.”

After Hasheminejad’s speech, Ali Abood Ne’emeh, a member of the Iraqi delegation, pointed out recent Islamic movements and said: “We believe the Islamic movements in Lebanon, Palestine, Iraq,… wouldn’t have succeeded without Islamic Republic of Iran’s help and support and we have to thank you for this. We also appreciate our leaders who had a very impressive role in the movement of people.

Dr. Rashid Hussein, a university professor in Iraq, referred to the deep, ancient ties between Iran and Iraq and said:” Of course sometimes foreign factors cause problems for the ties between the two countries, but whenever these foreign factors are removed, the ties will be normal again.”

In another part of his speech he addressed the Imperial governments’ wickedness and stated: “The conspiracy of imperial governments is too obvious in the region and it has always existed. What is now happening in the Islamic Wakening countries is a good proof for this. These are due to foreign and imperial intervention.

Dr. Hussein added: “The Iraqi people don’t ever tolerate the MEK, but unfortunately some Iraqi officials and the United States back the group and want them to stay in Iraq for a while.”

He pointed out the American propaganda and said: “We know what the USA is seeking in the world. But unfortunately they are using their propaganda machines and false advertisement to claim they have come to Iraq for Human Rights. They can easily promote themselves since the media is at their disposal.”

At the end Dr.Rashid Hussein appreciated Habilian Association’s activities and included: “We are very happy to see NGOs are so active in Iran and hope we can use Iran’s experience in this field in our country. We are still at the beginning in Iraq. It is such a useful experience. Specifically about Habilian, it is so nice to support families of the people who have sacrificed themselves for your country. This would encourage Iranian people for further sacrifices in the future.”

February 21, 2013 0 comments

USA

US Calls on MKO not to Relocate Back to Camp Ashraf

The US State Department spokesperson called on the terrorist Mojahedin-e Khalq organization (MKO, also known as the MEK, NCR and PMOI) "not to relocate back" to Camp Ashraf, their former military headquarters located some 100 kilometers West of the Iranian border.

"The only peaceful and durable solution for these individuals is resettlement outside Iraq, and that should continue to be the focus of everybody involved in this effort," Victoria Nuland said, reported Habilian Association, a human rights NGO representing the families of Iranian terror victims.

Following the mortar attack on the Camp Liberty earlier the week, the group called on the US administration to "facilitate the transfer of" its members in Camp Liberty back to Camp Ashraf, their former military headquarters.

"The answer for the individuals at Hurriya is not to relocate back to Ashraf," said Nuland.

She also made a reference to those advocating the MKO, and said, "If they want to see them safe, if they want to see them have a better life, the answer is outside of Iraq."

February 21, 2013 0 comments

Mujahedin Khalq; A proxy force

US needs MKO to create tension in the region

Former top inspector of the Iraqi ministry of agriculture said the current troubles which oppressing powers like US needs MKO to create tension in the region the Zionist regime are creating for the Islamic Republic of Iran is not a new thing and they have tried this since the beginning of the revolution.

Mohsen Mousavi made the remarks during a meeting of a delegation of Iraqi officials, scholars and university professors with Seyyed Mohammad Javad Hasheminejad Secretary General of Habilian Association in Mashhad.

Seyyed Mohammad Javad Hasheminejad started the meeting with a brief on the recent developments in the region and awakening of the Islamic nations.

Referring to the colonial role of western governments during the past decades, he said: “Whenever the front opposing oppressive powers has been comprised of governments that enjoy little or no support from their people, the result has been nothing but a total failure for them. But, where the nations have confronted the colonizers, success has been achieved and the enemy heavily defeated.”

Mr.Hasheminejad pointed out the close and historic relationship between the two Iranian and Iraqi nations and expressed: “The two nations have long been in contact so the enemies have tried to separate them. But we can see although the ties between them had been practically cut for 40 years, the two nations welcomed each other after the fall of Saddam’s Ba’ath regime.”

Habilian SG also pointed out the western governments’ aim, specifically the U.S. government’s, to create separations between the nations in the region including Iran and Iraq and said: “The U.S. needs mercenary terrorist groups such as the Mujahedin e-Khaql organization. When the U.S Army occupied Iraq, it lacked the knowledge on Iraqi tribes and groups, so the MEK which had long stayed in Iraq, was used by the U.S Army for terrorist operations and training other terrorist groups.

Appreciating Habilian Secretary General for his beneficial details on terrorist MEK and U.S. colonial plans in the region, Seyyed Saber al-Hosseini, the head of Iraqi center for strategic studies, highlighted some activities of his center and said: “The center for Strategic Studies of Iraq has executed very good plans to reveal MEK’s crimes inside and outside Iraq. These activities include Satellite TV programs and brochures in Iraqi universities. Mobilizing people and rallying towards MEK camps has been another activity we have done several times during the past recent years.

He reiterated: “The terrorist MEK had a major role in suppression of the honorable Iranian nation and also the Iraqi nation at the Sha’abanieh Intifada as the Saddam’s striking arm. “

The Iraqi scholar referred to the problems on the way to expel the MEK and said: “You are aware the Iraqi administration is not all united and this is the reason of some problems created. Some people are after returning Iraq to the Saddam era.”

In another part of his speech, Saber al-Hosseini said: “We hope Habilian Association has a good connection to the institutes working in Iraq on terrorism. The two nations’ martyrs have had common goals which could be the interface between the nations. About 250 thousand of the Iraqi people were martyred by Saddam regime because they didn’t take part in the war against Iran. This shows Iraqi people were not willing for this war to take place.”

Mohsen Mousavi, former top investigator of Iraqi ministry of agriculture, pointed out the victory of Iranian Islamic revolution led by Imam Khomeini and the struggles in the beginning of the revolution which shed light on the nature of different groups and also the efforts from oppressing powers including the Zionist regime against Islamic Republic and said: “The current troubles these powers are creating for the Islamic Republic of Iran is not a new thing and they have tried this since the beginning of the revolution. What has changed, is the direct presence of U.S. and Israel in the region. The result of this presence is that we can see numerous terrorist groups supported by western powers.

Referring to MEK’s status in Iraq he said: “The MEK is all surrounded and its activities are watched. They can’t do anything in Iraq, but unfortunately there are other political movements and parties in Iraq which are after destabilizing the country with the support of the U.S. and Israel. Financial support of these groups is continuous and not limited. Unfortunately, this is harmful for some popular political groups that are seeking new fields of activity. These terrorist acts hinder their activities.”

Former top investigator of Iraqi ministry of agriculture described the ties between the two nations as inseparable and said: “Naturally, these terrorist groups’ activities are an effort to cut the ties between the Islamic republic of Iran and government of Iraq. The U.S. failure in Iraq has been one of the reasons for harsh economic blockade against the Islamic Republic. “

At the end, Mousavi said: “Number of people killed after Saddam’s fall in Iraq is way more than number of the people killed before and even during the Saddam era. We hope a certain framework is created between us. Not only for the MEK threat, but also for opposing any common threats the both nations are facing in the region.”

At the end of the meeting, Seyyed Mohammad Javad Hasheminejad referred to the various aspects of MEK’s presence in the region and their destructive role and said: “Two issues must be addressed about the MEK. First of all they are still in the region and surrounded. But this is not all the problem. According to our Iraqi friends, there are several people in the Iraqi administration and Parliament who support them. Several Iraqi newspapers have taken money from them, so they also support the MEK. This is their destructive role. Unarmed MEK is far more dangerous than armed MEK.”

Hasheminejad continued: “The MEK is now seeking to destroy nations by highlighting their differences instead of just assassinating people. Anything leading to increment of tensions between the two countries is welcomed by them and this is the very destructive role of the MEK and one of the reasons why the U.S. is trying hard to keep them in Iraq. Another reason for the U.S. to try to keep the terrorist group in Iraq is to stop the MEK members from entering the United States. They are also well aware how dangerous these people can be.”

February 20, 2013 0 comments

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