InterView

Iraqi Foreign Minister Says Camp Ashraf Must Go

On April 8, 2011, the Iraqi military launched a raid on Camp Ashraf, 60 kilometers north of Baghdad. The camp is the headquarters of the Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization (aka People’s Mujahedin of Iran), an organization opposed to the current government of Iran. According to the United Nations, some 34 people were killed in the raid and hundreds more injured.

The group was founded as a Marxist terrorist organization and was given sanctuary in Saddam Hussein’s Iraq in the 1980s. Today, Camp Ashraf is home to 3,500 members of the organization and their families.

During a visit to RFE/RL’s Prague headquarters, Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari spoke to correspondent Joseph Hammond about Camp Ashraf, the pending U.S. military withdraw from the country, the tense situation around the ethnically mixed city of Kirkuk, and the transformative politics sweeping the Arab world.

RFER/RL: The United States is scheduled to withdraw its troops from Iraq by the end of this year. But U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates recently said that the United States could extend its role beyond that date. Does Iraq want U.S. troops to remain and, if so, in what role?

Hoshyar Zebari: Well, first of all, I think the agreement for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq ends at the end of 2011. And there are no plans to extend that agreement or to postpone the withdrawal. This is an issue that both the United States and the government of Iraq are committed to implement.
But it doesn’t mean that [the] American presence in Iraq will end. There will be a presence through the embassy, through the consulate, and also through the implementation of the Strategic Framework Agreement for Cooperation and Friendship between Iraq and the United States, which was concurrently signed with the [Status of Forces] agreement.
So we need some implementing tools for that agreement, in terms of training, in terms of advisers, in terms of capacity-building. But this would not be through a new agreement. This would be done bilaterally between the Iraqi ministers and its counterpart in the United States on various issues. This is how we approach the time beyond 2011.

RFE/RL: Will the Iraqi military and the Kurdish peshmerga militia be able maintain security in these tense regions after the United States withdraws?

Zebari: Well, the U.S. troops currently are not only in the north, actually. They are in different parts of the country. This is first. Secondly, I think that Iraqi security forces are capable of standing on [their] own. Of course, they will still need backup and support, but they are capable of maintaining law and order and internal security. That’s why, yes, after the withdrawal I think there has been plans to fill that vacuum, led by the United States forces. And the Iraqi military forces have some working mechanisms with the peshmerga forces in the north in order to avoid any misunderstandings or clashes in the disputed territories.

RFE/RL: What is the likelihood that the status of Kirkuk will be determined in the near future?

Zebari: This is a constitutional matter. Despite all the skeptics, all the people who raised the alarms that Kirkuk is the powder keg, it will blow up Iraq, since 2003 up to now it has not gone off. OK? Yes, there are disputed areas, claims, problems, but it has not led, really, to any all-out conflict or violence whatsoever.
This is a constitutional matter. There are procedures to address [and] resolve these issues. The new government was voted into power to implement this constitutional article, which is 140, which calls for the normalization of the situation in Kirkuk and other disputed territories. So it’s an obligation on this government.
Camp Ashraf Conflict

RFE/RL: Earlier this month, the Iraqi Army raided Camp Ashraf, home of the People’s Mujahedin Organization of Iran, which seeks to overthrow Iran’s leaders. The United Nations says 34 people were killed in this raid. The Iraqi government denies this and accuses guards in the camp of being responsible.

Zebari: The Iraqi Constitution prohibits the presence of mujahedin or any other militia groups from neighboring countries, whether it’s the PKK [Kurdistan Workers Party], whether it’s the PJAK [Party for a Free Life in Kurdistan], or whoever to have presence on Iraqi territory and to launch attacks against our neighbors. Constitutionally, this is not allowed and the mujahedin or the MEK member [Mujahedin-e Khalq] of the Ashraf camp have to respect Iraqi law.
Iraq has a commitment not to extradite any of its members to Iran. Iraq has a commitment also to observe international humanitarian law and to have access by international organizations to them, like the United Nation missions, ICRC [International Committee of the Red Cross], and so on. Yes, what happened was very unfortunate, really, but the aim was not to expel the members of the Ashraf camp to Iran.
This was a military operation intended to take control of part of the territory. Ashraf camp is not a small camp; it is 50 [square] kilometers large. The Iraqi military extended its authority over about 20 kilometers of the camp.
No country in the world will tolerate any organization to undermine its sovereignty, to defy its authority, and to act as if this is a liberated territory or a state within a state. So they have to abide by Iraqi rules and regulations, and we have called on European countries and others to resettle these peoples in their countries, for them to go on and continue their struggle. In Iraq, their presence is unacceptable.

RFE/RL: The U.S. government originally controlled Camp Ashraf following the 2003 invasion of Iraq. They disarmed the Mujahedin-e Khalq and transferred control of the camp to the Iraqi government in 2009. Has the United States government been kept abreast of developments at Camp Ashraf? The Iraqi government has called for the expulsion of this group and set a deadline of the end of the year.

Zebari: This is an Iraqi decision. This group is branded in the United States as a terrorist group, by the Department of State, and it was in Europe up until very recently, when it was lifted. Those countries who care about the fate and human rights of this group’s action, they should welcome them and they should resettle them in their countries. My government has requested such a thing from European countries and from other countries, to resettle members of the Ashraf camp in their countries.

RFE/RL: Where do you see the Iranians going?

Zebari: Wherever. Any country — in the northern countries, in Australia, in New Zealand, Canada, the United States, wherever.

RFE/RL: Right now, we’re seeing tremendous upheaval across the Arab world — revolutions in Tunisia, in Egypt, and uprisings in Yemen and elsewhere. What can other Arab countries learn from Iraq’s political experience?

Zebari: I think what the people of these Arab countries are calling for is basic rights, basic democratic rights, basic freedoms, representative government, elections, and being part of the decision-making. And Iraq has done this through the hard way, through a difficult, arduous road to building democracy. It hasn’t been easy with the foreign occupation, with the sectarian war, with the terrorism, with the regional interventions. But Iraq has passed the test.
Because what the Arab peoples in all these countries are demanding is what we have achieved. We don’t want to be the crown or the example, but I think Iraq draws a great deal of admiration [from] many, many people on the streets of Sanaa or Tripoli or Damascus or Cairo.

April 20, 2011 0 comment

Mujahedin Khalq; A proxy force

Support for MKO, a classic example of US unsustainable policy in ME

Interview with Mark Dankof, former United States Senate candidate

Foreign forces move into Pearl Square in Manama, March 16, 2011
Bahrain’s turmoil has become extremely critical as political analysts think the Saudi Arabian troops have had the United States’ green light to step on the soil of the Persian Gulf nation.

The following is a rush transcript of a Press TV interview with Mark Dankof, former United States Senate candidate, in which he commented on the role that Washington plays in the events currently taking place in the Middle East.

Press TV: Why should we not believe that the green light was given by the United States to Saudi Arabia to intervene in the crisis in Bahrain? Because based on credible reports, Washington has also recently asked Saudi Arabia to supply weapons to revolutionaries in the Libyan city of Benghazi.

Dankof: I think you are exactly right. I am part of the American Right in this country … that has consistently opposed the type of foreign policy that the United States has been pursuing in the Middle East. Well does it relate to supporting the Zionist state, without question, as it also relates to supporting a series of regimes in that part of the world that clearly do not have popular support, and in the long run, it is simply going to take a foreign policy based in force for this whole status quo to continue.

There is only one problem. Aside from the immorality of this, the United States does not have enough men and enough money to continue this type of an imperial policy any more than their British predecessors did. And when we look at (United States Secretary of Defense) Robert Gates’ history as Ray McGovern chronicles that — Ray of course was Gates’ superior at the CIA (Central Intelligence Agency) for a number of years — and when we read what McGovern has said about Gates and the nature of Gates’ relationship with Barack Obama, I think it is entirely reasonable to postulate that, in fact, there was an agreement between Gates and the Saudi regime that they would carry this out either at the behest of the United States or the bare minimum with a green light from the United States to proceed.

And one simply has to look at these pictures on your television network, and some of the coverage that has been on the Australian media in the last day in regard to what has been going on in Bahrain, to see that once again the United States is clearly being linked around the world to these killings. When we start talking about reprehensible governments and American-supplied arms, the blowback from this is going to be absolutely incredible.

Press TV: We can see many inconsistencies in the statements made by the United States, the major one of which standing out being the idea of “restraint.” We see what is going on in Bahrain, and yet we compare the other countries. What is the United States’ stance and why do you think they are coming out with these inconsistencies in their stance?

Dankof: The inconsistencies reflect the inconsistencies in American foreign policy all the way down the line in terms of what we say we stand for as opposed to what our actual agenda is. A classic example of this is when you look at the American and Israeli support of the Mujahedin-e-Khalq, which was killing Americans in Iran back in the 1970’s during the Pahlavi era. But it has certainly become convenient for the United States and Israel to have an alliance with this so-called Marxist terrorist organization as long as these people are doing their bidding in Iran and committing a series of acts which by any definition are criminal, and which have the fingerprints of the American and Israeli intelligence communities all over them. It is also noteworthy that the Saudi Arabian regime has been helping to bankroll this Mujahedin-e-Khalq or MEK organization in their activities around the world, and especially those directed at Iran.

So the United States, on the one hand, claims to be for human rights; for constitutional government; for the protection of the lives of the innocents, and yet of course, when you look at any of these situations that are transpired in recent weeks in Tunisia, in Egypt, in Yemen, in Bahrain and elsewhere, the implication is that we have a problem here, because the folks that we want to keep in power are clearly people who, historically and presently, have not been for any of these things that we say that we believe in. Nonetheless, we will try to help them keep the lid on these mass protests, because ultimately, where American foreign policy is concerned in the Middle East, it is almost about three things: supporting Israel at all costs; supporting international central banking interests at all costs, and it is not an accident of course that Bahrain is home to many international banking institutions; and then of course, the natural gas and oil consortiums. And in the case of Bahrain, fourthly, there is the American Fifth Fleet sitting there, which is part of the enforcement arm that the United States, by implication, would use to try and enforce the interests of these first three constituencies that I have mentioned.

There is a rising perception among the average American in this country, left and right, politically, that their government has involved them in something that is a complete loser. It is a loser in terms of our linkage, as a people, to the deaths and suffering of all of these innocent people in your part of the world. It is a loser as more American money continues to be borrowed from China, Japan and Saudi Arabia to finance these military expeditions in the Middle East. And ultimately more American young men and women will lose their lives in trying to enforce and to perpetuate this older British foreign policy. It is unsustainable. The British found out how unsustainable it was. The United States is, unfortunately, is about to find out, much to its own detriment, and much to a great degree of tragedy, that this whole thing is headed in no good direction for anybody concerned.

April 18, 2011 0 comment

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

January 22, 2011 0 comment

Mujahedin Khalq; A proxy force

MKO terrorists clearly connected to CIA and MOSSAD

Interview with former US Senate candidate Mark Dankof
Dankof: Mojahedin Khalq terrorist organisation clearly connected to CIA and MOSSAD

(Captain Lewis Lee Hawkins murdered by MEK)

The US administration is ramping up a "secret war on terror groups" in hot spots around the globe by establishing a new military targeting center, officials say.

The following is Press TV’s interview with former US Senate candidate Mark Dankof regarding the matter:

Press TV: Some have predicted a positive response from the US public because this is "the only tool where we can see immediate, positive results." Is that true?

Dankof: I think if you count this as a positive result, all the political blowback that is going to occur has already occurred as a result of these previous drone strikes. The fact of the matter is that the military knows and our politicians know that we have already spent one trillion dollars in barred money in both Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts, under very dubious circumstances and now we are resorting to something that frankly is going to get a lot of innocent people killed and I think there is going to be an even bigger backlash against what the United States is doing in both of these countries.

So, I think over the long haul, this is going to be more of the same and nobody seems to have an idea as to how to extricate the United States from both of these situations and I think also the question again is how much money we are spending; to what extent the Israelis are going to be involved in these operations and frankly you should look both at Iraq and Afghanistan. We do not know how much this joint strike operation and joint strike command is going to cost; how many people are working for it and frankly who is going to be making the decisions and who gets targeted and when the shooting starts.

Press TV: Some reports say task force 373 has killed many people in Afghanistan without even firing a single shot; is this an example of the kind of operations that the new global task force may conduct?

Dankof: Presumably so, and I think it is worthy if you take a look at what was said in AP intelligence writer Kimberly Dozier’s release to the press today that becomes clear that the United States is not simply stepping on the gas in Iraq and Afghanistan and Pakistan with these types of operations, but now we are hearing more about Somalia and Yemen and there is also talks about these operations quite possibly being used domestically within the United States according to the Ms Dozier’s report today.

This is all very very ominous and again it seems to me that we have a foreign policy that continues to drain the American economy and drain the American political will and credibility and the whole thing in my judgment is going to be proved to be a complete disaster.

Press TV: NATO says 80 percent of targeted operations result in capture, but as is well reported, the result is actually massive civilian-deaths. Is the public being kept in the dark about the extent of this problem?

Dankof: I think that they are. Quite frankly, I turned to alternative media sources to try to get any semblances of truth as to what is actually going on in these situations. Ex CIA agent Philip Giraldi who writes for The American Conservative and ex CIA agent Ray McGovern have done serious studies about what we are doing with these drone strikes. Paul Craig Roberts is another source that I consult and inevitably the view that they are bringing to the table is being kept out of American corporate media much to the detriment of the information of the American people who are not holding either the president of the United States or our military or our Congress accountable for things that are being done under their name.

Press TV: Sovereignty is an issue for the Afghans and Pakistanis. Does Washington feel these countries long ago gave this up?

Dankof: Sovereignty is a very very important issue and it is an important issue when Iran is involved. The Mojahedin Khalq or MKO, which is a terrorist organization despite the attempts of many in the American government and in the European Union to say it is not, has been doing a series of things in your country in conjunction with this Jundollah group, which is absolutely reprehensible and frankly, as Mr. Giraldi, Mr. McGovern and Mr. Paul Craig Roberts have been covering these things. It becomes clear that there is an American and Israeli intelligence connection to the MKO and to the Jundollah and to many of these individual atrocities that this group has been committing within Iranian borders. So, I think sovereignty is an issue and because it is an issue, there is going to be even more militancy among indigenous groups in these countries, who are frankly sick of these foreign military incursions and a total disrespect for their own nation and their own institutions.

January 8, 2011 0 comment

Former members of the MEK

Ali Einakian;Joining and leaving Mujahedin

The Memoirs of Ali Einakian – Part1

I was 16 years old when the Islamic Revolution overthrew the Monarchy in Iran. Like other Iranian youths I was involved with the revolution wishing for a better future for my fellow countrymen.

I was interested in MKO regarding its background of struggle against shah. I used to read their journals so I was familiar with their opinions to some extent but I always felt uncomfortable about their organizational system. I knew that once I was a member of the organization, I would no more have free will. An organizational member had to obey the organization absolutely. Thus I never got involved in their activities and I just followed them from afar.

After a few months of membership in MKO, family love was replaced by Rajavi in my heart

You may wonder how I was recruited by MKO while I had such a view about it. In 1985 I left Iran for Germany, hoping to find a better future. I wanted to continue my education; to live a good life and consequently to help my family live a more comfortable life. I could settle down in Stuttgart.

I was only 24 and home sick. I missed my parents and I felt lonesome when a friend of mine made me acquainted with MKO. I was warmly welcomed by an MKO recruiter called Faraj (who then defected the group and now lives in Germany). His warm behavior attracted me as a lonely person in terrible spirit situation.

…I became a professional organizational member who dedicated himself to the group whole-heartedly. I moved to the group’s base in Frankfurt where I used to work from 6:00 am until the next day 01:00 am. At the time Iran and Iraq were fighting and the organization was involved in border clashes so it launched an extensive propaganda in Europe in order to recruit members. In the base where I was working a number of members applied for moving to Iraq. Impressed by the atmosphere, I also asked for moving to Iraq, although I was preoccupied by some internal contradictions; I didn’t know if I was doing the right job but I was totally captivated by my emotions so I made an emotional decision and went to Iraq.

After a few months of membership in MKO, family love was replaced by Rajavi in my heart. I entered Iraq in 1986. I was transferred to an MKO camp where I received military training. Eventually I attended Eternal Light Operation against my fellow country-men. After the operation I doubted about the battle we attended against the soldiers who were our compatriots but I didn’t dare to express my doubts …

Following the eternal light operation, the group held meetings where Massoud Rajavi blamed us for our ideological inefficiency during the war.

After the ceasefire was announced between Iran and Iraq, Rajavi could see no more future for his group. He was looking for a way out of that cul-de-sac. He wanted to keep his forces amused in order to bar their defection. He found a new way to expand his further control over members. He could no more maintain the organization with his male members whose obedience was limited and who resisted Rajavi’s absolute power.

I was in hospital because of an injury from the war when the group announced Maryam Rajavi as the first official of the organization. Thus Massoud forced the members to accept the hegemony of female members. The most picketing days of my life were those days when the meetings of ideological revolution were held. The members’ minds were totally captivated with those arguments so they were not able to realize where the group was going.

The revolution included the divorce of your ex-spouse and the ideological marriage with Massoud Rajavi (Women had to see themselves Massoud’s wives). The members were not allowed to see women as women but they were supposed to see them as the leader’s sanctuary. This way Rajavi could maintain his organization. The members were told that the objective of the revolution was freedom of men and women not the overthrow of Islamic Republic.

Since 1990, the organizations haven’t allowed dissident member to leave the group. Before the fall of Saddam Hussein, MKO leaders used to submit the defectors to Iraqi regime that then would send them to Abu Quraib prison. If a member tried to escape the camp, security forces of Ba’ath regime would submit him to the organization. So there was no possibility for escape.
The only way for salvation was paved when the control of Camp Ashraf was handed over to Iraqi forces. The Iraqi government granted facilities to escapees from the camp (after their runaway) although nobody in Ashraf was aware of that.

At last, I should notify that everyone must release his mind before releasing his body so that he can find determination for salvation before it’s too late.
Translated by Nejat Society

December 23, 2010 0 comment

Mujahedin Khalq; A proxy force

US politicians and the CIA openly support MKO and Jundallah terrorists

Interview with Professor Paul Sheldon Foote

Iranian officials say US politicians and the CIA have openly supported terrorists groups such as Jundallah and the MKO.

Press TV interviewed Professor, Paul Sheldon Foote of California State University regarding the tragic terrorist attacks in Chabahar. Professor Foote shares his insights regarding the recent attacks in South Eastern Pakistan.

Press TV: We will look more into this with Professor, Paul Sheldon Foote of California State University. Professor, it’s good to have you with us. The timing of this attack is quite sensitive if you agree, as it comes during the Ashura ceremonies. What would you say is the intended goal of such attacks in Iran?

Foote: For many years now the neo-conservatives or neo-troskyites have been speaking in America with Iranian groups, suggesting the break-up of Iran. The whole purpose behind this is to go to minority groups and tell them that they are not well treated and to split up the country into little pieces.

Press TV: The US says those responsible must be held accountable. Jundallah says it has been supported by the US. How complicated is that?

Foote: It’s not very complicated at all, while in general American leaders try to keep it secret, in February 2011, then Vice President Dick Chaney went to Pakistan and very openly spoke in favor of them.

He called them gurillas and not terrorists and was supportive of them. He met with Pakistani leaders about ways to help them. That is fairly clear. The rest of it has been done covertly by the Department of Defense and by the CIA.

As the earlier report mentioned by Bob Bear, and another former CIA agent Phillip Giraldi had made similar reports about how the CIA is working with terrorist groups in the region.

Press TV: Professor, you just said such attacks are intended in breaking the country into pieces, but history has shown –at least for a number of attacks that have happened – that the lesson or the result was that people got more unified. Isn’t that a message would you say the West hasn’t received so far?

Foote: That’s right. Unfortunately, large numbers of Iranian Americans, who parrot whatever the Zionists want them to say in this country, the truth needs to be told.

When we are talking about terrorist organizations and America supports many in the region, you have to ask yourself who’s feeding them and who’s providing them with weapons and so forth. These are thousands of people.

In the case of Jundallah, much of their financing is either coming indirectly from America, Saudi Arabia and Pakistani intelligence and certainly by the drug trade.

If Americans were really serious about ending the war on terror, tens of millions of Americans can stop using drugs tomorrow, and watch what will happen to the drug business and the terrorism in the world.

Likewise in Iraq, Jundallah has been working in the past with the Iranian communists. So here you have one group that claims to be religious and another claiming to be communist.

There are approximately 3 thousand MKO terrorists in Iraq being protected by the American military.

Many American soldiers have died escorting these terrorists on shopping trips inside Iraq. I dare the American government to tell the parents and loved ones of these soldiers who were killed that they died escorting communist terrorists who are on the State Department’s list of terrorism on shopping expeditions.

In 2003, American forces attacked a camp in Iraq and killed some of those terrorists, and ever since then we have been protecting them and using them inside Iran to do terrorists activities. How bad of a terrorist country can you be other than what America’s example has become?

Press TV: You just mentioned the intelligence and the intelligence work that is happening in the Middle East region. What can be said about the role intelligence has when attacks like this happen in a country like Iran?

Foote: It’s a great shame that the CIA has taken advantage of its secret budgets to do these kind of evil activities.

The American taxpayers over history have given a lot of secret latitude to the CIA on the grounds that it couldn’t reveal who the agents were and the people were; therefore, they have been granted huge sums of money by Congress over the years with very little explanation of how they are spending it. Unfortunately, there are some very evil people now in the CIA who are supporting terrorist enemies of America.

Press TV: Many thanks to Professor, Paul Sheldon Foote with California State University joining us live from Irvine.
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/155763.html

December 18, 2010 0 comment

Former members of the MEK

The outset of Rajavi’s longtime treason

Excerpts from Bani Sadr’s memoirs taken of the interview with Pen Club

…The day after the bombing of Islamic Republic Party office, Mr. Abbas Davari and Mr. Azdanloo [two MKO members] came to see me. I asked them if they had bombed the IR Party office. They Excerpts from Bani Sadr's memoirs taken of the interview with Pen Club told that they hadn’t. I had already issued a statement to condemn that attack, the same day. I asked them the question because I was looking for a reason to accept Mujahedin’s alliance with our foundation. […]

When they declined the responsibility of that bombing, I posed some questions to answer so that I could decide what to do. The questions were about independence, freedom, the position of a political organization in society, the position of MKO in the society, the method of thinking in MKO – if it was like the past, a mixture of other ideologies?- if MKO was ready to accept critics on its ideology. They brought me the answer. They said that they had admitted the entire questions I had written […]

We are supposed to go to MKO’s safe house where we can learn about the changes they claim in their thinking method. If I make sure that the changes are serious; if they admit to the critics they are faces; if MKO becomes an organization with the objective of freedom, not the objective of power, I will manage to let them be a member of NCR. They bring me a book called Explaining the World. I read and correct it page by page. Then Mr. Rajavi comes to see me. I find out that the house belongs to his first wife [Ashraf]

I told Rajavi that we want nothing for the future. We don’t need any state and we just want to be political activists. Rajavi promises to make all changes in their ideology in order to adapt it with the freedom objective […]

[…] I tell Massoud Rajavi :" I cannot trust you totally, power addiction will not leave people easily […] I hope that you really act in accordance with what you say."

We manage to write an act based on three basic principles: Independence, freedom and lack of hegemony. I define these three principles: Any organization to submit to these principles, accepts that the objective of the struggle is freedom not power […]

One day Rajavi came to me and told that we had to communicate with states in order to be recognized as an alternative. I replied that the states were seeking their own benefits and we had nothing to do with them […]

[…]An hour later Mr. Rajavi came to my room and told that Mr. Tariq Aziz had asked to visit him […] I told him:" Now that you accepted to visit him, you should treat him the way our Iranian Emperor Shahpour the first treated the Roman Valerian. Our Emperor humiliated the invader to our country. He [Tariq Aziz] should understand that he had invaded a country which has national pride. You should notify that and you shouldn’t let the visit last more than half an hour." […] He said "Ok, I will" but instead of behaving like what he was supposed to, the meeting lasted 5 hours so that the following day Le Monde newspaper wrote that Mr. Tariq Aziz bought Mr. Rajavi or something like that […] after that visit, Rajavi’s behavior changed and changed …

Translated by Nejat Society

November 6, 2010 0 comment

Former members of the MEK

Interview with Alireza Einakian, MKO former member- Part2

Mr. Alireza Einakian could manage to run away from Camp Ashraf after midnight of September 7th 2010. His escape was successful due to his courageous innovate plan. The following is the interview with Mr. Einakian by Sahar Family Foundation:

SFF: now that you could release from Camp Ashraf, how do you feel?
Mr. Alireza Einakian could manage to run away from Camp Ashraf after midnight of September 7th 2010
Mr. Einakian : Before my escape, I had no idea of Iraqis organized procedure. I just wanted to get rid of Ashraf in any way. Because of MKO’s propaganda about the outside world, everyone hesitated to leave the camp. For example, they said that the hotel – where I stay now- is the center of corruption. When I first came here, I expected to see what the organization’s leader had told us, but I was surprised to see that nothing was so as what they had said. I was not willing to visit the agents of Sahar Family foundation because in the organization, they had demonized it a lot, but then I found out that all of that false propaganda was opposite to what I saw with you. When you first introduced yourself, I was really shocked but I believed your honesty after I listened to you. First I decided to use a false name, then I said to myself that living with lie is enough.
The organizations propaganda on SFF has caused the members to panic even the name of this foundation.
During the twenty-five years of my life in Ashraf I really remained retarded of normal life. It is impossible to compensate.

SFF: Didn’t you have an organizational marriage during your membership in MKO? What do you think of marriage and having a family? Why does MKO oppose to marriage?

Mr. Einakian : No. I didn’t get married even organizationally but I would like to have a family. I think God has created men with this instinct and marriage is not contradictory to religion, morality and etiquette and it is highly recommended. If there was a problem with marriage, prophets would never get married.
The organization claims that obligatory divorces are along with [the regime’s] overthrow and it will release the members’ energy. But in fact not only their energy wasn’t released, but also their minds got more involved in sexual issues. Later they claimed that forced divorce was executed to liberate men and women. They said that was for your whole life and you would not marry again even after the overthrow. Actually we were all busy working too hard and we didn’t realize how Rajavi tricked us in to his malicious goals.

SFF: What motive caused you escape the organization?

Mr. Einakian: In fact my main disagreement with MKO was "forced divorce". I had no deep, internal faith in it. I wondered how a man (Rajavi) had absolute power over others. I couldn’t tolerate the officials humiliating and insulting me anymore. They verbally abused members in their meetings but all facilities are in their hands. The low-ranking members ought to labor very hard. The internet was only used by high-ranking female members because Rajavi didn’t trust male members.

I know it’s too late to compensate but I try to convince myself that I have time to live but I know I have lost a lot of opportunities and I consider Massoud Rajavi as the only responsible for my current situation. If I had known what was going to happen in MKO, I would have never joined it. Under the rule of Rajavi, you could only experience pressure and tension. So I decided to end the issue. I asked myself why I don’t live in freedom for the rest of my life; why I should waist my life in MKO.

Today a new topic is being discussed in MKO:"Eradication of sexual issues". It means that you should confess anything you think of. Primarily you shouldn’t think of sexuality but if it crosses your mind, you should report it in the meeting. I was always worried about those meetings, my mind was all the time involved with such problems. I always asked:"Oh God! When will the meetings finish?"
All those numerous meetings had no benefit, no result. I concluded that I had to escape Ashraf and finally I succeeded to run away.

SFF: How is the relationship of UN authorities in Iraq (UNAMI) with MKO?

Mr. Einakian : This was a confidential issue and ordinary members had no idea of such relationship. In case of any visit with the authorities, the group’s leaders would let us know by a brief report. This would happen occasionally not as a routine job.
The organization tells UNAMI that the members are afraid of their coming to Ashraf and in this way the commandants prevent UNAMI’s access to rank and file members. I think that UNAMI officials should contact MKO’s low-ranking member outside Camp Ashraf so the members feel comfortable to talk to them.
Once UNAMI had installed a station in Camp Ashraf, MKO had also installed an inspection station in order to stop members going to UNAMI station. Today UNAMI has no office in Ashraf.

I suppose that the presence of UNAMI officials in Camp Ashraf cannot solve the problems since the members are not able to talk to them in a free atmosphere. The commandants have been ordered to monitor those who are problematic (or as they call) "weak circles". The visit should be held outside the camp and without the presence of MKO authorities.
Sahar Family
Translated by Nejat Society

October 19, 2010 0 comment

Former members of the MEK

Interview with Alireza Einakian, MKO former member- Part1

SFF: what does an MKO member do in a typical day in camp Ashraf?
Mr. Alireza Einakian could manage to run away from Camp Ashraf after midnight of September 7th 2010.
Mr. Einakian: There are some general programs to plan the members’ daily schedule so there is so little time left for members’ personal affairs. Since the wake up time in the morning – which changes according to the season – until lunch time, you have to work continuously. After lunch there is a short break time, then you should attend the meetings in the afternoon. Then its exercise time and then the members should have dinner. After dinner, members might attend meetings again otherwise they have to listen to special tapes. Thus, at the end of a working day, you are so exhausted that you just fall asleep. There will be a great problem if you are supposed to stand guarding at night! The mentioned schedule is carried out on weekdays but in the weekend (Thursday and Friday) the plans change. The members believe that the weekends’ schedule is worse than that of weekdays because they have to attend numerous meetings held one after the other. It is so bothersome.

SFF: How about manipulation meetings and the reports members are supposed to write?

Mr. Einakian: Everyday when you attend Current Operation meetings, you should write about at least three or four sins you committed before attending the meeting, during the day. If you write nothing or very few facts about yourself, you will be criticized by your peers in the meeting.
The "layer meetings" are held every other day.
You should attend them while you have certainly written a report. In case you haven’t written a report, you will be the subject of the meeting; you will be insulted and at the end you will have to sign an engagement letter to promise that you will bring a report for the following meeting.
On Thursday afternoon, they usually hold a weekly brainwashing meeting in which members of the same rank should attend. Every individual should read his sexual moments [moments of sexual thoughts]for his peers and make a conclusion. I usually tried not to listen to the others’ facts after reading my own ones because while listening to their sexual thoughts I myself would have sexual thoughts too.

SFF: in order to prevent members from escaping the camp, what obstacles have the organization imposed?

Mr. Einakian: To bar the members from runaway, they control all departures and arrivals to the complex at night. You cannot simply leave the building. On the other side, the commandants have some control systems to control members, especially low-ranking members. The control is particularly heightened in collective ceremonies. There are also some patrolling cars to control all trafficking in the camp. When the Iraqis are closer to the members, they increase guards to stop the members from joining Iraqi forces. The male commandant of each unit is constantly present to prohibit any escape.
They have highly restricted trafficking in street 100 in order that they can prevent escaping from the cult. Members should traffic in groups of at least two people. They have forbidden trafficking at night.
In the collective meetings where Massoud speaks to the audience, he claims that anyone who leaves MKO is the regime’s spy who breaks the saint oath so he will turn in to pig. He actually tries to frighten the members.
They say that the defectors are taken to Hotel Mohajer which is a center of corruption and in which IRI’s intelligence agents wait for them to turn them into spies. That way they frighten the members and put them under pressure. Thus the members are always in an internal, mental fear of leaving the camp.

SFF: how did it go on July 28th and 29th 2009 when the group’s members encountered Iraqi forces?

Mr. Einakian: Generally when something is signified as "Red Line" in MKO, it means that you should never pass the Red Line. Last year, on July 28th and 29th , the entry of Iraqi forces to the camp had been defined as "Red Line". Iraqis arrival in the camp was like a taboo. On the other side, there were Iraqi forces that were determined to enter the camp in order to install their police station. The authorities of Camp Ashraf didn’t want to let them come in the camp. They didn’t want them to know about what was going on in Ashraf.
That was the start of clashes. When the members were ordered by their commandants to prevent Iraqi forces from entering the camp, the clashes began and lasted until night and ended with the death of eleven residents of Ashraf.
In my opinion the only person who is responsible for the death of those people is Massoud Rajavi since the main line of such a reaction [to Iraqi forces] was under his order. Female commandants of Ashraf including Mozhgan Parsaiee control various sect of the camp. They analyze those incidents saying that they have to stop Iraqis from getting into the camp otherwise they can install everywhere in the camp and we cannot deter their influence.
Actually, they were afraid of the member’s easy access to Iraqi police. They even forbade the members to go out of their units when Iraqis finally were able to arrive in the camp. They forbade any contact with Iraqi forces.

Translated by Nejat Society

October 16, 2010 0 comment

Former members of the MEK

Interview with Mahmoud Dashtestani – Part3

Falling in a well called Ashraf

Interview with Mahmoud Dashtestani a recently defected member of Mujahedin Khalq Organization.

– You mean in your ideological meetings where you could discuss your problems and doubts, you couldn’t ask the question?

– No. when in 2003, Massoud went to conceal, they held 16 or 17 ideological meetings via telephone or the internet. We could only hear his voice. We were seriously scared to ask via which site we could hear the brother {Massoud]’s voice. We didn’t have the courage to say that it looked like the brother’s voice was coming from near hear.

You can never ask about two things in MKO. Money and Massoud Rajavi.

-did you ever see someone ask about Massoud? If yes, how did they respond?

You don’t have to ask or see anything. The psychological atmosphere ruling Ashraf has been created in a way that you never let such questions cross your mind.

In MKO, there is a hierarchy in its security structure, where small mistakes are discussed in lower ranks. There are also two security sections; internal security and intelligence security. There is also a section called counter-intelligence. When you ask about MKO’s financial resources and where Massoud is, you will deal with the counter intelligence section.

– Did they mention any reason for Massoud’s disappearing?

– In a large meeting held in 2003 after the disarmament of the group, Massoud Rajavi himself told us that he would conceal himself because he didn’t want more pressure on Ashraf and members.

Well, naive –minded people may believe this reason but the bottom line is that if anything happens to Rajavi whether he is arrested or whatever, his cult will collapse. He says that his successor is Maryam but I believe that Massoud Rajavi himself is the main axis of the cult. The entire group and its substance only depends on Massoud Rajavi.

But the truth is that Rajavi sees himself as more important than the organization.

– How do you analyze all the cult’s efforts to maintain Camp Ashraf?

– Good question! I don’t analyze. I say the fact I witnessed. In Iran they call Ashraf, “Camp” or “garrison” but in the group the cult it “strategic center of struggle”, that’s why they say even cleaning Ashraf streets is a holy fight. They claim that “Ashraf is the hope of heroic Iranian people!”

– Since I returned to Iran, I have hardly ever seen people who have little information about Ashraf. People do not know where Ashraf is and who mujahedin are? People don’t care about MKO or Camp Ashraf but in the group they claim that in Iran, at least 90% of people watch MKO TV channel. They claim that 90% of Iranians support MKO and hope that Ashraf will release them!

Suppose you are walking in a street in Tehran and you say “I am a Mujahed-e-Khalq” [a member of MKO], you will be hit and crushed by those Iranians of whom some might oppose the IRI.

Ashraf is a symbol in the Rajavi’s cult. MKO has based its activities on protection of this symbol, but the proper symbol links them to their terrorist background which was justified by “armed struggle”. After the disarmament of MKO and gradual defection of forces Ashraf symbol, turned into an abandoned prison.

Translated by Nejat Society

October 11, 2010 0 comment

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