Two members of the Iranian opposition group, People’s Mujahedin Organization were found dead a month ago in the Idlib region in Western Syria, reported a European MEP in contact with anti Bashar Al-assad rebels.
They fought alongside insurgents seeking the overthrow of the Syrian regime backed by Iran. Considered by France as a terrorist organization, the People’s Mujahedin have a base in Iraq and their headquarters in Parisian suburb. Western and Arab intelligence services would use them against Iranian interests and the allies of Tehran such as Syria.
Georges Malbrunot, Figaro Blog, May 30, 2013
Discovery and seizure of advanced telecom devices in MEK food convoy entering Camp Ashraf – Khalis Mayor calls for investigation
Mayor of Khalis in Diyala province, Uday Al Khadran, called on the Iraqi government to open an urgent investigation after advanced telecom devices were seized in Camp Ashraf which is home to a number of the Mojahedin Khalq terrorist group.
In a press statement Al Khadran said that the security services had found 80 phones hidden in a suspicious manner inside a shipment carrying food. The shipment came from one of the Arab companies which had bid to secure the needs of the MEK members in the camp.
Al Khadran said that the way the devices had been hidden demonstrates an intention to use them in a non-legal framework that is unlawful activities. He said, “these devices and the sophisticated way they were hidden show the MEK’s intention to use them illegally”.
Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for Iraq (SRSG) Martin Kobler expressed anger at the lack of cooperation of the terrorist Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO, also known as the MEK, NCRI and PMOI) in their resettlement and departure from Iraq.
Kobler (UNAMI) made the remarks while briefing the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament (AFET) on the current developments in Iraq in a meeting on May 29.
Kobler also briefed AFET on UNAMI’s efforts to resettle the former residents of Camp Ashraf to third countries.
He deplored the lack of cooperation of the residents and of their leadership with the UNHCR and UN monitors, and urged them to accept concrete resettlement offers. Stressing that "resettlement to safe countries is the only durable option", he called again on European Union member states to accept former Camp Ashraf residents into their countries.
Meantime, reports said on Saturday that MKO members are running away from the group’s transient settlement facility, Camp Liberty, before they are sent by their leaders to other countries.
According to a report by Ashraf News website, an informed source in the committee supervising the Camp Liberty affairs said that five MKO members had fled the Camp two days ago.
The informed source named the defectors as Arshad Shekarzehi and Hassan Sha’bani as well as three other members who were not named.
They surrendered to the Iraqi security forces and were transferred to the UN mission in Baghdad, the source added.
Many of the MKO members have 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 recent 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 2012, 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.
Camp Liberty is a transient settlement facility and a last station for the MKO in Iraq.
Mohammad Reza Rowhani and Karim Ghassim, two heads of the so-called Commissions of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) published a joint resignation statement.
They say they do not want to go into detail; however they have listed a long list of human rights abuses and political mistakes – which are already well documented everywhere else.
Apparently they do not want to bring internal affairs into the open but felt compelled to mention a few things they simply couldn’t bear any more.
Commentators responded by pointing out that these two individuals represented the last remaining ‘non-MEK’ members of the NCRI and that now there is no way for the MEK’s Washington lobby office to pretend that it does not belong to the MEK.
Several articles welcomed the resignation of Rowhani and Ghassim from the NCRI but say they have not explained enough about what is going on inside the cult.
In particular Ghorban Ali Hossein Nejat (Rajavi’s former translator, now in France) has said they need to become more involved in rescuing others who they now acknowledge are hostages in Iraq.
Press Statement
Jen Psaki
Spokesperson, Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
June 3, 2013
————————————-
On May 31, thirty residents of Camp Hurriya departed Iraq for permanent relocation in Albania. The United States commends the Government of Albania’s generous offer to accept up to 210 former Camp Hurriya residents. This marks the second in a series of planned moves to relocate Camp Hurriya residents to Albania. Albania continues to be a strong partner of the United States in contributing to peace and stability in Iraq.
The United States also reiterates its call to the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK) to cooperate fully with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) process to relocate Camp Hurriya residents outside of Iraq as expeditiously as possible. The permanent relocation of residents is essential to ensure the safety and security of residents, especially following the February 9 terrorist attack that took eight lives.
The MEK leadership has the responsibility to facilitate the full and immediate participation of residents in interview and counseling processes required by the UNHCR. Residents of Camp Hurriya are entitled to unimpeded and private access to UN human rights monitors. The MEK leadership has an obligation to ensure residents are able to engage openly and freely with UN human rights monitors, UNHCR personnel and UNAMI representatives.
The United States reaffirms its strong support for the work of UNHCR, the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), and especially the tireless work of UNAMI Special Representative of the Secretary General Martin Kobler, to assist and resettle Camp Hurriya residents.
The safety and security of Camp Hurriya residents remain an utmost concern. Security requirements to protect residents must be fulfilled in accordance with the December 25, 2011 Memorandum of Understanding between the United Nations and the Government of Iraq.
An Iranian lawmaker has criticized the US policy of using terrorism as a tool, labeling Washington as the axis of evil and a supporter of terrorism across the globe.
In its annual "Country Reports on Terrorism” released on Thursday, the US State Department accused Iran of supporting terrorism.
“The US is the axis of evil and the supporter of terrorism in the world. Certainly, the US allegation is aimed at covering up its recent measures in supporting the terrorist Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO),” said Baqer Hosseini, a member of Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee.
He added that the US’ violation of human rights indicates Washington’s disregard for the principle, emphasizing that such claims are only used as a tool to put pressure on the world countries as the issue of human rights is not consistent with the performance of Western countries.
The West’s open support for terrorists is known to everyone; therefore the US cannot alter the situation in the region by publishing “false reports”, he stressed, adding that any country that stands up to the US is labeled as terrorist.
In early April, the MKO opened an office near the White House in Washington for the first time in 11 years. The MKO’s office, located a block from the White House, officially opened on April 11 only months after the United States formally removed the anti-Iranian group from the US list of terrorist organizations in September 2012.
The MKO is listed as a terrorist organization by much of the international community and has committed numerous terrorist acts against Iranians and Iraqis.
Out of the nearly 17,000 Iranians killed in terrorist attacks since the victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979, some 12,000 have fallen victim to the acts of terror carried out by the MKO.
Spokesman for Iran’s UN mission in New York Ali-Reza Miryousefi says the US is in no position to accuse other countries of supporting terrorism.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran is a victim of state terrorism which has claimed the lives of thousands of innocent Iranians,” Miryousefi was quoted as saying on Friday.
Referring to Washington’s long term support for terrorist groups in the region, including Israeli-sponsored terrorism, Miryousefi said the US is in no position to accuse other countries of supporting terrorist activities.
The Iranian official cited the removal of the terrorist Mujahedin Khalq Organization (MKO) from the US list of terrorist organizations as an indication of the country’s double standard policy with regards to terrorism.
In September 2012, the MKO was taken off the US State Department’s blacklist, and opened an office near the White House in Washington for the first time in 11 years in April 2013.
The MKO has carried out numerous acts of violence against Iranian civilians and government officials.
Out of the 17,000 Iranians killed in terrorist attacks since the victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979, some 12,000 of them have fallen victim to the acts of terror carried out by the MKO.
The MKO fled to Iraq in 1986, where it received the support of Iraq’s former dictator Saddam Hussein, and set up camp near the Iranian border.
Members of the terrorist Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO, also known as the MEK, PMOI and NCRI) are 
running away from the group’s transient settlement facility, Camp Liberty, before they are sent by their leaders to other countries, an informed source disclosed on Saturday.
According to a report by Ashraf News website, an informed source in the committee supervising the Camp Liberty affairs said that five MKO members had fled the Camp two days ago.
The informed source named the defectors as Arshad Shekarzehi and Hassan Sha’bani as well as three other members who were not named.
They surrendered to the Iraqi security forces and were transferred to the UN mission in Baghdad, the source added.
Many of the MKO members have abandoned the terrorist organization while most of those still remaining in the group are said to be willing to quit but are under pressure and torture not to do so.
A recent 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 2012, 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.
Camp Liberty is a transient settlement facility and a last station for the MKO in Iraq.
Serious concerns over heightened level of violence in Iraq – UN Envoy tells European Parliament
Baghdad, 30 May 2013 – On 29 May, the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General for 
Iraq (SRSG), Mr. Martin Kobler, briefed the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament (AFET) on the current developments in Iraq.
In his exchange of views with the parliamentarians, Mr. Kobler expressed serious concerns over the heightened level of violence in Iraq and the danger that the country falls back into sectarian strife, if decisive action is not taken by its political leaders. “The country stands at a crossroads,” the UN Envoy said, calling for a stronger EU role in dealing with the developments unfolding in the country, and for increased interaction with the Iraqi Council of Representatives.
Mr. Kobler also briefed AFET on UNAMI’s efforts to resettle the former residents of Camp Ashraf to third countries. He deplored the lack of cooperation of the residents and of their leadership with the UNHCR and UN monitors, and urged them to accept concrete resettlement offers. Stressing that “resettlement to safe countries is the only durable option”, he called again on European Union member states to accept former Camp Ashraf residents into their countries.
unami.unmissions.org
First of all I should congratulate the prisoners [held in the MKO] and their families on the departure of the first group of hostages held in Iraq to Albania.
It is known to everyone that heavy efforts were made by the UN and other international bodies as well as enduring families of the residents – who tolerated the cold and heat in Iraq– and also former members of the MKO. The negotiations between UN, Iraqi government and third countries to convince other states of the world to accept captives of the MKO resulted in the departure of 14 people. Besides, the interviews and illuminating posts by former members helped neutralize the tactics of the MKO leaders who intended to impose their forceful stay on Iraqi people and government so that they could take advantage of their stay in Iraq and by gradually making our friends be killed in their camps they could run their propaganda.
It was long ago that Albanian Government offered to accept 210 Liberty residents. If the group leaders had agreed with offer immediately, other residents of the camp would have been relieved about their departure and the relocation process would have been accelerated. Quite the reverse, the MKO leaders urged on their stay in Iraq and put accusations on special Representative of the UN Secretary General, Martin Kobler and even his wife [German ambassador in Iraq] in their efforts to prolong and stabilize to their stay in Iraq; Massoud Rajavi even declared the departure from Iraq as taboo. His funny sentence did not only include the departure from Iraq but also boycotted departure from the organization.
Anyway, the Taboo of leaving the MKO has been broken. A number of the members could reach the outside world where they can see the wonders of the world they had been deprived from for about three decades. The vital thing about these people is that they should never let the MKO dominate them and exploit them again. They should decide for their future with their own free will not under the will of the MKO leaders who left them in the deserts of Iraq and fled to Europe to enjoy the best life and comfort there.
Certainly, the gradual departure of the MKO members from Iraq is the start of the group collapse. We should wait and see what’s coming.
Edvard Tremado – Translated by Nejat Society