… The Minister indicated that the suspects arrested during the recent events were held based on the decision of the Director of Residence, after violating residency law. For his part, the British Ambassador showed interest and praised the Ministry of Human Rights Affairs over the 36 detainees who were released last Tuesday …
The MKO members were arrested during the July 28-29 operation at Camp Ashraf. The Iraqi government has released 36 members of the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq Organization (MKO/MEK/PMOI) detained in a July raid on the notorious Camp Ashraf in Diyala province. ..The prisoners were arrested by Iraqi police on rioting charges after they clashed with security forces during the July 28-29 operation at Camp Ashraf, north of Baghdad, and were held in custody on grounds of illegal entry into the Iraqi soil.
… The group, known as MEK, operated for years in Iraq under Saddam Hussein. The U.S. military turned over responsibility for Camp Ashraf to the Iraqis on Jan. 1. The U.S. considers MEK/MKO/PMOI a terrorist organization, though one that has provided the Americans with intelligence on Iran. The European Union removed it from its terror list this year…”We demand the international community help provide a place for them because they are unwanted persons,”al-Dabbagh said.”We are looking for a country that is willing to accept them.”Ali al-Dabbagh
Chief of Iran Parliament National Security and Foreign Policy Commission Alaeddin Boroujerdi criticized London’s policy towards Tehran saying it is not helpful for bilateral ties. ..Gass vowed he would do his best to remove the mistrust in Iranian public opinion towards Britain and added London does not consider the MKO an official organization and has no respect for it..Gass also emphasized Britain favors Iran’s right to access peaceful nuclear energy according to the Non-Proliferation Treaty and believes it is necessary to continue talks to sort the nuclear issue properly.
An official in the office of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said Iraq is looking for a country to accept 36 detained members of an Iranian opposition group. The announcement was the first clear signal from the government on its plans for the men, who were arrested in a raid on their camp in northern Iraq in July ..The men were moved to Baghdad last week from Diyala Province, northeast of the capital. They are members of a resistance group, the People’s Mujahedeen of Iran[MKO/MEK/PMOI], which claims many of the men are severely weakened from a hunger strike..
Iraqi Ambassador to Iran on Monday called for expulsion of members of the terrorist Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO/MEK/PMOI) group from this country. .Abu Haidar al-Sheikh made the remark during his visit to the Islamic Republic News Agency Headquarters in Tehran. The visit of the Iraqi ambassador coincided with the National Day of Iraq.
Speaking to the reporters in a joint press conference with his Iraqi counterpart, Larijani expressed the hope that close cooperation between Iran and Iraq will lead to expulsion of anti-Iran terrorist group, the Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO/PMOI/MEK), from the region.Larijani told reporters that Tehran-Baghdad security cooperation would help expel the MKO members ..
The 36 Iranian nationals from the Mojahedin-e Khalq were originally arrested and charged with inciting and/or committing acts of violence against the police under Section 431 of Iraqi law in July 2009. Since their arrest further charges have been brought by the Government of Iraq (GOI) and passed to the Judiciary. The charges include: illegal entry into Iraq and interference in national security – charges which carry severe penalties.
IRI Ambassador to London in a letter to Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury warned about his statement in support to the Mojahedin Khalq Grouplet in Ashraf Camp in Iraq. Rasoul Movahedian addressed Williams, a UK high ranking religious official for his clear support to the MKO grouplet and said Williams message in support of the terrorist grouplet is dangerous and has a political consequence.
Muhammad al-Hamidawi from the Fadila Islamic Party approved a pressure from US to resettle US military forces at Mujahedin headquarters in Al-Khalis. He emphasized that most political and parliamentary groups and fractions will prevent such act and the Iraqi government will not surrender to Washington’s illegal demands…He also said that MKO cannot stay in Iraq and the only thing that delays their expulsion is ‘time’