Following the arrest of Maryam Rajavi, the group commanders coerced members to protest against the act of French government against their leader. The excessive part of the protests was played by a dozen of members of the group who set themselves on fire to demonstrate their devotion to their arrested leader. 21 people set themselves on fire between June 17th to June 21st. Eventually, two of them were killed.

Neda Hassani and Sedighe Mojaveri who brainwashed by the MEK leaders into immolating themselves

Neda Hassani, 27, and Sedigheh Mojaveri 44 were the two ones who committed self-immolation to pressure French Judiciary to release Maryam Rajavi and did not survive their violent act against themselves. Their names were added to the list of the MEK’s martyrs. A number of other MEK members such as Marzieh Babakhani, Hamid Orafa and Nader Sani survived but are still suffering the wounds of that organizational order. They are always glorified as role models for other members of the MEK, by the group leaders.

Marziyeh Babakhani

To stop those horrific scenes in European cities, the French Police freed Maryam Rajavi. Since that time, the incidents of June 2003, have been celebrated by the MEK as a victory. In its numerous annual events, the group’s propaganda machine overvalues its victory to liberate Maryam Rajavi from French jail. However, important lessons have been learned by sensible entities since June 17th, 2003.

The cult-like violent nature of the MEK

Suicide and its intimate partner violence are both major notions that characterize destructive cults. They both show an extreme tendency towards an ideology. For half a century, violence of the MEK has been changing from one form to another. It started with homicide of the American military advisors in Iran during the 1970s, it went on in the post-revolutionary years in Iran by detonating bombs in public places killing civilians, it continued in the anti-national war, by the side of Saddam Hussein and the cross border terrorist operation and it has been working against the group’s own rank and file, either to suppress dissent or to coerce the brainwashed members to set themselves ablaze.

Money Laundering for terrorist activities

On 16 June 2003 the French well-known anti-terrorist judge Jean Louis Bruguiere and his team, following a 14 hours interrogation that had started at 15.30 local time on 16 June 2003, issued a detention order accusing the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), the umbrella group of the MEK, at the time blacklisted as a terrorist group by the US, the EU of “terrorist activities, association with a terrorist organization and financing terrorist operations”. Shortly after 6 am on 17 June 2003 more than 1200 police forces launched a large operation to raid 13 MKO-run offices in Val-d’Oise and Yvelines, two quarters of the Parisian suburb. The main target was the office of the MEK at Auvers-sur-Oise. The Police arrested 164 suspected Mujahedin authorities as well as Maryam Rajavi, the NCRI’s self-nominated president-elect.

on 17 June 2003 more than 1200 police forces launched a large operation to raid 13 MKO-run offices in Val-d’Oise and Yvelines, two quarters of the Parisian suburb

The French Government said it was trying to stop the group from expanding its operations in France. Nicolas Sarkozy, the then French Interior Minister, said that the order to crackdown on the MEK was decided following two years of investigations on the network. He said that MEK “recently wanted to make France its support base, notably after the intervention in Iraq. We cannot accept that”. The head of France’s domestic intelligence service, Pierre de Bousquet de Florian, said the group was “transforming its Val d’Oise base … into an international terrorist base”.

The Police discovered and confiscated more than a million US dollars in 100 banknotes, 100.000 Euros, sophisticated communication equipment and computers. The sources of French Interior Ministry later reported that more than 8 million dollars in cash had been found in various offices of the MEK as well in the houses of its high-ranking officials throughout France.

MEK leaders and its high-ranking members fled Iraq after US invasion

In March 2003, following the collapse of the MEK’s main financial and military sponsor Saddam Hussein called by the MEK as Landlord, the group’s leaders and a lot of high-ranking commanders had secretly fled Iraq and settled in France within a few months. Thus, the news of the arrest of Maryam Rajavi and her comrades was shocking for members of the group in Camp Ashraf, Iraq. They could not believe their ears that Maryam and other commanders had left them behind, under the bombs of coalition forces. Maryam had departed Iraq even before the collapse of the landlord. Seemingly, she was looking for a new landlord.

Massoud Rajavi has disappeared since the date

June 17th, 2003 is the beginning of the two-decade absence of Massoud Rajavi. He has been never seen in public since then. Inside the group, nobody is allowed to ask about his whereabouts and outside the group, the journalists and researchers’ questions on Massoud Rajavi’s location or his being dead or alive will not be answered. The disappearance of Massoud Rajavi has amplified the aura of holiness around him, for the manipulated minds residing inside his Cult of personality. However, for those hostages of the group who endeavor to release themselves from the mind control system of the Cult of Rajavi, Rajavi’s absence has increased criticism and questions on his rulings and strategy.

Mazda Parsi

The post June 17th, landmark date exposing the Cult of Rajavi appeared first on Nejat Society.

On June 17, 20, 2003 more than 1,300 French Police kicked their way into the walled compound of the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK, a.k.a. MKO) in Auvers-Sur-Oise, north of Paris that has served as the terrorist group’s headquarters.

Masked and heavily armed police detained activists on suspicion of plotting terrorist attacks in France and building a support base for operations abroad.

French authorities detained 159 people in the raids on the compound north of Paris and 12 other sites outside the city. The authorities seized $1.3 million in U.S. currency, mostly 100-dollar bills, along with computers and satellite telecommunications equipment.

Among those arrested was Maryam Rajavi, wife of then Iraq-based MKO leader Massoud Rajavi and current leader of the MKO.

The raids were carried out on orders of French anti-terrorism Judge Jean-Louis Bruguiere for “criminal association aimed at preparing terrorism acts and for financing a terrorist enterprise,” the Interior Ministry said.

Upon the arrest of the MKO co-leader Maryam Rajavi, MKO members took to the streets and engaged in self-immolation outside the French Embassy in London. Two women died as a result. These horrible acts of self-immolations revealed the cult-like devotion of the MKO members.

According to Madeline Landau Tobias and Janja Lalich authors of Captive Hearts, Captive Minds, a book dealing with the cults, "this induction of whole hearted devotion does not happen spontaneously but is the result of the cult leader’s skillful use of thought-reform techniques."

One of America’s leading think tanks and research institutes, the RAND Corporation published a 105-page report on the MKO in 2009 titled “The Mujahedin-e Khalq in Iraq: A Policy Conundrum,” and highlighted the cult-like practices of the MKO.

The monograph says the MKO leadership had confiscated members’ identity documents, threatened them with persecution in Iran and prosecution for illegal immigration in Iraq, and prevented those who wished to do so from returning to their home country.

The report adds that Masoud Rajavi turned the MKO into an "inward-looking cult". "Rajavi instituted what he termed an “ideological revolution” in 1985, which, over time, imbued the MeK with many of the typical characteristics of a cult, such as authoritarian control, confiscation of assets, sexual control (including mandatory divorce and celibacy), emotional isolation, forced labor, sleep deprivation, physical abuse, and limited exit options."

On July 13, 2003, Elizabeth Rubin’s New York Times wrote an article titled “The Cult of Rajavi”. In this article Rubin details her encounters with MKO members she met in Camp Ashraf. Rubin wrote, "men and women had to participate in ‘weekly ideological cleansings,’ in which they would publicly confess their sexual desires. It was not only a form of control but also a means to delete all remnants of individual thought."

The post Self-immolation anniversary of MKO members in France appeared first on Nejat Society.

It has been seven years since the arrest of Maryam Rajavi, the leader and so called president of the Mujahedin–e-Khalq (MKO), a foreign terrorist organization. The arrest took place at the MKO headquarters located in Auver Sur d’Oise, Paris, France on June 17th, 2003. Devoted members faced a shocking challenge as their leader was incarcerated. Some even resorted to a violent extreme political protest over the arrest of Maryam Rajavi when they set themselves ablaze. Two women died as a result. These alarming acts of self-immolation pinpoint a human tragedy in the midst of a cult mentality. The tragedy lies not only in the act itself, but in cult members’ numb emptiness and canopy of devotion for their leader, Maryam Rajavi, who used the Paris headquarters as her private sanctuary.

The 2003 arrest came as part of a raid by French police, whose government felt it was a necessary reaction to the MKO conundrum. Along with the arrest of Maryam Rajavi, the raid ended with about 160 other arrests of members and the confiscation of millions of dollars and technical materials.

After the raid, a judicial source told the la-Croix, a French newspaper, that “The intervention of security forces was conducted as part of a commission issued by the anti-terrorist judge Jean-Louice Bruguiere. It particularly results from a long investigation of financial flows which could fall within the ‘financing of terrorism.’ The raid was led by the Directorate of Territorial Surveillance (DST),” [1]

At the time, the BBC reported that Nicholas Sarkozy, now the French President, and then the Interior Minister, said [during the French Assembly on June 17, 2003] that the MKO”recently wanted to make France its support base, notably after the intervention in Iraq. We cannot accept that.”[2]

Such interest and involvement by authorities was crucial for the French government because the MKO has, in order to further their agenda, conducted and participated in violent political attacks against American, Iranian and Iraqi citizens. For too long, France had been tolerating their presence. In the midst of the crackdown, the head of France’s domestic intelligence service, Pierre de Bousquet de Florian, said the group was”transforming its Val d’Oise centre [near Paris] … into an international terrorist base.”[3] In a bizarre show of devotion, after the arrests took place, it became clear that members continued to be forthright and obliging in their blind commitment towards their leader. Ten members, committed senseless acts of self-immolation in an extreme response to the arrest of the leader—for the sake of the leader—not for the sake of the Iranian people. There was outrage among people who follow European news. A contributor to the French website aufeminie.com who under the name Yelann, posted an Agence France-Presse (AFP) article referred to the stories of self–immolation and found the group’s history shocking—from the immolation to the hunger strikes. She surmised they were posing as martyrs, but speculated, “Are they really doing it for their people? It seems they are extremists and fanatics. And generally these actions do no good.” [4] In 1963, with the self sacrifice of Buddhist monk Thich Quang Duc, self-immolation became spotlighted and has since become a popular tactic for gaining political attention. But historically, the act goes back thousands of years. Psychologists suggest it is the result of extreme mental distress—particularly those who have had distress from being culturally isolated from the mainstream, and programmed with a distorted ideology, and who view self-immolation as an option. The International Study for the Center of Terrorism is developing The Global Self-Immolation Events Database (GS-IED). The database, a multi-year project, seeks to identify and track the prevalence and spread of self-immolation in the context of political conflict. Preliminary results from this project will be published in late 2010/early 2011. [5] While studies are needed regarding the relationship between self-immolation and terrorism, it is important to closely examine the possibility of a disturbing predilection. Will others in the MKO French headquarters use this type of aggressive “protest” on European soil in the form of a suicide bomb or with other emblematic terrorist-type acts?

In an article titled, “Sad Spectacle” published in Iranian.com shortly after the coverage of the raid on the MKO, Babak Mazarei, who at the time was a fourth year political science major at Carleton University in Canada, and who knew the brother of one of the people who set themselves on fire, wrote an opinion in response to the tragedy. Mazarei comments, “I wrote a brief piece on the unconditional right of the Mujahedin to express themselves. I, however, do not believe that self-immolation is a legitimate means of protest. Therefore, it is only logical to write a piece that explains my reasons for holding this view, in light of the Mujahedin’s extensive use of self-immolation and the resulting death of a young girl who had so much more to live for.

“The quasi-terrorism engaged in by Mujahedin of late is a testament to their ideological bankruptcy and the hypocrisy of their pro-human rights stance. I was very much angered and disheartened when I learned of the news of Neda Hassani’s death, if not for the hypocrisy this act of human degradation sheds, then certainly for the loss of life. What remains are the People’s Mujahedin. The record of this organization is marred by acts of violence both historically, and most recently, the materialization of protest-suicide in the form of self-immolation. In the 1970’s the Mujahedin assassinated US military personnel, supported the nonsensical siege of the American embassy, and in 1990 under the operation name ‘Operation Great Bahman’ in February 2000 attacked Iranian military sites and government buildings. These acts of violence have only detracted from the credibility of the exiled opposition movement. The very simple, but nonetheless true rule of conduct ‘two wrongs do not make a right’ comes to mind.

“Finally, recently the Mujahedin have resorted to self-immolation. What is disturbing about these latest acts of non-sensical violence is the purpose for which they are being committed. It is not in pursuit of freedom for Iranians that Mojaheds are now immolating themselves, but rather in protest at the incarceration of select members of their leadership.
“This reaction only proves that People’s Mujahedin are not a flexible, open organization, but rather a dogmatic entity with little hope for survival, let alone a legitimate political claim in Iran.”[6]

According to a June 25, 2003 report by New York Times correspondent Elaine Sciolino, French Counter Intelligence service prepared a classified report on the group and its activities. Sciolino details that “An Iranian opposition group operating in France that was the target of a large police operation last week had plans to attack Iranian embassies and assassinate former members working with Iranian intelligence services in Europe.” [7] The [Intelligence] report also said the group, known as the Mujahedeen Khalq, or People’s Mujahedin, had discussed having their members commit suicide by setting themselves on fire to draw attention to their cause.” [8]

Sciolino furthered in a later New York Times article that “it was devotion to Mrs. Rajavi, who is about 50 years old, that led several of her supporters throughout Europe to set themselves on fire to protest her arrest. Although Mrs. Rajavi sent a message from jail asking her supporters to stop, former Mujahedin members said that in training camps in Iraq, self-immolation was praised as a fitting response to the possible persecution of the Rajavis.” [9]

On July 13, 2003, Elizabeth Rubin wrote an article titled “The Cult of Rajavi” for the New York Times. In this article Rubin details her encounters with MKO members she met in Camp Ashraf. Rubin concluded that the Rajavis lead a sect hated in their home country and clarified that,”While Mujahedin press releases were pouring out last month, taking undue credit for the nightly demonstrations, many antigovernment Iranians were rejoicing over the arrest of Maryam Rajavi and wondering where Massoud was hiding and why he, too, hadn’t been apprehended. This past winter in Iran, when such a popular outburst among students and others was still just a dream, if you mentioned the Mujahedin, those who knew and remembered the group laughed at the notion of it spearheading a democracy movement. Instead, they said, the Rajavis, given the chance, would have been the Pol Pot of Iran. The Pentagon has seen the fatal flaw of hitching itself to volatile groups like the Islamists who fought the Soviets in Afghanistan and, more recently, the Iraqi exile groups who had no popular base at home.” [10]

As we observe the anniversary of this human tragedy where members of this cult were either ordered or felt compelled to set themselves ablaze in several European cities, let us remember the deaths of two women who created dreadful scenes—a shameful way to publicize and denounce the arrest of an alleged “resistance movement” leader. Before any more senseless deaths occur, the reality of the MKO must be re-examined not only by the French but by all by European government officials.

References:
[1] Guillemoles, Allain and Emmanuelle Rejue,”Opération contre Les Moudjahidines”. la-Croix.com. 13 June 2010 <http://www.lacroix.com/article/
index.jsp?docId=494032&rubId=4076>.

[2] BBC NEWS,”France investigates Iran exiles”. BBC MMX. 2003/06/22 07:03:17 GMT <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3010422.stm >.
[
3] ibid

[4] Agence France Presse,”Yelann”.”Maryam radjavi, personnage emblématique des moudjahidine, emprisonnée”. aufeminin.ca/société .
posté le 22/06/03 à 14:40 http://forum.aufeminin.com/forum/actu1/__f12971_
actu1-Maryam-radjavi-personnage-emblematique-des-moudjahidine-emprisonnee.html.

[5] Horgan, John, Director.”International Center for the Study of Terrorism”.
Penn State University. 11 June 2010 http://www.icst.psu.edu/current_projects.shtml.

[6] Mazarei, Babak.”Sad Spectacle”. Iranian.com. June 30, 2003 <http://www.iranian.com/Opinion/2003/June/BM/index.html>.

[7] Sciolino, Elaine.”Iranian Rebel Group Had Attack Plans, French Report Says”.
New York Times. June 25, 2003 <http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/25/world/
iranian-rebel-group-had-attack-plans-french-report-says.
html?scp=1&sq=Iranian%20Rebel%20Group%20Had%20Attack%20Plans,%20French%20Report%20Says&st=cse 4](http://www.icst.psu.edu/current_projects.shtml>.

[8] ibid

[9] Sciolino, Elaine.”Iranian Opposition Movement’s Many Faces”. New York Times.
June 30, 2003 <http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/30/international/
middleeast/30PROT.html?ex=1057550400&en=0d936b988c92e183&ei=5062&partner=
GOOGLE&pagewanted=2NewYorktimes, ELAINE SCIOLINO, June 25,2003>.

[10] Rubin, Elizabeth.”The Cult of Rajavi”. New York Times. July 13, 2003, 2003 <http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/13/magazine/the-cult-of-rajavi.html?scp=1&sq=the+cult+of+rajavi&st=nyt>.

By Mazda Parsi

The post Self-Immolation by the MKO Must be Re-Examined appeared first on Nejat Society.

However, what is of more significance is reviewing hidden aspects of this operation and the evidences by which French police and judiciary have managed to prove its legitimacy. Now, this question arises: What are the precautionary measures taken by France in recent years for controlling the illegal activities of Mojahedin in its soil after finding a huge amount of facilities used for terrorist and espionage activities? The activities of MKO in recent years in France indicate that not only no measure has been taken for controlling Mojahedin but also France has acted passively paving the way for extending the activities and facilities of the organization.

The basic question is that while according to the police, this raid was "one of the biggest undertaken by the DST (French Counter-intelligence) in the last 30 years" and international press agencies reported that it was the result of more than three years of investigation (2), what have been the practical, judicial, and controlling measures of French officials in this regard? The discovery of more than eight million dollars in cash and 150,000 Euros as well as computer equipment and dozens of satellite dishes (3) is just a part of the illegal activities of MKO in France. According to the following report by French resources, Mojahedin planned to use these facilities for furthering their cultic objectives:

The Associated Press underlined the significant means deployed by the French police authorities. This shows that the French security services did not take this raid lightly: even bringing in aerial surveillance helicopters. The operation was aimed according to the Ministry, above all, "at the leaders of an organization which threatens public order and is planning or preparing to finance terrorist acts". During the raid, it was necessary to use explosive charges to break open "blocked doors", the police stated. "The People’s Mojahedin are the military wing of Massoud Rajavi’s National Resistance Council, based in the Paris suburbs… The raid, carried out under a search warrant issued by the Paris-based anti-terrorism investigative magistrate, Jean-Louis Bruguiere, mobilised more than 1200 officials, including 80 members of the elite GIGN: France’s SWAT team. It was carried out by the Directorate for National Internal Security (DST or French counter-intelligence) with the support of the Central Command of the Judiciary Police and under the technical direction of the RAID (France’s specialised unit for hostage and terrorist incidents). Thirteen targets were surrounded in the Val d’Oise and Yvelines departments, with a particular focus on the Auvers-sur-Oise camp which was suspected to be a refuge for many active PMOI members… ‘Its bases in the Paris region are considered to be used for questionable organisational, logistical and financial purposes’, added the Ministry…". 4

Undoubtedly, the consequences of 17 June operation were far beyond the discovery of some facilities. In fact, it attracted the attention and aroused the sensitivity of French officials to MKO camp in Auver-sur-Oise as their main headquarter. This is the reason why Mojahedin took a hostile position toward our warnings on the strategic nature of Auver and initiated a propaganda war to distract the attention of international organs from the dangers of this strategic and ideological bastion. France is to identify the real objectives pursued by Mojahedin in Val d’Oise to foil their illegal and terrorist plans. There is no doubt that Auver has turned to the main headquarter of MKO and Mojahedin are after connecting it to their remnant members in Camp Ashraf. After their disarmament and the fall of Saddam leading to the end of his alliance with Masoud Rajavi, Rajavi realized that he no more could use Camp Ashraf as an operational unit. Therefore, his base was transferred to another safe haven, Auver-sur-Oise. French officials found out his objective and performed the operation 17 June. According to an Interior Ministry source:

Auvers-sur-Oise had been turned into the Mojahedin’s "International HQ". Up until March-April [2003], their command structure was in Iraq and only moved with the outbreak of war. 5
This transfer was far from a mere physical one. Mojahedin made use of technology for reorganizing their members and activities all over the world. Despite the necessity of human control of their camp in France by police forces, it hardly suffices since they carry out the greatest portion of their operations through electronic waves that are intangible far from the eyes of inspectors. They no more grab at historical and reactionary means of communication used by cults like Batinis and Al-Qaeda. On the contrary, they have access to the latest scientific achievements and further their objectives through lines and waves. According to French officials:

In 2001, the PMOI had claimed responsibility for more than 195 terrorist attacks on Iran from its base in Auvers-sur-Oise. 6

The same resource refers to the cultic structure of the organization based on Masoud Rajavi and Maryam Azdanlu, the cultic leaders of MKO:
It was more like a sect, a cult of personality for Massoud Rajavi and his wife. 7

In a nutshell, Mojahedin open their way easily for the achievement of their predetermined objectives wherever they settle or even have least physical presence by manipulating means of the modern media and communicational techniques to run its propaganda machine.

References:

1. Gessler, Antonie, Autopsy of an Ideological Drift, Chapter 1: The end of tolerance
2. "Coup de filet centre les Moudjahidin du peuple iranien" – dispatches of Agence France Presse (AFP) and Reuters, 17 June 2003.
3. Associated Press, Operation de grande envergure contre les Moudjahidin du people en region parisienne, 17 June 2003.
4. France News, Coup de filet contre les Moudjahidin du people iranien, 17 June 2003.
5. ibid
6. Associated Press, Les Moudjahidin du peoples’appretaient a commettre des attentats selon la DST, 10 June 2003.
7. ibid.

The post Waves; Invisible fighters of the cult of Mojahedin appeared first on Nejat Society.

On 16 June 2003 the French best-known anti-terrorist judge, Jean Louis Bruguiere, issued a detention order accusing MKO of "terrorist activities, association with a terrorist organization and financing terrorist operations". Shortly after 6 am on 17 June 2003 more than 1.200 police and gendarmerie forces launched the largest police operation in three decades to raid 13 MKO-run offices in outskirts of Paris. The main target was the office of MKO at Auvers-sur-Oise and Police arrested 164 suspected Mojahedin cadres as well as Maryam Rajavi, the leader.

In the next few days, people in some Western cities were shocked to witness one of the most appalling potentialities of Mojahedin; a number of the group’s insiders set themselves on fire just before the eyes of people in public to protest MaryamRajavi’s arrest. According to reports issued by Mojahedin itself, “16 people attempted to set themselves alight in three days in Paris, Berne, Rome, London, Ottawa, Athens and Nicosia”. The human tragedy ended with two deaths; two women, Sediqeh Mojaveri, 44-year-old, and Neda Hassani, 19-year-old, died because of sever burnings.

The self burnings proved, for those yet in doubt, that MKO preserved the characteristics of both a terrorist group and a cult. Following the classic techniques of cults, Mojahedin relies on psychological manipulation and brainwashing to mesmerize the insiders to follow the orders, one of which is to set themselves on fire whenever commanded to accomplish cultic ends of the organization.

The post The day a terrorist cult was raided appeared first on Nejat Society.

The act of French Police against MKO led the West to be enlightened of the illegitimate presence of MKO in Europe, signifying the ambiguity of the group’s activities for ever. As a reaction to the move of French Police, MKO leaders made their members set themselves ablaze, causing tragic impressive scenes in European capitals. The self-immolations just provided the accuracy of the accusation Police made against MKO.

Following the Police raid, DST (French Intelligence Service) issued a report in which it was declared that the Police succeeded in finding large amounts of money and some documents on MKO possible plans to launch terrorist operations from their bases in the West. The story didn’t end with the raid but the French government has been supervising Mujahedin Khalq that is still under juridical prosecution.

June 17th, 2003, is a historical chapter in the anti-terrorism challenges around the world and removed the mask of human right claims from the face of MEK as a notorious terrorist cult. That event announced that the group is still loyal to its violent strategy both in Iraq and in the West and it has always the potentiality to commit terrorist acts.

MEK cult has never had a positive background since it has always deprived its members from living a free life without the manipulative controlling system of the cult. Besides, MEK’s history is a bunch of violent activities. Considering the entire notorious story of MEK, today the world’s public opinion is the best judge to recognize the true nature of terrorist groups.

The way Mujahedin approaches the world has no use for them except their further isolation among Iranians as well as the world. MEK views its former members as an obstacle against their deceitful approach towards the world. Therefore, as its last resort, MKO doesn’t stop insulting the ex-members labeling them as the agents of IRI.

The post June 17th sign of MKO illegality appeared first on Nejat Society.

The leaders had already circulated among the cadres that they had arrived at a compromise with the European countries on many issues and that they could possibly face no problem therein.

The move by the French judges has made it really hard for the leaders to justify what is going on. It may intensify the challenges the organization is already facing as well as causing the members to lose their trust in what the leaders implant in them.

Despite having good lobbies in European parliaments, Maryam Rajavi’s base in Auvers-sur-Oise was unexpectedly raided on June 2003 and she was arrested along with a number of ranking members. It was only after the widespread self-immolation of members that Maryam Rajavi was set free. The organization is not acquitted of the terrorist charges and the French counter-terrorist forces closely monitor any move that may threaten the security of the country.

The post French judges tough with terrorist MKO appeared first on Nejat Society.

It is said that French justice moves slowly particularly in dealing with terror cases, but it seems that through all these years authorities in charge of investigating terrorist activities have been much inactive. Five years is too lengthy for investigating into the case of the terrorists that are freely roaming the streets of Paris and whose threats might cause greater social shock. Furthermore, the slow-moving process of the case has given the group the impression that French justice system is under legal restriction to issue the final order.

In spite of the delay, anti-terrorism experts have made a determined effort to curb the group’s terrorist threat by keeping the case open. After and beyond the allegations that initiated the case in June 2003, the group has been exposed to new charges that makes the case much more complicated to deal with. Not only has the group failed to present evidences to acquit itself of the charges, dissemination of new evidences such as reports of abusing its own insiders, repeated assertion of its re-designation in the US and the EU terror lists, threatening tone of the group against its defectors and reported instances of attacking them, its lobbying efforts to be removed from the terrorist lists, its description as a cult of personality, legal complaints of defectors and families to prosecute the organization for its anti-human activities against the members, the espionage activities to escalate tension in international affairs and between the countries and much more make it hard to believe that it will ever escape a just trial.

But the question still remains that multitude of such undeniable evidences being presented, why the case process is still on a slow-moving path? And on what justice system measures can it be justified? Unfortunately, it is MKO that, through its propaganda machine, is benefiting the most out of the delay. Evident as it is at the present, the June 17 and its aftermath has turned into a juncture for MKO to enjoy a cult-like victorious jubilance over the case and pulling mugs at French government and other concerned judicial and social bodies. Indirectly it says that any final judgment causing a frustration would provoke a bigger mob of human torches to run in the streets of Paris to lacerate public sentiments. In fact, it was in part through utilizing self-immolations of the June 17 that the organization could draw public attention and give rise to a public sympathy that in general may question long-lasted democratic achievements of France.

Incorporated in Massoud Rajavi’s message delivered from his hideout on July 3, 2007, the West and legal bodies as well as the group’s dissidents are unequivocally warned of a violent backlash. Believing himself to be above all laws, he also addresses the French government concerning the June 17 case saying: “The French government and judiciary should suspend the shameful dossier of June 17. This dossier is known to be the blackest smear in the European’s counter-terrorism moves in an attempt to appease the Iranian dictatorial theocracy”. It happened at a time when the group was facing new charges alongside the already met allegations.

It seems that the heavier MKO’s offences and felonies become, the bolder it becomes to get engaged in a vast propaganda blitz to press social and international institutions. Through the past five years MKO has frequently criticized and badmouthed the French authorities as it is typical of the group when it is pinned down and its potentiality for violence is curbed. In fact, although France is known to be the only country in Europe which has centralized the investigation, prosecution and judgment of terrorist related cases, suspension of MKO’s dossier is dearly welcome by the group and the leaders promulgate it as “the Resistance’s great victory over futile June 17 coup” proclaiming that the case is void of reliable evidences and, thus, it has to be put off. For whatever reason the judgment of the case is deferred, however, it fails to be a matter of ongoing forever; it is the final judgment that matters and proves the efficiency of French legal system.  

Mojahedin.ws  –  June 28, 2008

The post Retarded Process in the Terrorist Case of June 17 appeared first on Nejat Society.

But, MKO never consents to be dispossessed of its organizational identity and individual transfer of the members but the option of the wholesale relocation. Many assume that since some key ranking figures, including the leading cadre and its president-elect, are already situated in France and the organization is engaged in an extensive campaign aimed at winning support from among the politicians there, then, France might be the next appropriate option. However, there are evidences that corroborate unfeasibility of such a formed theory some of which are mentioned below:

1- The organization is not acquitted of its allegations of June 17 and French judicial system is still making inquiry about its file.

2- There are countless indications of alleged civil disturbances and violations against citizens and refugees, like the incident in which agents of MKO assaulted an association of Iranians in Paris and wounded 13, that makes French police and authorities to be seriously concerned about the hostile nature of the organization.

3- Organizationally instigated cult-like operations like the June 17 self-immolations with two deaths have been serious warning for repetition of similar acts; two members recently went on trial before a French court for allegedly helping a third member burn herself to death.

4- There are also corroborated evidences that led to the expulsion of Rajavi and his gang from France in 1985 that led to his alliance with Saddam and its flight to Iraq.

5- There exists a widespread public panic regarding MKO’s cult-like makeup and its potential threats against the French citizen.

From the very first days of the group’s refuge in France, strict measures were taken by French authorities to have it under surveillance. However, on occasions it found opportunities to engage in illegal activities and violation of regulations concerning refugees’ status. Although the leaders had already agreed not to engage in any form of political activities in France, its clandestine activities were juxtaposed to a snake’s progress:

Paris had required that the Iranian refugee leaders sign a written statement, containing the routine text promising to avoid all political activity on French soil. This would be respected for exactly two weeks. [1]

Following the coalition forces attack against Iraq and fall of Saddam, MKO started to move the headquarters to France again. According to the French intelligence services, the Mojahedin’s aim was to move their”world operational centre”- previously based in Baghdad – to the Val d’Oise. The head of France’s Direction for the Surveillance of the Territory (DST), Pierre de Bousquet confirmed the danger posed by the group beyond that of a campaigning political group:

The People’s Mojahedin Organisation of Iran (PMOI) has, for a long time, been going over to a terrorist logic. Despite the organisation’s rhetoric, which claims only to be fighting against a regime, it should be noted that their attacks have usually struck many civilian victims. As to the claims of the PMOI that it wants to bring democracy to Iran, this must be understood within the paradigm of the movement’s extraordinary autocracy, where a radical cult of personality is enforced. Its members must be blindly devoted to Massoud Rajavi and his wife. The slightest criticism is severely punished. The PMOI can be considered as having followed a sectarian detour which is obvious in the fanatical behaviour of it militants: the dramatic immolations of recent days show the sad truth about them. [2]

Based on confidential reports that proved the organization was engaged in terrorist and clandestine activities, produced two weeks before 17 June 2003, DST undertook a major operation against the group under the code named”Theo”. Following the operation, the Figaro could obtain and publish what was believed to be the first-hand information on MKO and was enough to spread panic among the nation:

The PMOI has carried out a number of activities on French soil that are clandestine, sectarian, delinquent, and even seriously criminal. In France, tile organisation has two or three hundred militants and sympathisers. Its ‘hard nucleus’ is made up of a few dozen militants. [3]

Even before relocation of its headquarters from Iraq to France, the organization had started expansion of its residence sites in France as a preparation to establish a second base similar to Ashraf. A report by DST asserts that:

The construction company, Algeco, was called in by the Mojahedin to add bungalows in their camp on rue Gordes. Several hundreds of square meters of housing space have been rented by the organisation in the Val d’Oise in its reorganisation on French soil”. [4]

Accordingly, the wholesome transfer of Camp Ashraf to France seems to be out of question. In respect to Germany, MKO’s situation there is not better than in France. Its trespass of law as well as financial scandals in Germany has sounded the alarm for the authorities there to keep a watchful eye on the organization’s activities. Exploitation of members’ children, after separating them from the parents forcefully, for illegal fund-raising activities was among its most noted outrageous and immoral actions there. Referring to uncovered scandals of MKO by German authorities, Anne Singleton has said:

In Germany, the government uncovered the Mojahedin’s financial activities. After a two year investigation, the German High Court on 21st December 2001 closed the Mojahedin ‘shop’ – twenty-five houses and bases – after evidence was found of misuse of Social Security and fraud. Disturbingly, the Mojahedin had used the members’ children who had been evacuated during the Gulf War of 1991. These children, whilst they lived in the Mojahedin’s bases in Germany, were required to undertake work in the base and take part in fund-raising activities, collecting money in the street. At the same time, the Mojahedin were abusing every possible avenue of Social Security in Germany in order to claim benefits for these children. Documents in Germany showed that ten to twelve million Marks had been used by the Mojahedin to buy weapons. Considering that a Social Security claim of 130 – 260 Marks could be made per child per day, this is a conservative figure of the amount that the Mojahedin collected on account of these children. [5]

Of course, MKO’s situation in other European countries is just the same. Its proscription as a terrorist group in England makes it even worse and erects impassable barrier since England, as a member of European Union, has adopted strict rules against terrorist threats under its enacted Terrorism Act. Besides, any asylum granted to MKO by the European countries raises suspicions on their claim of their engage in war against terrorism. Then, will the US welcome the opposition that might be exploited against Iran? Let’s discuss it.  References: [1]. Antoine Gessler; Autopsy of an Ideological Drift, Translated by Thomas R. Forstenzer, 2004, p. 103.

[2]. Ibid, 93

[3]. Ibid, 95

[4]. Ibid, 100

[5]. Anne Singleton; Saddam’s Private Army, Iran-Interlink, 2003.

 Bahar Irani,December 31, 2007

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