Nejat Newsletter - ISSUE 12

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    The analytic statement of

    Nejat Society related to

    the recent report of US

    State Department

    The Iranian Moja-

    h e d i n - K h a l q(MEK) remains on

    US terror list, a vi-

    tal step towards

    the final destina-

    tion:

    The US State Depart-

    ment Office of the

    Coordinator for Coun-

    terterrorism on April

    30 released the list

    of designated ter-

    rorist organiza-

    tions. Once again

    Mujahedin- Khalq

    Organization (as well

    as the National Coun-

    cil of Resistance and

    the National Libera-

    tion Army) continues

    to occupy the status

    it has been desig-

    nated since 1997.

    The highlights of thereport are as follows:

    The MEK advo-

    cates the vio-

    lent over-

    throw of the

    Iranian re-

    gime and was

    respons ib le

    for the assas-

    sination of

    several U.S.

    military per-

    sonnel and

    civilians in the

    1970's.

    MEK leadership

    and membersacross the

    world main-

    tain the ca-

    pacity and will

    to commit

    terrorist acts

    in Europe, the

    Middle East,

    the United

    State, Can-

    ada, and be-

    yond.

    The MEK emerged

    in the 1960s

    as one of the

    most violent

    p o l i t i c a l

    movement s

    opposed to

    the Pahlavi

    dynasty and

    its close rela-

    tionship with

    the United

    States.

    MEK ideology has

    gone through

    several itera-

    t i ons and

    blends ele-

    m e n t s o f

    Marxism, Is-

    l a m , a n d

    feminism.

    The group rapidly

    fell out of fa-

    vour with the

    Iranian peo-

    ple

    The group has

    planned andexecuted ter-

    rorist opera-

    tions against

    the Iranian

    regime for

    nearly three

    decades from

    its European

    and I r aq i

    bases of op-

    erations.

    It has expanded

    its fundraising

    base, further

    developed its

    paramilitary

    skills, and

    aggressively

    worked to

    expand its

    E u r o p e a n

    ranks.

    In addition to itsterrorist cre-

    dentials, the

    MEK has also

    d i s p l a y e d

    cult-like char-

    ac t e r i s t i c s .

    Upon entry

    i n t o t h e

    group, new

    members are

    indoctrinated

    MEK remains on US terror list, a vital

    step towards final destination

    ISSUE 12

    11 MAY 2007Nejat Newsletter

    THE BRIEFING PUBLICATION OF NEJAT SOCIETY

    MEK remains on USterror list, a vital steptowards final desti-nation

    16, 7

    Mojahedin remainson US terror list

    2, 3

    Zebari says Iraqgovernment has de-cided to expel MKOfrom Iraq

    4

    U.S. Support forTerrorism in Iran

    4, 5

    Dr Banisadr deliv-ered speech in Lon-don University

    8

    New Additions toState DepartmentReport on MKO

    9

    Reports on IraqiSupport for MKO,Baseless

    12

    The Necessity ofMKOs Expulsion

    from Iraq

    3

    The US Instrumental

    Use of MKO10

    Clinton TragedyRepeats for MKO

    (Rajavi Cutl)

    11

    Europeans willing totake anti-Iran MKO

    agensts

    11

    INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

    Cont page 6 and 7

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    NEJAT NEWSLETTER PAG E 2

    US, State Department Office,May 2, 2007

    The State Department Office ofthe Coordinator for Counterterror-ism on April 30 released the list ofdesignated terrorist organizations.Once again Mujahedin-e KhalqOrganization (MEK) continues tooccupy the status it has been des-ignated since 1997.

    MEK is also active under a varietyof other pseudonyms known asMKO; Mujahedin-e Khalq; MuslimIranian Students' Society; NationalCouncil of Resistance; NationalCouncil of Resistance (NCR); Or-

    ganization of the People's HolyWarriors of Iran; The NationalLiberation Army of Iran (NLA); ThePeople's Mujahedin Organization ofIran (PMOI); National Council ofResistance of Iran (NCRI); Saze-man-e Mujahedin-e Khalq-e Iran.

    Although the designation is notnew, but a reference to its activi-ties contributes to the EU decisive-ness to keep it on its terror list.One of the reasons contradictingMEKs claim of renouncing terroristactivities since June 2001 is welldefined by the State Departmentsexplanation of the groups activi-

    ties:

    "In 2003, French authorities ar-rested 160 MEK members at op-erational bases they believed theMEK was using to coordinate fi-nancing and planning for terroristattacks. Upon the arrest of MEKleader Maryam Rajavi, MEK mem-bers took to Paris' streets andengaged in self-immolation.French authorities eventually re-leased Rajavi." [Rajavi was re-leased on bail and is currentlyawaiting trial on terrorismcharges.]

    The report reads:

    http://www.state.gov/s/ct/rls/crt/2006/82738.htm

    Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization(MEK) a.k.a. MKO; Mujahedin-eKhalq; Muslim Iranian Students'Society; National Council of Resis-tance; National Council of Resis-tance (NCR); Organization of thePeople's Holy Warriors of Iran;

    The National Liberation Army ofIran (NLA); The People's Mujahe-din Organization of Iran (PMOI);National Council of Resistance ofIran (NCRI); Sazeman-e Mujahe-din-e Khalq-e Iran

    Description

    The MEK advocates the violentoverthrow of the Iranian regimeand was responsible for the assas-sination of several U.S. militarypersonnel and civilians in the1970's. MEK leadership and mem-bers across the world maintain thecapacity and will to commit terror-ist acts in Europe, the Middle East,the United State, Canada, andbeyond.

    The MEK emerged in the 1960s asone of the more violent politicalmovements opposed to the Pah-lavi dynasty and its close relation-ship with the United States. MEKideology has gone through severaliterations and blends elements ofMarxism, Islam, and feminism.Following its participation in the1979 Islamic Revolution, thegroup rapidly fell out of favor withthe Iranian people. The new Ira-nian government under SupremeLeader Khomeini systematicallyarrested and targeted many MEKmembers, causing most MEK lead-ership to flee to Europe. In 1986,

    MEK leaders and operatives wereevicted from France and provideda safe haven in Iraq by SaddamHussein. The group has plannedand executed terrorist operationsagainst the Iranian regime fornearly three decades from itsEuropean and Iraqi bases of op-erations. Additionally, it has ex-panded its fundraising base, fur-ther developed its paramilitaryskills, and aggressively worked toexpand its European ranks. Inaddition to its terrorist credentials,the MEK has also displayed cult-like characteristics. Upon entry

    into the group, new members areindoctrinated in MEK ideology andrevisionist Iranian history. Mem-bers are also required to under-take a vow of "eternal divorce"and participate in weekly"ideological cleansings." Addition-ally, children are reportedly sepa-rated from parents at a youngage. MEK leader Maryam Rajavihas established a "cult of person-ality." She claims to emulate theProphet Muhammad and is viewedby members as the "Iranian Presi-dent in exile."

    Mojahedin remains on US terror list

    Activities

    The group's worldwide campaign

    against the Iranian governmentuses propaganda and terrorism toachieve its objectives and hasbeen supported by reprehensibleregimes, including that of SaddamHussein. During the 1970s, theMEK assassinated several U.S.military personnel and U.S. civil-ians working on defense projectsin Tehran and supported the vio-lent takeover in 1979 of the U.S.Embassy in Tehran. Despite U.S.efforts, MEK members have neverbeen brought to justice for thegroup's role in these illegal acts.

    In 1981, MEK leadership at-tempted to overthrow the newlyinstalled Islamic regime; Iraniansecurity forces subsequently initi-ated a crackdown on the group.The MEK instigated a bombingcampaign, including an attackagainst the head office of the Is-lamic Republic Party and the PrimeMinister's office, which killed some70 high-ranking Iranian officials,including Chief Justice AyatollahMohammad Beheshti, PresidentMohammad-Ali Rajaei, and PrimeMinister Mohammad-Javad Baho-nar. These attacks resulted in apopular uprising against the MEKand an expanded Iranian govern-

    ment crackdown which forced MEKleaders to flee to France. For fiveyears, the MEK continued to wageits terrorist campaign from itsParis headquarters. Expelled byFrance in 1986, MEK leadersturned to Saddam Hussein's re-gime for basing, financial support,and training. Near the end of the1980-1988 Iran-Iraq War, Bagh-dad armed the MEK with heavymilitary equipment and deployedthousands of MEK fighters in suici-dal, mass wave attacks againstIranian forces.

    The MEK's relationship with the

    former Iraqi regime continuedthrough the 1990s. In 1991, thegroup reportedly assisted in theIraqi Republican Guard's bloodycrackdown on Iraqi Shia and Kurdswho rose up against Saddam Hus-sein's regime; press reports citeMEK leader Maryam Rajavi en-couraging MEK members to "takethe Kurds under your tanks." InApril 1992, the MEK conductednear-simultaneous attacks on Ira-nian embassies and installations in13 countries, demonstrating thegroup's ability to mount large-

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    NEJAT NEWSLETTER PAG E 3

    scale operations overseas. In April1999, the MEK targeted key Ira-nian military officers and assassi-nated the deputy chief of the Ira-

    nian Armed Forces General Staff,Brigadier General Ali Sayyaad Shi-razi.

    In April 2000, the MEK attemptedto assassinate the commander ofthe Nasr Headquarters, Tehran'sinteragency board responsible forcoordinating policies on Iraq. Thepace of anti-Iranian operationsincreased during "Operation GreatBahman" in February 2000, whenthe group launched a dozen at-tacks against Iran. One of thoseattacks included a mortar attackagainst a major Iranian leadershipcomplex in Tehran that housed the

    offices of the Supreme Leader andthe President. In 2000 and 2001,the MEK was involved in regularmortar attacks and hit-and-runraids against Iranian military andlaw enforcement personnel, aswell as government buildings nearthe Iran-Iraq border. Also in 2001,the FBI arrested seven Iranians inthe United States who funneled$400,000 to an MEK-affiliated or-ganization in the UAE which usedthe funds to purchase weapons.Following an initial Coalition bom-bardment of the MEK's facilities inIraq at the outset ofOperationIraqi Freedom, MEK leadership

    negotiated a cease-fire with Coali-tion Forces and voluntarily surren-dered their heavy-arms to Coali-tion control. Since 2003, roughly3,400 MEK members have beenencamped at Ashraf in Iraq, underthe supervision of Coalition Forces.

    In 2003, French authorities ar-rested 160 MEK members at op-erational bases they believed theMEK was using to coordinate fi-nancing and planning for terroristattacks. Upon the arrest of MEK

    leader Maryam Rajavi, MEK mem-bers took to Paris' streets andengaged in self-immolation.French authorities eventually re-

    leased Rajavi. Although currentlyin hiding, Rajavi has made appear-ances via video-satellite to"motivate" MEK-sponsored confer-ences across the globe.

    According to evidence which be-came available after the fall ofSaddam Hussein, the MEK re-ceived millions of dollars in Oil-for-Food program subsidies from Sad-dam Hussein from 1999 through2003, which supported planningand executing future terrorist at-tacks. In addition to discovering13 lists of recipients of suchvouchers on which the MEK ap-

    peared, evidence linking the MEKto the former Iraqi regime in-cludes lists, as well as video foot-age of Saddam Hussein handingover suitcases of money to knownMEK leaders, and video of MEKoperatives receiving training fromthe Iraqi military.

    Strength

    Estimates place MEK's worldwidemembership in the several thou-sands, with large pockets in Parisand other major European capi-tals. In Iraq, roughly 3,400 MEKmembers are gathered under Coa-lition supervision at Camp Ashraf,

    the MEK's main compound northof Baghdad, where they have beendesignated as "protected persons"under Article 27 of the Fourth Ge-neva Convention. This status doesnot affect the group's membersoutside of Camp Ashraf or theMEK's designation as a ForeignTerrorist Organization. As a condi-tion of the 2003 cease-fire agree-ment, the MEK relinquished morethan 2,000 tanks; armored per-sonnel carriers; and heavy artil-

    Mojahedin remains on US terror list (cont) lery. A significant number of MEKpersonnel have voluntarily leftAshraf, and an additional severalhundred MEK defectors have been

    voluntarily repatriated to Iran.Many MEK leaders and operatives,however, remain at large, and thenumber of at-large MEK operativeswho received weapons and bomb-making instruction from SaddamHussein's regime remains a sourceof significant concern.

    Location/Area of OperationIn the 1980s, the MEK's leaderswere forced by Iranian securityforces to flee to France. FollowingFrance's recognition of the Iranianregime in 1986, the group's lead-ership was forced out of Franceand took up residence in Iraq. The

    MEK maintains its main headquar-ters in Paris and has concentra-tions of members across Europe,in addition to the large concentra-tion of MEK located at Camp Ash-raf in Iraq. The MEK's global sup-port structure remains in placewith associates and supportersscattered throughout Europe andNorth America. Operations targetIranian regime elements acrossthe globe, including in Europe andIran. MEK's political arm, theNCRI, has a global support net-work with active lobbying andpropaganda efforts in major West-ern capitals. NCRI also has a well-

    developed media communicationsstrategy.

    External Aid

    Before Operation Iraqi Freedombegan in 2003; the MEK receivedall of its military assistance andmost of its financial support fromSaddam Hussein. The fall of Sad-dam's regime has led MEK to in-creasingly rely on front organiza-tions to solicit contributions fromexpatriate Iranian communities.

    Ibrahim al-Novini

    Sotaliraq/ Sweden,

    April 30, 2007

    It's really great to hear the strongvoice that MKO should leave Iraq.

    They interfere in Iraq's internalaffairs and we, Iraqis should notgive them opportunity to do this.When I heard that news, I was

    proud and I said to myself that"finally, we have a powerful gov-ernment that respects itself andthe people; a government that isable to make decisions in order toget rid of Saddam's remnants.Saddam gathered elements ofMKO to occupy our country andgave them privileges, which wewere deprived of so that we had togo to other countries."

    We believe that recent news as agood step and congratulate allIraqi officials over that. It's good

    The Necessity of MKO's Expulsion from Iraqto see that justice prevails.

    MKO's comments on rejectingIraqi government (published onSotaliraq website) indicate thatthese people dont respect electedgovernment. Nearly 3000 of themeat and sleep here in our countryand speak insolently.

    We know the source of these com-ments, so we ask Mr. Adnan Al-Dulaimi to accept the request ofIraqi and let these people be ex-pelled from our country.

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    NEJAT NEWSLETTER PAG E 4

    MEK and using it to destabilize

    Iran, a recommendation that has

    apparently readily been imple-

    mented. The undertaking of thisplan makes the U.S. government

    complicit in the terrorist acts that

    have been carried out inside Iran.The New York Times recently

    revealed that the camp operates

    under the protection of the U.S.military and American troops

    chauffer MEK operatives.

    Another organization that carries

    out cross-border attacks on Iranian

    villages is the Party for a Free Life

    in Kurdistan (PJAK), which is

    supported with equipment andtraining by Israeli Special Forces.

    This group receives its lists of

    targets inside Iran from U.S. in-

    telligence services.

    A third terrorist organization that

    operates on the border between

    Sistan-Baluchistan province of

    Iran and the countries of Pakistanon the south and Afghanistan on

    the north is called Jundallah

    (Gods Brigade), an extremistSunni tribal faction. This group

    has been launching armed attacks

    on the civilian population, plantingbombs and kidnapping passen-

    gers. The group has its bases in

    Pakistan and apparently is funded,

    trained and armed by the U.S. and

    British armies in Afghanistan andin the Iran-Pakistan border re-

    gions. According to Greg Elich of

    http://www.globalresearch.ca/,

    U.S. and Israeli officials are setting

    up front companies to help financethe future covert local wars in

    Iran. An old historical statement

    comes to mind when thinking

    about how the CIA armed and fi-

    nanced Osama Bin Laden and the

    Mujahadeen fundamentalists inAfghanistan during the 1980s to

    undermine the Soviet Union - His-

    tory repeats itself: the first time its

    a tragedy, the second time its a

    farce.

    by Ardeshir Ommani

    (source: CASMII )

    Tuesday, April 10, 2007

    Apparently, the U.S. and Britishauthorities have turned so desper-

    ate for an alibi that they readily

    embraced the assertion of an infa-

    mous anti-Iranian Mujahedin-e

    Khalgh (MEK) group, listed as a

    terrorist organization of bandits by

    Britain, the U.S., and the European

    Union. A spokesman of thisgroup, which vegetates in the

    shadow of the U.S. army in Camp

    Ashraf in Iraq, said that the Britishcrews capture was planned in

    advance. But David Stringer ofthe Associated Press immediately

    realized that he owes it to his read-

    ers to mention that the speaker of

    the MEK offered no evidence tosupport his claims. This group,

    along with the old Iranian monar-

    chists, like their financiers in theWhite House and Downing Street,

    need no evidence to fabricate sto-

    ries of any size. It is noteworthythat three years ago, U.S. intelli-

    gence circles suggested re-arming

    IRNA, April 26, 2007

    http://www2.irna.ir/en/news/view/line-17/0704265629000332.htm

    Visiting Iraqi Foreign MinisterHoshyar Zebari said hereWednesday evening " Iraqgovernment has decided toexpel members of the terroristgroup Mujahedin Khalq Or-ganization (MKO) from thecountry."

    In a joint press conferencewith his Iranian counterpartManouchehr Mottaki, Zebari

    said, " Iraq government hasset up a committee to upholdthe decision."

    He said, "We have negotiated

    with several European coun-tries to settle the expelled

    MKO members."Concerning the sad event ofdetaining Iranian diplomats inIraq, Jalal Sharafi, Zebari saida committee has been estab-lished to investigate the casefrom different aspects.

    The outcome of investigationwill introduce all those whowere involved in the event,the Iraqi foreign ministeradded.

    Responding to a question con-cerning kidnapped Iranian dip-

    lomats in Iraq, Zebari said, "our government will do its bestto release the Iranians and wehope they can be freed soon

    U.S. Support for Terrorism in Iran

    Zebari says Iraq government has decided to expel MKO from Iraq

    and return to their families."The Iraqi foreign minister also

    said, " We should not make aconnection between freedomof Iranian diplomats and Iran'sparticipation in Sharm al-Sheikh conference."

    Iran's foreign minister re-sponding to a question said, "Iraqi government is responsi-ble for protection of kidnappedIranian diplomats' life."Concerning Sharm al-Sheikhconference, Mottaki said, "

    There are certain ambiguitiesin this concern, but we are

    going to consider the case,especially after Mr. Zebari'selaboration on the matter andwe will declare our stancesoon."

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    NEJAT NEWSLETTER PAG E 5

    It is now a well-known fact that

    U.S. special operation forces in

    Iraq have been given the task ofkidnapping Iranian members of thediplomatic corps of individuals in

    Iraq and the countries where U.S.

    intelligence agents operate freely.

    For example, U.S. forces led acommando-type, helicopter-borne

    raid in Erbil, northern Iaq, and

    grabbed six Iranian liaison person-

    nel in January 2007. These special

    units, operating without the per-mission of the Kurdish authorities,

    reportedly used stun guns against

    the men while seizing office com-puters, ransacking and intention-

    ally destroying the property inside

    and taking down the Iranian flagfrom the rooftop of the raided

    building as a demonstration of the

    hatred and disrespect toward the

    Iranian people. The President of

    Iraq, Mr. Talabani, as well as one

    of Iraqs most powerful Shiiteleaders, condemned the raid, call-

    ing it an attack on Iraqs sover-

    eignty. Furthermore, the United

    States refused to allow any com-

    munication with the detained offi-cials until the incident with the 15

    British sailors and marines was

    brought into a process of negotia-

    tion. Under that condition, the

    United States was pressured toallow communication by the Ira-

    nian government with the Iranian

    captives, a promise yet to be ful-

    filled. And worse than that, anIranian diplomat, Jalal Sharafi, thesecond secretary in Irans embassy

    in Baghdad who was kidnapped in

    Iraq by U.S. forces and held for

    over two months, was released this

    week. Mr. Sharafi told IRNA(Irans State News Agency) he was

    subjected to torture day and

    night. He said, I was kidnapped

    on a Baghdad street while shop-

    ping by officials who had Iraqi

    defense ministry ID cards andwere riding in American forces

    vehicles. Mr. Sharafi said he wastaken to a military base near Bagh-

    dad airport, and questioned in Ara-bic and English. The CIA offi-

    cials questions focused mainly on

    Irans presence and influence inIraq. When faced with my re-

    sponses on Irans official ties with

    the Iraqi government, they in-

    creased the torture. Apparently,

    this is the customary method thatthe United States government,

    which likes to brag about its love

    of democracy and concern for hu-

    man rights treats foreign detaineesand kidnapped individuals. What

    a respect for human rights! Where

    are the human rights organizations,

    such as Amnesty International, to

    expose and condemn Washing-

    tons routine practice of human

    rights violations?

    U.S. Support for Terrorism in Iran (cont)

    Earlier this month, a former Ira-

    nian deputy defense minister, Mr.

    Ali Reza Asgari who was in Tur-key to attend a conference, disap-peared into thin air, and his family

    in Tehran has not heard from him

    since. Iranian officials said Asgari

    was kidnapped by western agents.

    These attacks, not highly norwidely publicized in the U.S.

    press, are part of the covert front

    of the U.S. and British forces.

    Ardeshir Ommanis Bio & ContactInfo: Ardeshir Ommani is a writer

    and an activist in the anti-war and

    anti-imperialist struggle for manyyears, including against the Viet-

    nam War. Ardeshir is a co-

    founder of the American-IranianFriendship Committee (AIFC)

    www.progressiveportals.com/aifc ,

    where news of his most recent visit

    to Iran in March & April 2006 can

    be read. He helped launch the

    successful

    http://www.stopwaroniran.org/

    campaign. In the 1960's, he was a

    co-founder of the Iranian Students

    Association (ISA), which contrib-uted to the struggle against the

    Shah of Iran, a U.S. puppet.

    C o n t a c t I n f o : A r d e s h i -

    [email protected]

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    MEK remains on US terror list, a vital step tow ards final destination

    NEJAT NEWSLETTER PAG E 6

    in MEK ideology and

    revisionist Iranian his-

    tory. Members are also

    required to undertakea vow of "eternal di-

    vorce" and participate

    in weekly "ideological

    cleansings." Children

    are reportedly sepa-

    rated from parents at

    a young age.

    MEK leader Maryam Rajavi

    has established a "cult

    of personality." She

    claims to emulate the

    Prophet Muhammad

    and is viewed by

    members as the

    "Iranian President in

    exile."

    The group's worldwide

    campaign against the

    Iranian government

    uses propaganda and

    terrorism to achieve its

    objectives and has

    been supported byreprehensible regimes,

    including that of Sad-

    dam Hussein.

    The MEK instigated a

    bombing campaign,

    including an attack

    against the head office

    of the Islamic Republic

    Party and the Prime

    Minister's office, which

    killed some 70 high-

    ranking Iranian offi-cials, including Chief

    Just ice Ayatol lah

    Mohammad Beheshti,

    President Mohammad-

    Ali Rajaei, and Prime

    Minister Mohammad-

    Javad Bahonar.

    For five years (1981

    1986), the MEK con-

    tinued to wage its ter-

    rorist campaign from

    its Paris headquarters.

    MEK leaders turned to

    Saddam Hussein's re-gime (1986) for bas-

    ing, financial support,

    and training. Near the

    end of the 1980-1988

    Iran-Iraq War, Bagh-

    dad armed the MEK

    with heavy military

    equipment and de-

    ployed thousands of

    MEK fighters in suici-

    dal, mass wave at-

    tacks against Iranian

    forces.

    The MEK's relationship

    with the former Iraqi

    regime cont inued

    through the 1990s. In

    1991, the group re-

    portedly assisted in

    the Iraqi Republican

    Guard's bloody crack-

    down on Iraqi Shiites

    and Kurds who rose upagainst Saddam Hus-

    sein's regime; press

    reports cite MEK

    leader Maryam Rajavi

    encourag ing MEK

    members to "take the

    Kurds under your

    tanks."

    In April 1992, the MEK

    condu c t e d n e a r -

    simultaneous attacks

    on Iranian embassiesand installations in 13

    countries, demonstrat-

    ing the group's ability

    to mount large-scale

    operations overseas.

    In April 1999, the MEK

    targeted key Iranian

    military officers and

    assassinated the dep-

    uty chief of the Iranian

    Armed Forces General

    Staff, Brigadier Gen-

    eral Ali Sayyaad Shi-

    razi.In April 2000, the MEK

    attempted to assassi-

    nate the commander

    of the Nasr Headquar-

    ters. The pace of anti-

    Iranian operations in-

    c r e a s e d d u r i n g

    "Operation Great Bah-

    man" in February

    2000, when the group

    launched a dozen at-

    tacks against Iran.

    One of those attacks

    included a mortar at-

    tack against a major

    Iranian leadership

    complex in Tehran that

    housed the offices of

    the Supreme Leader

    and the President.

    In 2000 and 2001, the

    MEK was involved in

    regular mortar attacksand hit-and-run raids

    against Iranian mili-

    tary and law enforce-

    ment personnel, as

    well as government

    buildings near the

    Iran-Iraq border.

    In 2001, the FBI arrested

    seven Iranians in the

    United States who fun-

    nelled $400,000 to an

    MEK-affiliated organi-zation in the UAE

    which used the funds

    to purchase weapons.

    Since 2003, roughly 3,400

    MEK members have

    been encamped at

    Ashraf in Iraq, under

    the supervision of Coa-

    lition Forces.

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    MEK remains on US terror list, a vital step tow ards final destination

    NEJAT NEWSLETTER PAG E 7

    In 2003, French authori-

    ties arrested 160 MEK

    members at opera-

    tional bases they be-lieved the MEK was

    using to coordinate

    financing and planning

    for terrorist attacks.

    Upon the arrest of MEK

    leader Maryam Rajavi,

    MEK members took to

    Paris' streets and en-

    g a g e d i n s e l f -

    immolation.

    According to evidence

    which became avail-

    able after the fall of

    Saddam Hussein, the

    MEK received millions

    of dollars in Oil-for-

    Food program subsi-

    dies from Saddam

    Hussein from 1999

    through 2003, which

    supported planning

    and executing future

    terrorist attacks. Inaddition to discovering

    13 lists of recipients of

    such vouchers on

    which the MEK ap-

    peared, evidence link-

    ing the MEK to the for-

    mer Iraqi regime in-

    cludes lists, as well as

    video footage of Sad-

    dam Hussein handing

    over suitcases of

    money to known MEKleaders, and video of

    MEK operatives receiv-

    ing training from the

    Iraqi military.

    The report is by no means in-

    clusive and some essential

    factors are deliberately miss-

    ing. The evidential fact that

    the group celebrated the 11th

    of September terrorist incident

    in their camp in Iraq with the

    presence of Massoud and

    Maryam Rajavi has not been

    mentioned. Many former MEKmembers, both inside and out-

    side Iran, have repeatedly tes-

    tified the very fact that

    Maryam Rajavi in a meeting of

    about 2000 MEK members in

    Iraq praised the catastrophe

    and called it to the best inter-

    ests of the MEK. The groups

    present links with extremists

    in Iraq and former Iraqi Bath

    Party elements has not been

    mentioned in this report ei-ther. The US State Depart-

    ment should have referred to

    existing documented reports in

    order to let the actual facts be

    known by the people, as well

    as being recorded in the his-

    tory.

    In this report the expatriate

    Iranian communities have

    been referred to as the organi-

    sations present financial

    source. The truth is that the

    organisation, similar to many

    cults alike, is using cover so-

    cieties to swindle people and

    absorb their financial aids by

    using deception and fraud.

    Nevertheless the facts re-

    vealed in the report clearly

    prove that the group is a ma-

    jor threat for western citizens

    as well as Iranians and Iraqis.

    The report emphasises thatthe MEK is a personality cult

    and Maryam Rajavi is praised

    like an idol and the organisa-

    tion is capable of executing

    terrorist acts in western coun-

    tries.

    Referring to this report and

    the Iraqi authorities decision

    that the members of MEK

    must be expelled from Iraq

    and the inhabitants of Ashraf

    Camp be freed, one may ask

    that why that decisive step is

    not taken. The State Depart-ment has revealed the nature

    of this group which leaves no

    doubts that the members of

    the group are the prime vic-

    tims of a cult and their pres-

    ence in Iraq has given the

    chance to the leaders to iso-

    late them from their families

    and the outside world.

    In one word the US State De-

    partments report describes

    MEK as a destructive terrorist

    cult. In this case, would it not

    be better to help the captive

    members of a dangerous cult

    to be saved from a horrific

    citadel and return to their

    families? The leaders of the

    cult must not be permitted

    further to keep their recruits

    as hostages using mind ma-

    nipulation and then force them

    to commit self immolation and

    further immolating others. The

    official statement of the State

    Department is a grave and

    severe obstacle on the way of

    those who have aimed to play

    Saddam Husseins role for the

    MEK and to utilize this aggres-

    sive cult as good terrorists.

    Lets hope that this process

    would end to the freedom of

    all captive recruits of the MEK.

    Nejat Society calls upon allwestern countries particularly

    the US administration to take

    decisive measures to safe-

    guard the future of those still

    captive in Ashraf Camp in Iraq

    and let them choose their own

    destiny and do not enter into

    the dangerous double stan-

    dard policy of serving the MEK

    leaders the same way Saddam

    Hussein once did.

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    NEJAT NEWSLETTER PAG E 8

    On Saturday 5 May 2007, Dr MasoudBanisadr Writer and Former Member

    of the Mojahedin- Khalq Organisa-tion (MKO), participated in a day longseminar in London School of Econom-

    ics & Political Science and delivered aspeech on The Use of the Philosophyof Martyrdom within Religious Cults

    for Acts of Terrorism.

    At the opening of the seminar it was

    stated that: Death and dying are uni-versal facts of life to which all faithtraditions offer responses. The doc-trinal and practical responses of themainstream religions are well known,but some new religious movementsdevelop startlingly novel ways of cop-ing with death and dying. The views of

    scholars will be considered alongsidethose of the movements' members and

    former members.

    In this seminar, Dr Banisadr examinedthe topic of his speech from a variety

    of perspectives. When discussingabout Cult and Terrorism, he describedhow terrorist cults such as Al-Qaeda orMojahedin of Iran show their list ofmartyrs as their flag of glory and hon-

    our.

    In his speech Dr Banisadr stated: Forexample in 2003 when the co-leader ofthe MKO; Maryam Rajavi was ar-rested for few days in France, elevenmembers of the organization set them-selves on fire in front of the Frenchembassies in several countries and two

    of them, one in London, were killed as

    a result.

    Tom Spender, in new shoppers, writesabout one of those who set himself onfire in London but survived. He writes:

    Hamid, 21, of Lanacre Avenue, Gra-hame Park, was one of several Irani-ans across Europe to register the mostextreme of protests at the arrest in

    France of about 160 members of the

    People's Mojahedin Organisation of Iran (PMOI) - including the group's

    leader Maryam Rajavi . What fol-lowed stunned the Western world.

    Images of men and women silhouettedin flames on the streets of London and

    Paris dominated the television news.One Iranian in London, Neda Hassani,

    a 26-year-old Canadian computerscience student, later died of her

    burns. Another woman in Paris also

    died. When Hamid is asked why didhe set himself on fire? He replies: Iwanted to shock the world. Injusticesare committed all over the world butmost of them are not reported well.

    And when he asked if he regret? Hereplies: It was definitely worth it. Ihave not for one second thought that I

    shouldn't have done it.

    If they can set themselves on fire overthe arrest of their leader, what can stopthem from using martyrdom as a mean

    for any end?

    Dr Banisadr then emphasised: Howcould they persuade their followers toignore all Islamic norms and limits,

    and do whatever they were asked to?

    The answer to these questions doesntlie in understanding Islam or the dif-ferent sects of Islam, but the relation

    between Cults and Terrorism.

    Religious cults are not a new phenom-ena; their history goes back perhaps tothe beginning of the history of man-

    kind.

    He continued his speech by referring

    to the relationship between the desireto be martyred and abandoning pas-sions and emotions of a normal life.He added: Interestingly, theMojahedin (MKO), the organizationthat I was a member of for almostseventeen years, had almost the sameidea (of most cults) about the relation

    between sex and preparation for dyingor becoming a martyr (to love martyr-dom we should reject life, and sex as

    its most joyful act). They were notcastrating us (the same as some cultsof past centuries) as it is not practicalin modern day to castrate thousands ofyoung men; instead they forced theirfollowers; men and women alike, into

    celibacy. In a single day, the guru orleader of the organization asked us, allof us except himself, to divorce ourspouses and forget about sex as long aswe are alive. This order was givenwith the pretext that this was necessaryfor overthrowing Iranian Regime andfor materialization of his rule over the

    Iranian people. We did as he said andall of us, in a single day, decided toforget about sex, emotions and feel-ings toward our families, as long as we

    are alive.

    Dr Banisadr further described Martyr-dom as an asset for a cult and men-tioned that: in modern day Iran wecan see the Mojahedins list of martyrsas their flag of glory and honour. Whymartyrs are so important? Mojahedinsleader says it all by few words to hisenemy: for any person you take fromus and make him or her Shahid

    (martyred); he or she will be replaced

    Dr Banisadr delivered speech in London University

    by hundred if not thousand.

    He then took the subject of Suicide

    bombers to discuss about and arguedas: Although one might say that themodern history of suicide attacksstarted with the Japanese Kamikazes.But I think the new phenomenoncalled suicide bombers started with theMojahedins suicide attacks againstIranian authorities during 1980s. Let

    me read part of the will of one of themmentioned in the publication of MKO19th of June 1982, Gohar AdabAvaz.She killed the Friday Prayer Imam ofShiraz after praying with a few otherswho were present there. She writes inher will, I dont think my life belongsto me, it belongs to God and the peo-

    ple and the Mojahedin Organization. If a new path can be opened with my

    life, then I will be very happy that I besmall token in this path. I have chosen

    this path knowingly, and am waiting

    that moment of martyrdom, impa-

    tiently.

    Finally under the title of Cults andNew Meaning for Old Ideas, DrBanisadr concluded that: ModernCults have given new meaning notonly to martyrdom but Jihad, bothgreater and lesser. They have super-

    seded the religious conditions put onthese terms, such as conditions put on

    Jihad or who is an enemy. Accordingto the cults definition there is no greyarea, either others are with you or areagainst you. Al Qaeda, and Wahabismdivides the world between Dar alIslam and Dar al Harb, and the Moja-

    hedin of Iran divide all Iranians be-tween followers of themselves andfollowers of the Iranian Regime, eitheryou are with them, or with the enemy.If you are with them and are killed youwill be martyred and go to heaven, andif you are not with them, then you arewith the enemy and if you are killed itis just, and you will go to hell. There-

    fore, as we could see during the eight-

    ies in Iran, they did not show any hesi-tation in killing anybody who was not

    with them.

    Dr Banisadr continued saying: Let meconclude that the use of the rich phi-losophy of martyrdom within a culthas given new meaning to martyrdom;it has changed it into new tools formaterialization of the goals of the cult.To conclude we have to separate ter-rorist cults from mainstream Muslimsand never never call them Moslem, as

    they are not.www.banisadr.info

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    NEJAT NEWSLETTER PAG E 9

    Irandidban,

    May 07, 2007

    As noted before, the new re-port of "Office of the Coordina-tor for Counterterrorism", pub-lished on April 30, has a moreserous tone on the MKO thanprevious reports.

    These additions, retrieved bycomparing annual terrorismreport 2006 and 2006, are asfollows:

    Additions to "Description":

    - Pointing to the assassinationof US military and civilian per-sonnel in Iran during 1970s,

    - Stressing the ability and thewill of MKO members andleadership to conduct terroristoperations across the world,

    - Introducing the MKO as oneof the most violent politicalgroups, established during

    60s,

    - Emphasizing the fact thatMKO was disliked by Iranians,following the Islamic Revolu-tion,

    - Underlining the fact that formore than 3 decades, MKOused its bases in Iraq andEurope to conduct terror at-tacks against Iran,

    - Expansion of financial base,

    military skills and leaders' ac-tivities in Europe.

    - Showing cult-like character-istics, in addition to terroristones,

    - Ideological pressure onmembers and offering themdistorted history of Iran,

    - Stressing the existence of

    compulsory divorces, cleansingsessions and separation of kids

    from their parents,

    - Establ ish ing cu lt-of-personality around Rajavi.

    Additions to "Activities":

    - Confessing that despite USefforts, MKO members andleaders have never been takento court for their role in illegalactivities,

    - MKO has been supported by

    reprehensible regimes, likethat of Saddam Hussein.

    - Stressing that MKO con-ducted terrorist operationsfrom its bases in France for 5years,

    - Citing reports that showedMaryam Rajavi encouragedmembers to "crush Kurds un-der the tanks",

    - That 7 Iranians had been

    arrested by FBI for transfer-ring 400000 dollars to theMKO for buying weapons,

    - Voluntarily surrender to coa-lition, after the ouster of Sad-dam, and submitting heavyweaponries,

    - Arrest of 160 MKO members,including Maryam Rajavi, inFrance for using its bases inFrance for planning and fi-nancing terrorist operations,

    - Self-immolations by MKOmembers, following the deten-tion of Maryam Rajavi,

    - Maryam Rajavi's going tohiding, and using video-satellite to motivate members,

    - Discovering documents thatprove MKO received themoney of oil-for-food program

    New Additions to State Department's Report on MKO

    and used the money for ter-rorist attacks,

    - Citing documents that proveMKO-Saddam ties: lists, a filmshowing Saddam when hegives a suitcase of money toMKO's known leaders, and afootage of MKO members be-ing trained by Iraqi army.

    Additions to "Strength":

    - Settlement of MKO support-ers and members acrossEurope,

    - Stressing the fact that"protected status" (4th Ge-neva Convention) doesn't ap-ply to MKO members outsideCamp Ashraf or to the groupas a foreign terrorist organiza-tion,

    - The fact that several MKOmembers, trained by formerIraqi regime to make bomband work with weapons, arestill at large.

    Additions to "Location/Area ofOperation":

    - Maintaining bases in Paris,

    - Targeting Iranian elementsacross the world,

    - Active propaganda and lobbyof NCRI in the West,

    - NCRI's developed mediastrategies

    Additions to "External Aid":

    More reliance, after the fall ofSaddam, on financial aids, col-lected under the name of un-real groups.

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    NEJAT NEWSLETTER PAG E 10

    May 1, 2007

    Bahar IraniMojahedin.ws

    As reported on April 24, Rep.Dennis Kucinich introduced aresolution to the United States

    Senate to impeach Vice Presi-dent Dick Cheney for highcrimes and misdemeanors. Oneof the broached allegations in-

    cluded in the third article of theresolution presents evidencesof Dick Cheneys contacts with

    Mojahideen-e Khalq Organiza-tion (MKO). The article states:

    M(3) The Vice President

    is fully aware of the ac-tions taken by the UnitedStates towards Iran that

    are further destabilizingthe world as evidencedby the following: MMM(D) The UnitedStates has been linked toanti-Iranian organizationsthat are attempting to

    destabilize the Iraniangovernment, in particularthe Mujahideen-e Khalq

    (MEK), even though thestate department hasbranded it a terrorist or-ganization.

    The report comes at a timewhen the EU has taken a deci-

    sive step to keep MKO as a ter-rorist group on the list and theState Department continues to

    consider it a blacklisted terroristgroup with no possible revision.However, Scott Ritters earlierstatements concerning the US

    position in utilizing MKO againstIrans nuclear issue well patron-izes the US dual stance in deal-

    ing with MKO.

    All these reports and remarkshighlight a fact that among the

    American political wings therecan be found an explicit contra-

    diction concerning the instru-mental application of MKO and

    the ways to deal with it. It hasemboldened the group to availitself of the existing leverages

    in the West to wedge into thesubsisting gap between Iranand the West to accomplish its

    own interests in spite of beingproscribed a terrorist group.

    Regardless of the US possible

    engagement with MKO to se-cure its global interests andthat to what extent MKO could

    be effective to satisfy the wishof Americans, it has been actu-ally evidenced that MKO, be-cause of lacking a social sup-

    port for its terrorist atrocitiesand since the Americans arefully aware of its ideological

    drifts, will be made into anotherfundamentalist al-Qaeda. TheWest and the US in particular

    should bear it in mind that if al-Qaeda perpetrated suicide op-erations to jeopardize the US

    interests, MKO is capable ofinducing the members to com-mit self-destruction operationssuch as those self-burnings in

    June 2003 for whatever triflecause that can be easily worked

    out.

    The US sponsoring of MKOsimilar to that of al-Qaeda, withthe exception that MKO ideo-

    logically inherits characteristicsof a destructive cult, might end

    The US Instrumental Use of MKO

    to a much bitter experiencewith that of al-Qaeda. MKO, as

    the State Department asserts,moves on a dual strategy thatenables it in any circumstance

    to accomplish its strategicends. It seems that the currentchallenge within the US Admini-

    stration concerning utilizing orboycotting MKO should neces-sarily end to a comprehensiveunanimity by tracing that al-

    Qaeda held pestilent factors inMKO. The made comparison,from the structural and con-

    tents point of view, will giveway to whether utilize MKO ornot. The US sponsoring ofMKO similar to that of al-

    Qaeda, with the exception thatMKO ideologically inherits char-acteristics of a destructive cult,

    might end to a much bitter ex-perience with that of al-Qaeda.MKO, as the State Department

    asserts, moves on a dual strat-egy that enables it in any cir-cumstance to accomplish its

    strategic ends. It seems thatthe current challenge within theUS Administration concerningutilizing or boycotting MKO

    should necessarily end to acomprehensive unanimity bytracing that al-Qaeda held pes-

    tilent factors in MKO. The madecomparison, from the structuraland contents point of view, willgive way to whether utilize

    MKO or not.

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    NEJAT NEWSLETTER PAG E 11

    LONDON, April 27 (IranMania)

    Iraqi Intelligence Minister SherwanAlvaeli said some European coun-tries have announced their readi-ness to host agents of the terroristMujahideen Khalq Organization.

    According to IRNA, Alvaeli notedpreviously the Iranian governmenthad also announced an amnestyfor members of MKO who had notparticipated in terrorist operations.

    Alvaeli added that currently 4,000MKO members are residing in Ash-raf Camp under the protection ofthe US troops.

    Earlier, chief prosecutor of Iraq?sSupreme Criminal Court, Ja?afarAl-Mousavi, told Baghdad-based

    Al-Mutamer newspaper that agentsof the MKO do not enjoy any legal

    immunity in Iraq.

    Al-Mousavi added that MKO isaccused of financial corruption,crimes against Iraqi people andwastage of Iraqi assets.

    He announced that a prosecutionteam is collecting evidence anddocuments against the terroristgroup to try its members.

    Referring to the fact that their pres-ence in Iraq is illegal, Al-Mousavisaid Iraq?s Supreme CriminalCourt will conduct the trial of MKOringleaders.

    not faithful and only used MKO'smoney.

    Beyond this, MKO has sometimestried to interfere in Presidentialelections in order to get their de-sired advantages; the most impor-tant of such cases is MKO's contri-bution to Clinton's election in thefirst round. At that time, MKOspent money and did its best tohelp him become president.

    MKO's analysis at that was thatClinton would come to the sceneto encounter Iran with the sloganof "human rights". It had becomean ideological ideal for the groupso that there were celebrations inMKO's bases when he was electedas president.

    The fact was that MKO had somecontacts with then vice presidentAl Gore, and he had promised thatClinton would support the group.

    After his election, MKO tried toboast about the issue by writingletter to Clinton (by Rajavi) andeven Mohaddessin took part in hisdinner party, held for his success.

    However, all MKO's efforts for

    Iran didban, April 30, 2007

    http:/ / ww w.irand idban.com/master-e.asp?ID=13170

    News reports say that terroristMKO is supporting French presi-dential candidate Segolene Royaland asks French people to vote forher.

    At the beginning, we should pointto the activities of MKO in theWest to win support for certaincandidates.

    In some Western countries, par-ticularly the US and UK, the MKOhas invested large amounts ofmoney and has even paid consid-

    erable amounts of money to elec-toral headquarters of congressmenand congresswomen (some of thecases have been revealed withdocuments); they have even triedto send to congress a candidatewho agrees to support the group.

    They have been sometimes suc-cessful and in other cases, theyhave lost their money; however,they haven't achieved what theywanted in any of the cases. Insome cases, the candidates were

    Europeans willing to take anti-Iran MKO agents

    Clinton Tragedy Repeats for MKO (Rajavi cult)

    Clinton turned to a big tragedy forthe group and it's still a nightmarefor the group.

    Mr. Clinton put them on terror listand, as MKO claims, gave it toIran as a gift!

    The case is the same with Royal'scampaign in France. MKO hasbeen deceived by her campaignslogans. MKO, because of its lackof understanding of political phe-nomena, repeats the experiencesthat have been tested before inpolitical scene. They have seenthat European politicians saythings pleasant for MKO, howeveras soon as they get to power thesituation changes.

    What's important now is that MKOforces need high morale and Ra-

    javi is trying to use this case toboost the morale of his member;he tries to convince them that allMKO problems would be solved ifRoyal was elected president inFrance.

    However, there's no doubt thatRoyal's victory would also becomea big tragedy for Rajavi and hisgang.

    Meanwhile, an Iraqi news source

    revealed that the camp of MKO inIraq has turned into a trainingground for Al-Qaeda terrorists.

    IRNA quoted Iraq?s Kurdistan De-mocratic Party as reporting on April3 that hundreds of terrorists areundergoing training courses inAshraf Camp in Baquba, whereMKO agents are based, under theauspices of the terrorist group?Ansar Al-Islam?.

    An Iraqi political official said oncondition of anonymity that about

    60 terrorists, accused of murder,have escaped to Ashraf Camp toundergo special short-term coursesto conduct assassination and ter-rorist operations against politicalfigures and governmental organi-zations.

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    The BriefingPublication ofNejat Society

    government's newpolicy is based on noti n t e r f e r i n g i nneighboring countries'affairs; this has beenapproved by the par-liament and is part ofIraqi constitution."

    Bassem Al-Awadi,Arab media activistwho's no in London,added: "All Iraqi par-ties involved in Iraq'spol it ical processstress that Iraqshould not interfere in

    the internal affairs ofits neighbors."

    "Mojahedin-e Khalqhas conducted hostileoperations againstIran and tries tostrike the country,"Awadi said.

    "I strongly reject re-ports that MKO is us-ing Iraqi soil as a

    Mehr News,

    April 26, 2007

    Expressing dissatis-faction over MKO'sactivities in Iraq, anIraqi analyst said"reports on Baghdad-Washington agree-ments for supportingthis group are base-less."

    In an interview withMehr correspondenton a report publishedin Iraqi website, Al-Malaf, which saidIraqi and Americanofficials had agreed tosupport MKO, BassemAl-Awadi said he did-nt think the reportwas true.

    "The reason Istrongly reject thisreport is that Iraqi

    base to attack Iran."

    Awadi expressed dis-satisfaction over theactivities of MKO in-side Iraq and said:"The fact is that thisorganization helpedformer regime ofSaddam Hussein toattack Iraqis."

    "With respect to whatwas said, one canconclude that the re-port is false and thatIraqi government

    would never makesuch decision".

    Al-Malaf, quotingShirvan Al-Vaeli, hadreported that "Iraqiand US officials haveagreed on supportingterrorist MKO". Mean-while, Shirvan Al-Vaeli has accused theMKO of creating un-rest in Iraq.

    Reports on I raqi Support for MKO, Baseless

    We' re on the web

    www.nejatngo.org

    N ejat Society

    AddressE.mail: [email protected] 14395/679, Tehran

    Fax: 88 96 10 31