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Perio di cal Publi cation o f the Neja t So cie ty

Nejat Newsletter
Issue No 25 20 October 2008
Inside this issue:
Future of the Ashraf 1 Future of the Ashraf Base
Base
The Sahar Family several statements preserve and con-
How many women have 1 Foundation SFF in regarding the fact trol the forces and
reached the summit?
Iraq which is a non- that the Iraqi admini- is an opportunity
MEPs intrigued by 2, 3 governmental anti- stration is right- from outside for
accounts of newly ar-
rived escapees cult organization tries eously trying to hold propaganda.”
to help the families control over the head-
Nejat Society Visits 4 and the victims of the quarters of the cult. The article then deals
Geneva
MKO terrorist cult. with this question
In an article titled that “But what
Deciding the fate of the 5
Mujahedin
The SFF has thor- “Ashraf Base in would happen if the
oughly studied the Iraq, from inside Ashraf Base is dis-
Ashraf – when is a city 6 destructive cult of and from outside” it mantled?” Then after
not a city? Massoud Rajavi and is shown that the Ash- discussing this ques-
his wife Maryam and raf base facility in tion it concludes that
Iraq urges US to stop 6
backing MKO their base in the Ash- Iraq has several ad- “In one word the
raf garrison in Iraq. vantaged for the MKO cult would loose its
MKO, 'another version 7 as an isolated cult. In main vessel and
of al-Qaeda' http://www.saharngo this article we read: without that no
.com/en-index.html
Mojahedin Khalq on 7 “Then the Ashraf content of the MKO
the run base is an opportu- would exist.”
The SFF has issued
8
nity from inside to
International law to
determine MKO fate

Pardoned ex-MKO 8 How many women of PMOI have reached the summit?
members return to Iran
Fars News Agency tion to leader] .They Iraq answering the
A Camp Ashraf in 9 October 19 2008 have made 150 FNA’s correspondent’s
France women barren so far. questions.
New details on the
Resolution ratified by 9 Unfertilization Plan of Mrs. Batoul Soltani At the beginning she
the Iraqi Administra-
MKO to promote the (43) who has a 20- explained the recruit-
tion
ranks of women in the year experience of ment methods that
Iraq: No country will- 10 cult membership in MKO the group uses to in-
ing to take MKO A former member of and worked profes-
crease the number of
MKO, in Iraq said: sionally and actively in
Ashraf camp captives. 10 members and said
The people‘s Mujahe- Iraq, Britain and
France and mounted that she joined the
OPINION - America's 11 din of Iran does hys-
tough decision to the rank of the organization due to
terectomy surgeries
on women ranks and leadership council of her adolescence ideas
The MEK and US-Iran 12
Relations file and promotes PMOI, participated a that needed to be
them to the Ideal press meeting among filled by political ac-
Iranian exiles arrested 12 Summit [total devo- foreign journalists of tivities.
I S S U E NO 2 5 N E J AT N E W S L E T T E R PAGE 2

MEPs intrigued by accounts of newly


arrived escapees from Camp Ashraf
Discussion of the Mojahedin-e has currently little to do with the Iraq. Control of Camp Ashraf, the
Khalq/National Council of Re- Iranian political scene, but that MKO’s headquarters, has been
sistance and its activities in precisely because it is a cult, its transferred from the American
the EU Parliament: danger is that it interferes in par- military to the Iraqi military. Ms
liamentary democracy in western Singleton said that Iraqi govern-
... Ms Ebrahimi said she saw Mr countries in ways that may even ment officials are angry at reports
Paulo Casaca when he visited involve criminal activity. which suggest that the MKO would
Camp Ashraf. We were not al- Whilst agreeing that the MKO’s be ‘massacred’ if the Americans
lowed to approach him and platform of ‘total regime change’ handed over Camp Ashraf.
speak to him, she explained to in Iran could be attractive to some Instead, the people inside the
delegates. If they had some- politicians in the west, Ms Single- camp are facing a humanitarian
where to go, she told dele- ton challenged the delegates to crisis because they are not allowed
gates, without doubt ninety- consider whether the MKO would even basic freedoms such as the
nine percent of the people in be able to achieve its stated aim – right to enjoy contact and visits
Camp Ashraf would leave the ‘will it do what it says on the tin’? from their families. A rumour has
camp and the MKO... Since its last major offensive arisen that the Americans have
against Iran in 1988, the MKO has removed around 300 of those cap-
Reported from EU Parliament, achieved little to further its aims. tive in Camp Ashraf and left the
Sep. 09, 2008 others. Ms Singleton said that if
this is the case then she would
On Tuesday 9 September a meet- consider the remaining 3000 indi-
ing was held by the Delegation for viduals in Camp Ashraf to be ex-
Relations with Iran in the Euro- members of the MKO. They should
pean Parliament. The meeting fo- be brought to western countries as
cused on ‘Discussion of the Moja- soon as possible.
hedin-e Khalq/National Council of Finally, Ms Singleton presented
Resistance and its activities in an delegates with one solution to the
exchange of views with: crisis at Camp Ashraf, remove the
Ms Anne Singleton expert on the She told delegates that they MKO from the European terrorist
MKO should also consider the possibility list and bring ALL 3,300 residents
Representative of the NCR that, even if they believe the MKO to Europe where those who are
(declined invitation) has changed tactic and intends to mentally, physically and emotion-
Three Residents of Ashraf Refugee pursue its aims only through politi- ally sick would be able to receive
Camp who arrived from Iraq in the cal opposition, the MKO may not help.
last couple of weeks: Ms. Ebra- actually be ‘fit for purpose’ She Ms Singleton finished by reminding
himi, Mr. Hassan Piransar and Mr. urged them to consider the evi- delegates that continuing support
Hamid Siah Mansoori. dence of the three former resi- for the MKO would, of course,
Also present were former MKO dents of Camp Ashraf who have mean that the European Parlia-
members Karim Haggi, arrived in Europe from Iraq only in ment accepted to have a cult oper-
Mohammad Sobhani, Hadi Shams the past few weeks, and who ating in its midst and continuing to
Haeri and Ali Ghashghavi, who would speak later in the meeting interfere in parliamentary democ-
accompanied the new arrivals to about conditions inside the MKO. racy. However, if that is the deci-
provide support to these vulner- Ms Singleton asserted that Iranian sion to be made, then so be it.
able people. people – as those delegates who
Ms Angelika Beer, President of the have visited Iran are aware – are Ms Beer thanked Anne Singleton
Iran Delegation (Greens/EFA), be- not waiting to be rescued by the for her contribution and asked the
gan by describing the MKO and its MKO and are capable of opposing three recently arrived, former
activities up to the present time. their own government. Iranian Camp Ashraf residents to speak.
Anne Singleton briefly described women are not waiting to be Ms Ebrahimi (speaking in Farsi)
her own involvement with the MKO taught about feminism by Maryam told delegates that she had gone
for over twenty years. Rajavi who leads an organisation to Camp Ashraf when she was six-
Asserting that the MKO will not which – as Batul Ebrahimi will tes- teen years old and although she
give up the use of violence to tify - badly abuses women mem- quickly realised she wanted to
achieve its aims, Ms Singleton bers. leave, she was captive there for
went on to explain why, in spite of Then Ms Singleton described the another ten years. She described
that, she believes that the MKO current situation of the MKO in conditions for women in the camp.
I S S U E NO 2 5 N E J AT N E W S L E T T E R PAGE 3

MEPs intrigued by accounts of newly


arrived escapees from Camp Ashraf
Not only does the MKO not allow him five years ago – at the begin- and the only people to answer that
women to marry, women are ning of the American occupation – are the MKO themselves.
made to work in the scorching sun but were told he was dead. Ms Singleton pointed out a five
for hours at a time so their com- Mr Hamid Siah Mansoori said he year rift in policy toward the MKO
plexions are ruined and they be- had arrived only a week ago, but between the US State Department
come ugly. This is so they do not had lost any contact details for his – which has a very thorough
develop the vanity to think they family. Nevertheless, his first pri- knowledge of the MKO – and the
could be attractive to a man, she ority now was to make contact US Defense Department under
told delegates. with his parents and the rest of his Donald Rumsfeld. Some in the US
In order to remove hope from the family. Administration wanted to use the
women of ever having a family, MKO in confronting Iran and there-
they are being sent under surgery fore Camp Ashraf has been pro-
for spurious medical conditions to tected by the US military in Iraq
have their wombs removed for five years. Ms Singleton con-
[hysterectomy] and around ten ceded that this protection was
percent of women in Camp Ashraf beneficial in keeping the MKO out
have now undergone this surgery. of danger in the midst of a war
When they tried to impose it on zone. But that the Americans had
her, Ms Ebrahimi ran away. She also flouted the UN Fourth Geneva
begged delegates to take doctors Ms Beer asked delegates if they protocol by not allowing MKO to
to Camp Ashraf to check the ve- had questions. One delegate asked meet their families and not ena-
racity of what she was telling how the MKO continued to be fi- bling them to leave the situation.
them. nanced which allowed them to Ms Beer then introduced Mr
The MKO told her that if she left continue to undertake such expen- Mohammad Sobhani who had pre-
the camp and went with the sive campaigns in parliament and viously addressed the Delegation.
American soldiers, they would rape elsewhere. Another delegate asked Following that meeting he had
her. For this reason it took two for more detail about the role of been the subject of unfounded ac-
years before she was able to have the Americans in supporting Camp cusations of having attacked MKO
the courage to escape. Ashraf when the US State Depart- members in Paris. Instead, Mr
Ms Ebrahimi said she saw Mr Paulo ment so strongly describes them Sobhani was the victim of a violent
Casaca when he visited Camp Ash- as a terrorist group. attack when some fifty MKO sup-
raf. We were not allowed to ap- porters ambushed a meeting at
proach him and speak to him, she which Mr Sobhani was a speaker.
explained to delegates. If they had Following this, Mr Hadi Shams
somewhere to go, she told dele- Haeri briefly pleaded with dele-
gates, without doubt ninety-nine gates to help him have contact
percent of the people in Camp with his children whom he has not
Ashraf would leave the camp and been allowed to see for eighteen
the MKO. years. He asked that Mr Paulo
Mr Hamid Siah Mansoori (speaking Casaca accompany him to Camp
English) told delegates he had Ashraf and help him meet with
been in the MKO for over twenty them again.
five years. He described how he At the end of the meeting Ms Beer
had gone to Iraq from Canada. He expressed her appreciation for the
had a good education, and a good Anne Singleton answered these speakers and said it had been a
life in Canada and had his own questions, pointing out that during valuable meeting. One which,
business before leaving everything the reign of Saddam Hussein the given the ongoing situation at
behind in the mid 1980s to go to MKO had received almost unlim- Camp Ashraf, might soon be re-
Iraq. He then described the MKO’s ited finance from Saddam Hussein, peated.
attitude to family. He said no one as well as from Saudi Arabia and After the meeting, several of the
is allowed to contact their family, some western governments from attendees stopped to talk to the
except in a few cases where peo- behind the scene. Now, however, visitors – in particular the three
ple were told to contact their fam- although it is clear that MKO fi- who had just arrived from Iraq -
ily to get money from them. He nances are dwindling somewhat, it and asked them to keep them in-
said the MKO told his family he was unclear how the MKO could formed of developments.
was dead. They came to look for continue to spend so much money,
I S S U E NO 2 5 N E J AT N E W S L E T T E R PAGE 4

Nejat Society Visits Geneva With Camp Ashraf Rescue Plan


Reuters, Wed Sep 17, 2008 soud and Maryam Rajavi. They will not cooperate with the
will want to use their blood to MKO to further suppress their
extricate themselves from this members. We urge humanitar-
crisis." ian agencies to now visit Camp
Ashraf and restore basic hu-
Babak Amin explained: "For man rights to the people
over twenty years Ashraf has trapped there."
http://www.reuters.com/a
rticle/idUS141307+17-Sep- been inaccessible to the out-
2008+PRN20080917 side world. This has allowed Nejat Society wants every indi-
the Rajavis to do whatever vidual person in Camp Ashraf
they liked behind closed doors. to be given the opportunity to
GENEVA, Switzerland,
It is necessary now for hu- decide for themselves - without
manitarian agencies to enter pressure or interference from
September 17 the camp to investigate what is MKO personnel - whether they
really going on there. We need want to continue wearing mili-
A delegation from Nejat Soci- to discover how widespread the tary uniform, or whether they
ety in Iran is in Geneva this human rights abuses against want to take off their military
week to participate in sessions the members are." uniform and renounce violence.
of the United Nations Hu- They should be given ac-
man Rights Council and cess to external informa-
to meet with delegations tion, internet, radio, tele-
from other international vision, books, newspa-
human rights organiza- pers and conversation.
tions. Above all, the people
in Camp Ashraf must be
Their aim is to prevent
helped to contact their
further political abuse of
families and enjoy family
Mojahedin-e Khalq (MKO,
visits as soon as possible.
MEK, NCRI) members in
Camp Ashraf held captive
by their leaders, and "Contact with their fami-
guarantee the individual lies re-connects the cult
rights of those who re- member with their emo-
nounce violence and are tions and provides a
willing to return to soci- trustworthy frame of ref-
ety. erence in which they can
Now that the Iraqi govern- reassess what the cult is telling
The delegation has also con- ment, the ICRC and UN human them", explained Babak Amin.
cerns about the removal from rights and refugee agencies
the camp of about 300 high have access to the remaining Mojahedin leaders, Massoud
ranking MKO members (wanted people in Camp Ashraf, Nejat is and Maryam Rajavi, and other
asking for their immediate pro- leading members who have
by Interpol) by the US army.
tection. escaped the camp should be
arrested and brought to justice
Nejat Society delegation com-
prises: Mr. Babak Amin, Mr. A rash S am et i po or s ai d, through international courts.
"Because these people have
Arash Sametipoor, Ms. Marjan
been abandoned by the MKO Nejat Society believes that
Malek and Ms. Ronak Dashti.
leaders, they must be consid- when the residents of Camp
ered now as ex-members of Ashraf are treated as individu-
Arash Sametipoor said "the
the terrorist cult. als they will find places to go,
most serious threat to those
especially if their families can
left in Camp Ashraf comes from
the MKO cult's leaders, Mas- It is clear the Iraqi authorities be involved in helping them.
I S S U E NO 2 5 N E J AT N E W S L E T T E R PAGE 5

Deciding the fate of the Mujahedin (MKO, MEK,...)


Trita Parsi, Washinton times, doomed if it doesn't. releasing the American diplomats in
October 5, 2008 Members of the terrorist organization 1981, arguing instead that the hostages
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news have protested outside the White House should have been executed. It made a
/ 2 0 0 8 / o c t / 0 5 this past week, angered by the Bush pact with Saddam Hussein in the 1980s
/deciding-the-fate-of-the-mujahedin- administration's decision to hand over and fought alongside his army against
80160510/ Camp Ashraf to the Iraqi government. their Iranian countrymen. Later in the
The Bush administration inherited The government of Iraqi Prime Minis- 1990s, they became Saddam's most
many of Iraq's problems when it in- ter Nouri al-Maliki will surrender the trusted henchmen, tasked with quelling
vaded that country, including an Ira- MKO members to Tehran, they argue, Kurdish and Shiite uprisings against the
nian terrorist organization funded and who in turn will imprison and execute Iraqi dictator.
armed by Saddam Hussein, the Muja- them. According to defectors, Mujahedin
hedin-e Khalq (MKO). Though in the Though approximately 500 MKO fight- members in Camp Ashraf celebrated
midst of a war on terror, the Bush ad- ers have been repatriated to Iran and no the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
ministration chose in 2003 to protect reports of abuse have emerged accord- In 2004, French authorities descended
3,000 of the organization's militants ing to the International Committee of upon the Mujahedin headquarters in
and house them in a camp given to the the Red Cross, which oversaw their France, arresting the leader of the cult,
group by Saddam — Camp Ashraf just return, sending rank-and-file Maryam Rajavi. Immedi-
north of Baghdad. Mujahedin members to Iran ately, zealous Mujahedin
Ever since, the faith of this State De- against their will would be members staged hunger
partment-listed terrorist or- irresponsible. strikes and several set them-
ganization has been unclear. Hated by the Ira- selves ablaze. Hardly the
Hated by Iraqis for its in- nian people for behavior of a democratically
volvement in Saddam's having fought on oriented opposition group.
crimes against the Iraqi peo- Saddam's side in But the vast majority of the
ple, the Baghdad govern- the Iraq-Iran war, Camp Ashraf residents are
ment wants to expel the group. But no the Iranian Mujahedin is not so much members of a
country is willing to take them. understandably fearful of the terrorist cult as they are vic-
Though the Iranian government wants fate awaiting them in Iran. tims of it. The camp is itself
to put the group's leadership on trial in After all, the Iranian govern- a prison. It may have pro-
Iran, it seems less interested in the or- ment systematically violates vided Mujahedin militants
ganization's rank and file. The Euro- the human rights of journalists and un- with protection against ordinary Iraqis
pean governments have little interest in ion leaders alike, let alone anti-Iranian who sought to avenge their relatives
taking in 3,000 battle-hardened Muslim terrorists. killed by the Mujahedin at the behest of
militants, fearing that they will use Yet, contrary to the protesters outside Saddam Hussein, but the prison has
Europe as a base to plan and execute the White House, the issue is not a primarily enabled the leaders of the
further terrorist attacks. choice between freedom in Camp Ash- terrorist organization to prevent the
The U.S., on the other hand, has al- raf and captivity in Iran. rank and file from defecting.
ready contradicted its own principles The Mujahedin is not an effective op- Rather than debating where to expel the
by giving preferential treatment to an position to the unpopular government Mujahedin terrorists, help should be
organization on the State Department's in Iran as the organization's defenders provided to the rank and file to break
terrorist list — even though President in Washington claim, but a politico- with the cult and make free choices
Bush himself pointed to the organiza- religious cult that brainwashes its mem- about their future. It's the only humani-
tion's patronage under Saddam Hussein bers, places children of Mujahedin tarian solution to this dilemma - and
as evidence of Iraq's support for inter- members with other families in order to one that defeats rather than protects this
national terrorists in his speech to the prevent parents from defecting, and anti-American terrorist group.
United Nations in September 2002. who according to Human Rights • Trita Parsi is president and founder of
"Iraq continues to shelter and support Watch, maintains control by torturing the National Iranian American Council
terrorist organizations that direct vio- its rank and file. "Members who try to and author of "Treacherous Alliances:
lence against Iran," President Bush leave the Mujahedin pay a very heavy The Secret Dealings of Israel, Iran, and
said. To complicate matters further, if price," according to Joe Stork of Hu- the United States."
reports that the U.S. has used MKO man Rights Watch. Human Rights Abuses Inside the
terrorists for cross-border raids into Its involvement in terrorism is undis- Mojahedin Khalq Camps (HRW,
Iran are true, then Washington certainly puted. It assassinated several Ameri- M a y 2 0 0 5 )
doesn't want these militants to end up cans in Iran in the 1970s. It supported (Rajavi cult Headed by Massoud
in Iranian hands. the taking of the U.S. Embassy in Iran Rajavi Maryam Rajavi)
Washington seems doomed if it does, and blasted Ayatollah Khomeini for
I S S U E NO 2 5 N E J AT N E W S L E T T E R PAGE 6

Ashraf – when is a city not a city?


Iran-Interlink, pretence that it is not really a uni- tions (segregated, with different
formed military group and that the opening times for men and
September 12, 2008 people in Camp Ashraf – women) but no place to drive resi-
Apparently we - the 'rest of the sorry, 'Ashraf City' – are just like dents work up to 18 hours a day
world', that is - are not ‘allowed’ to ordinary citizens living in a small, but there is no bank because they
refer to Camp Ashraf as anything thriving town. don’t get paid - unpaid workers
other than Ashraf City. Says who? Last week, Iranians were amused need no shops – they have no
Says Massoud Rajavi, leader-in- to watch Voice of America televi- money to buy anything residents
hiding of the Iranian Mojahedin-e sion when it gave air time to MKO only wear military uniforms – so
Khalq organisation (MKO, MEK, spokesman Alireza Jafarzadeh. In there are no shops to buy pretty
aka Rajavi cult). Why? the programme Jafarzadeh ex- dresses and make-up, or smart
Well, the MKO’s military camp is tolled in glowing terms the great suits or casuals has a ir-
now under the control of the Iraqi achievement of the MKO in creat- conditioned, gender segregated
government. American forces ing this wonderful “city” and de- accommodation but no hotels for
handed it over this week. In spite scribed the facilities ‘enjoyed’ by visitors from out of town to visit
of a deeply insulting scaremonger- the MKO there. their families has no internet ca-
ing campaign by the MKO, which Without contradicting his words, fes, no newspaper deliveries, no
claimed that the Iraqis would let us have a little glimpse at this radio or television sets for individ-
stage a ‘Srebrenica-style massa- ‘city’ and compare it with our own ual use, no satellite channels to
cre’ if they got their (dirty, bar- towns and cities, the places we all choose from has no public tele-
baric) hands on the MKO, the live and work and send our kids to phones and no mobile phones
handover to Iraqi military person- school. Is anyone allowed to keep a pet?
nel has gone ahead, as planned, Ashraf has an extensive cemetery Does this sound like the town you
without incident. but no maternity hospital has live in, or would want to live in?
The Iraqi government will now huge, well-equipped salons for No?
work with MNF and international mass meetings but no arrange- So when is a city not a city? When
agencies to find a satisfactory so- ments to register or celebrate it’s a cult’s military and ideological
lution to the illegal presence of marriages or births has (gender headquarters of course.
foreign terrorists in its territory. segregated) swimming pools but Over forty people who have es-
The MKO response to the inevita- no nurseries, primary schools or caped from Camp Ashraf have ar-
ble loss of its main base for ideo- high schools and no playgrounds rived in Europe in the past few
logical indoctrination has been in- has prisons but no court of law has weeks. They are happy to talk
t e res t ing . A s ide fr om t he strictly enforced regulations about current conditions inside the
‘massacre’ tactic, the group has (including compulsory hijab) but MKO. Please contact Iran-Interlink
also gone all out for an ostrich-like no council elections has gas sta- for further details.

Iraq urges US to stop backing MKO Terrorist Group


June 17, 2008 party,'' a statement said on demanded the expulsion of the
Press TV Tuesday. MKO members from the coun-
http://www.presstv.ir/detail. In the statement, the govern- try.
aspx?id=60407&sectionid=3 ment of Prime Minister Nouri Before the US-led invasion in
51020201 al-Maliki said the Mujahedeen 2003, the Mujahedeen Khalq
Khalq Organization is med- Organization had enjoyed Sad-
Iraq bans any deal with the dling in the country's internal dam Hussein's support.
members of the Mujahedeen affairs and supporting anti- After the US-led invasion of
Khalq Organization (MKO), government activities. the country the US put the
calling on the US to stop sup- The statement warned that group's members under protec-
porting the terrorist group. those who violate the order tion in a northern part of Iraq
"The Cabinet decided to ban will face charges under the amid reports that they had
any dealings with this organi- anti-terror law. been used for by Washington
zation by any Iraqi or foreign Earlier today, Iraq's main po- for espionage and violence-
individual, organization or litical blocs in the parliament related activities.
I S S U E NO 2 5 N E J AT N E W S L E T T E R PAGE 7

MKO, 'another version of al-Qaeda'


Fri, 26 Sep 2008 sibility for numerous terror at- daughter of another Iranian
tacks inside Iran and Iraq since victim.
Press TV the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
"Branding some terrorists
A spokesman for the family At a recent UN human rights 'good' and some 'bad' would
members of terrorism vic- conference in Geneva, Edaalat legitimize their actions and
tims in Iran says the Muja- Society revealed documents provide a pretext for their exis-
hedin Khalq Organization highlighting the extent of MKO tence," she said referring to
(MKO) is simply an earlier activities in Iran as well as the the recent UK court ruling.
version of al-Qaeda. group's cooperation with for-
mer Iraqi dictator Saddam She added that is why the MKO
Iraj Moradi, the spokesman for Hussein. has continued its existence.
the Edaalat Society, which
represents over 12,000 rela- The MKO has long been According to Sepehri who is the
tives of Iranian victims of ter- charged with assisting Saddam official spokesman for the
rorism, said the MKO and al- in the massacre of thousands Edaalat Society, terrorists are
Qaeda use the same methods of Iraqi civilians. sick people who are suffering
to lure their members into car- from hallucinations due to the
rying out terrorist attacks. A British envoy, who has re- cult-like structure of their or-
ceived the documents, asked ganizations and could be cured
Iraj is the son of Ebrahim Mo- the delegation to shed light on if they were freed from the
radi, a blacksmith who was as- MKO crimes in a visit to the UK mind-control tactics of their
sassinated by the MKO in June - where a British court has leaders.
1984. dropped the MKO from its
blacklist of terrorist organiza- A delegation of the Edaalat
The Mujahedin Khalq Organiza- tions. (Justice) Society has recently
tion is a terrorist group banned visited Geneva to attend the
by many countries including "Edaalat Society does not seek UN human rights summit and
the US. It has claimed respon- revenge," said Sepehri, the meet NGOs and rights groups.

Mojahedin Khalq on the run Useful sits on


Massoud Khodabandeh and (The recorded video file is
the MKO
Ara sh Sa meti poo r jo in 44.04 minutes. the discussion http://www.saharngo.com/
live from Geneva on MKO starts in the second
part of the programm. 22.56 http://www.iran-interlink.org/
4 corners, min)
http://www.iran-aawa.com/
Press TV,
http://www.presstv.ir/Pro http://www.mojahedin.ws/
grams/player/?id=69853
http://www.negaheno.net/
September 18, 2008
http://www.pars-iran.com/
http://www.presstv.ir/Pro
grams/#1 http://www.rahai.nl/
Massoud Khodabandeh and http://www.theblackfile.com/
Arash Sametipoor who are at-
tending the UN Human Rights http://www.ariairan.com/
Council meeting in Geneva, http://www.teror-victims.com/
Participate in a discussion
about the future of Camp Ash- http://www.iran-ghalam.de/
raf after hand over to the Iraqi
Govenment. http://www.parwaaz.com/
I S S U E NO 2 5 N E J AT N E W S L E T T E R PAGE 8

International law to determine MKO fate


Tue, 02 Sep 2008 training center for MKO terrorists any other countries, "Dabbagh
under the US control since the said adding "Iraq will not consider
Press TV 2003 invasion of the country. expelling MKO members forcefully
The Iraqi official warned the ter- from the country and will deal with
The Iraqi government says the them according to international
county will deal with the anti- regulations."
Iran Mujahedin Khalq Organi- Along with at least six other sites
zation (MKO) based on Inter- in Iraq, Camp Ashraf was given to
national regulations. the MKO as their headquarters and
training site by the former US-
Ali al-Dabbagh, Iraq's government backed Iraqi dictator.
spokesman, said that his country It was from this base the MKO
is seeking to gain full control of launched operations against Iran
the terrorist group's Camp Ashraf during the Iran-Iraq war and later
from US forces. assisted Saddam in violently sup-
The comment comes as the Iraqi Ali al-Dabbagh, Iraq's govern- pressing the Iraqi Kurds during the
military forces have surrounded ment spokesman 1991 uprising.
the camp since Wednesday night. The MKO is blacklisted by many
The Ashraf Camp in Diyala prov- rorist group against engaging in countries including EU member
ince was the headquarters of the any political activities inside the states as a terrorist organization.
MKO members during the reign of country. The group has claimed responsibil-
former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hus- "Iraq will support voluntarily re- ity for hundreds of terror attacks
sein, but has been converted to a turn of MKO members to Iran or inside Iran.

Pardoned ex-MKO members return to Iran


Sat, 06 Sep 2008 civilians over the past 30 years, full control of the terrorist group's
including the assassination of the Camp Ashraf from US forces. The
Press TV late president Mohammad-Ali Ra- comment came after the Iraqi mili-
jaei, prime minister Bahonar and tary forces surrounded the camp
Senior Iranian diplomat says judiciary chief Ayatollah on Wednesday.
Tehran has pardoned several Mohammad Beheshti. Situated in Iraq's Diyala province,
former members of the MKO Camp Ashraf was used as an MKO
terror group, allowing them to base during the rule of Saddam
return to the country. Hussein. Following the 2003 occu-
pation of Iraq the camp--under US
“During the past two years, nu- control-- was converted to an MKO
merous members of the Mujahe- training center.
din-e-Khalq Organization have In August, the Iraqi parliament
abandoned the MKO base. They passed a resolution setting a six-
have also expressed regret for month deadline for an MKO depar-
their past actions,” Iran's Ambas- ture from the country, threatening
sador to Baghdad, Hassan Kazemi- expulsion.
Qomi, said on Saturday. Iran's Ambassador to Bagh- Iraq's Government Spokesman, Ali
“Iran has pardoned a number of dad, al-Dabbagh, Tuesday modified the
these people, allowing them to Hassan Kazemi-Qomi stance, saying that the country will
return to the country and their support the voluntarily return of
families,” he added. The MKO is also known to have MKO members to Iran or any other
Iran, Iraq, Canada, the United cooperated with Iraq's US-backed country. He added that Baghdad
States, and the European Union former dictator Saddam Hossein in will not expel MKO members force-
recognize the Mujahedin Khalq suppressing the 1991 uprisings in fully, and will deal with them ac-
Organization (MKO) as a terrorist southern Iraq and the massacre of cording to international regula-
group. Iraqi Kurds. tions.
The group is responsible for bomb- On Tuesday, Iraq's government
ings, killings, and attacks against spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said
Iranian government officials and that his country is seeking to gain
I S S U E NO 2 5 N E J AT N E W S L E T T E R PAGE 9

A Camp Ashraf in France


Mojahedin.ws, Reported by VO news on 24 charter in which they under-
October 3, 2008 September 2008, a number of take the defense of Ashraf City
elected representatives of Val- against all threats constituted
http://www.mojahedin.ws/ d'Oise gathered to support the from the ruling regime in Iran.
news/text_news_en.php? People's Mojahedin Organiza- They emphasized that any at-
id=1828 tion of Iran (PMOI/MEK). As tack against the People's Moja-
the report states, “sixty may- h edi n an d A s h raf Cit y
Once and following the French ors of Val-d'Oise support the amounted to an attack against
police raid against MKO’s HQs PMOI, main opposition to the themselves, their families and
in Auvers-sur-Oise, M. regime to the mullahs in Te- their tribes".
Bousquet de Florian, the direc- hran. All are demanding the Now the Province of Diyali in
t or of French count er- withdrawal of the Iranian Re- Iraq becomes known as Val-
intelligence, confirmed that sistance from the list of terror- d'Oise in France in the same
many MKO leaders had re- ist organizations of the Euro- way that the mayors of Val-
turned to France since the pean Union”. d'Oise replace the Iraqi sheikhs
American intervention in Iraq In its 8 October 2006 edition, and tribe leaders. Has France
to turn “Auvers-sur-Oise into the paper Al Irak Al-Yom really accented to the forma-
an operational headquarters for wrote: "72 sheikhs and leaders tion of another Camp Ashraf in
terrorism”. It was hard to be- of the tribes in the vicinity of the heart of the country?
lieve what he meant. The Ashraf City, while supporting
Camp Ashraf once turned into the charter of honor of the Human Rights Abuses In-
a bastion of terrorist plots and tribal sheikhs of all the Prov- side the Mojahedin Khalq
operational headquarters heav- ince of Diyali which states that Camps (HRW, May 2005)
ily supported by Saddam, now the People's Mojahedin are Rajavi cult Headed by Mas-
MKO needed new HQs the pa- honorary citizens and members soud Rajavi and Maryam
tron being fallen. of their tribes, signed a new Rajavi

Resolution ratified by the Iraqi Administration on the MKO


In the Name of God they are expelled from the coun- vation to the responsible Iraqi
try. In this respect any interac- authorities.
Number: 216, Year: 2008 tion with them must be done ac- 5. Activating the judicial sen-
The Iraqi Administration, in its cording to the Iraqi laws. tences issued against the terror-
27th ordinary session held on 17th 3. Any interaction with the ter- ist MKO elements who have com-
June 2008, ratified the followings: rorist MKO by any organization mitted crimes against the Iraqi
To approve the binding measures or party or establishment or en- people.
described below regarding terror- tity (whether Iraqi or foreigner) 6. Cooperating with the ICRC
ist Mojahedin-e Khalq Organiza- inside Iraq is forbidden and any- in order to find basic real solu-
tion (MKO): one having any interaction with tions for the problem of the pres-
1. Emphasizing on past resolu- them (breaching the law) is liable ence of the MKO in the Iraqi ter-
tions regarding the MKO as a ter- of being prosecuted according to ritory and to activate the past
rorist organization and its expul- the terrorist acts of the country. resolutions about their expulsion
sion from Iraq. 4. It is essential that the multi- from Iraq.
2. Putting the MKO, currently national forces to give up the or- Ali Mohsin Ismail.
on Iraqi territory, under full con- ganization and hand over all The Secretary of the Iraqi Ad-
trol of the Iraqi government until check points and points of obser- ministration
I S S U E NO 2 5 N E J AT N E W S L E T T E R PAGE 10

Iraq: No country willing to take MKO


Mon, 22 Sep 2008 Tehran saying according to In- "The MKO members are not
ternational Law, Iraq is not al- allowed to exit the camp, nor
lowed to force the members to they are not permitted to use
return to Iran. arms," the ambassador said.
He added that Iraqi officials
Iraq's ambassador to Iran would hold meetings with the
says so far no country in group members to persuade
the world has agreed to them to return to Iran, in case
shelter the dissident mem- they were reject by all the
bers of the US-backed MKO other countries.
terrorist group. The dissident group leaders
According to International Law, which are accountable for as-
the outlawed Mujahedin Khalq sassinating officials in Iran fol-
Organization (MKO) should be lowing the 1979 Islamic Revo-
handed over to any country Iraq envoy to Tehran lution are based in France, but
which is prepared to harbor its Mohammad Majid Al-Sheikh some 3,000 members of the
members, Ambassador group reside in Iraq.
Mohammad Majid Al-Sheikh Al-Sheikh explained that any a Backed by the United States
told Fars News Agency. member who is willing to re- and the former Iraqi dictator
However, no government has turn to Iran, should be handed Saddam Hossein, the group
so far expressed willingness to over to the Red Cross, and the has used its northern Iraq en-
admit the group into their movement would then deliver clave - Ashraf - to launch mili-
country, al-Sheikh added. them to Iran. tary incursion against Iran.
Baghdad has issued a six- Al-Sheikh said that the Iraqi The MKO is blacklisted as a ter-
month deadline for the MKO to forces will soon take control of rorist group by a majority of
leave the Iraqi soil. the Mujahedin group enclave, a the European Union member
He ruled out the possibility of small area about 60 km (35 states as well as the United
extraditing MKO members to miles) north of Baghdad. States.

Ashraf camp captives. Ask yourselves What kind of city is this?


... He emphasised that mass of the MKO who managed to es- to the MKO and the IRI.
of misinformation issued by cape Camp Ashraf by taking refuge As one of the executive members,
the Rajavis and their back- with American forces in the TIPF he has experienced and witnessed
which was established to help peo- the many abuses and deceptions
ers such as Robin Corbett,
practiced by the Rajavis not only
Paulo Casaca and Struan toward outsiders but in particular
Stevenson, is aimed at against their own members. He at-
keeping human rights or- tended a meeting of the Iran Dele-
ganisations out of Camp gation of the European Parliament
Ashraf so that Massoud and on September 9, 2008 to ask that
Maryam Rajavi can continue Camp Ashraf be opened up to hu-
their inhuman mistreatment manitarian bodies and that the peo-
of their captives behind ple trapped inside be rescued. He
emphasised that mass of misinfor-
closed doors…
mation issued by the Rajavis and
their backers such as Robin Corbett,
Hassan Piransar, Paulo Casaca and Struan Stevenson,
Paris, October 02, 2008 ple escape the cult. When TIPF is aimed at keeping human rights
was closed earlier this year, Mr organisations out of Camp Ashraf so
Mr. Hassan Piransar arrived in Piransar made his way through that Massoud and Maryam Rajavi
Europe a few weeks ago. He is one Iraqi Kurdistan and on to freedom can continue their inhuman mis-
of the former executive members in the west where he is now a po- treatment of their captives behind
litical refugee due to his opposition closed doors.
I S S U E NO 2 5 N E J AT N E W S L E T T E R PAGE 11

OPINION - America's tough decision on Iran's dissidents


By John Hughes mer Iranian fighters have substan- and diplomatic recognition. Iran's
The Christian Science Moni- tial support. Indeed, they are President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
tor, September 18, 2008 credited by US sources with having reportedly has said he would wel-
http://www.csmonitor.com/2 provided earlier accurate informa- come this.
008/0918/p09s02-coop.html tion about clandestine Iranian nu- Another gesture was the first-time
In a dusty little enclave about 60 clear facilities. But not to accede dispatch of a senior US diplomat,
miles north of Baghdad, some to Tehran's demand to hand them Undersecretary of State William
3,800 opponents of the Iranian over could hinder any broader ne- Burns, to join six- nation, face-to-
regime present a difficult problem gotiations for less tension in the face talks with the Iranians. Then,
for the next American president. US-Iran relationship. after Mr. Burns had suggested
The Iranians, members of the Peo- Refugee status in the US might sports exchanges might help re-
ple's Mujahideen of Iran (PMOI), seem an obvious solution to the build bridges, the Iranian national
who once mounted military opera- problem. But in another bizarre basketball team was admitted to
tions against the Tehran regime twist, the Iranian Mujahideen play NBA teams in Salt Lake City
from sanctuary in Saddam Hus- members, who are considered and Dallas. The fate of the Muja-
sein's Iraq, have been disarmed "protected persons" under the Ge- hideen may be an unwelcome and
and placed under the protection of neva Convention by US forces in untimely issue.
American forces since the US inva- their "Camp Ashraf" north of Bagh- Various Iraqi officials, some alleg-
sion of Iraq. To add to the confu- dad, are actually listed as a terror- edly tied to Iran, have since early
sion, some Iraqi sources say Iraqi ist organization by the US State July been demanding that the Ira-
troops have deployed to "protect nian Mujahideen be "expelled"
the camp, not to seize it." from Iraq within six months. That
But the withdrawal of American is an interesting time frame, coin-
forces from Iraq is now under dis- ciding as it does with the last
cussion. With that withdrawal in months of the Bush administra-
prospect, Iran is pressing for the tion.
fighters, the military arm of the The options confronting President
Paris-based National Council of Bush - or his successor if the saga
Resistance of Iran, to be returned drags out that long - are unenvi-
to Iran, or at least turned over to able. One is to withdraw the pro-
the Iraqi government, which it be- Department. They allegedly sup- tective US military guards from
lieves would do Tehran's bidding. ported the takeover of the US Em- Camp Ashraf, thus turning the Mu-
Understandably, the dissidents bassy in Tehran in 1979. jahideen over to Iraqi forces, and
fear that either outcome would British courts and the European probably to the hands of Iran. That
mean their imprisonment, torture, Court of Justice have ordered that would fly in the face of a United
or death. the PMOI be removed from their Nations High Commissioner for
Whether it be President McCain or respective lists of proscribed or- Refugees ruling regarding the pro-
President Obama handling it, the ganizations. tection of individuals who face se-
future US relationship with Iran is Standard diplomatic procedure rious risks if returned to their
perhaps the most pressing inter- requires the White House to assert country of origin.
national issue he will face. The that, in the basket of pressure tac- The other option would be to
clock is ticking as Iran speeds en- tics on Iran, military action is al- transport the Mujahideen to refuge
richment of uranium for what it ways an option. Both presidential in the US. That would require an-
declares is a peaceful civilian nu- candidates have echoed that line. other decision: abandoning their
clear program, but which the US The reality is that both the State designation as terrorists. Some
and a substantial number of other Department and the Pentagon who favor this argue that if North
nations allege is the pursuit of nu- know that an airstrike against Korea can be considered for delist-
clear-weapons capability. The two Iran's nuclear facilities would be a ment, why not the Iranian Muja-
candidates have differing views political catastrophe and could not hideen?
about how to deal with Iran, but guarantee eliminating some of the It is a decision that pits principle,
both have declared their resolve facilities buried deep underground. humanitarianism, and national
that Iran should not develop nu- Predictably, the State Department self-interest against one another.
clear weaponry. favors diplomacy and has been * John Hughes, a former editor of
To hand over the Mujahideen to a trying some initiatives of a con- the Monitor, served as assistant
cruel fate at the hands of Iran ciliatory nature. It is trailing in secretary of state in the Reagan
would probably cause an outcry front of the Iranians the prospect administration. He is currently a
among the American public, and in of a US Interests Section in Te- professor of communications at
the US Congress, where the for- hran, a step short of an embassy Brigham Young University.
P E R I O D I CA L The MEK and US-Iran Relations
P U B L I C A T IO N O F T H E
Category: Documentaries
NEJAT SOCIETY
Regions: North America, Middle East

Address Topics: Current Affairs / News, War / Violent Conflict


http://www.linktv.org/programs/mek
P O Box 14395/679 This special report by filmmaker James Longley focuses on the
Tehran, Iran impact of the MEK on US–Iran Relations. Though the MEK, an
exiled Iranian group, is listed on the State Department's list of
Fax: 88 96 10 31 Foreign Terrorist Organizations, they continue to enjoy both the
covert and overt support of some members of US Congress and
the Bush Administration because of their opposition to the Ira-
nian government.
This filmed report explores the history of the MEK, their ideology,
their participation in the Iranian revolution and exile from Iran,
Nejat Society and their collaboration with Saddam Hussein's regime. Using in-
terviews with historians, journalists, and first-person accounts of
former members of the MEK, their shifting role is tracked
info@nejatngo.org through to the present day, as they continue to play a central role
in US-Iran relations and create sharply divided opinions between
various branches of the US government.

We’re on the web LEARN MORE:


Learn more about filmmaker James Longley at Daylight Factory
www.nejatngo.org

Iranian exiles arrested in France, Switzerland


Reuters News, Swiss judges examining the fund- mentum and many of the restric-
ing of a group linked to the PMOI. tions on the suspects' movement
Sep 29, 2008 One of the PMOI's lawyers, William were lifted in 2006.
Bourdon, said the investigation Earlier this year the PMOI called
was unfounded and was aimed at on the EU to remove it from its list
covering up what he said was the of banned terrorist organisations
failure of an existing French probe. after the British parliament upheld
"The Swiss case file is empty, and in June a court ruling that its inclu-
there is every reason to believe sion on a list of banned groups in
PARIS, Sept 29 (Reuters) - About that the same is true in France and Britain was wrong.
10 people close to a banned Ira- that this second judicial front has But the EU said in July it was
nian opposition group were ar- been opened to try to hide the first keeping the PMOI on its blacklist,
rested last week in France and file's certain collapse," he said. adding it saw no grounds for
Switzerland in connection with a In June 2003, police arrested 167 amending the listing of 48 groups
money-laundering investigation, people in the Paris suburb of Au- subject to asset freezes and other
judicial sources and the group's vers-sur-Oise where the PMOI is sanctions in Europe.
lawyer said. based. A French source said then that
Several of the people close to the Of those arrested, 17 were placed Paris -- a major player in diplo-
People's Mujahideen Organisation under formal investigation, includ- matic negotiations over Iran's nu-
of Iran (PMOI) -- listed as a terror- ing Maryam Rajavi, the leader of clear programme and the current
ist group in the European Union the PMOI's political wing, the Na- holder of the EU's rotating presi-
and United States -- were in police tional Council of Resistance of Iran dency -- came forward with
custody on both sides of the bor- (NC RI), on su sp ic io n of grounds for the group to remain
der on Monday, the sources said. "associating with wrongdoers in on the list. (Reporting by Thierry
The police swoop was coordinated relation with a terrorist undertak- Leveque; writing by Francois Mur-
between French and Swiss officials ing". phy; editing by Janet Lawrence)
who were acting at the request of That judicial probe has lost mo-

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