BRIEFING PUBLICATION OF NEJAT SOCIETY

S P E C I A L I SS U E

Nejat Newsletter M ARCH, 2007

Cults and Terrorism - A Case Study INSIDE THIS I SSUE:

Iran interlink, (often referred to in used here to open Cults and Terrorism -
common parlance p this issue. In the A Case Study, is the
February 2007 title of a research article
as "brainwashing") following we first which appeared in the
Psychiatrists and website of Iran-
in order to attract, describe three in-
Sociologists who Interlink.org last
recruit and main- terlocking circles of month.
are experts in this
tain its recruits and the structure and Since this article deals
field, broadly agree
to exert power over operations inside with the cultic behav-
on a general princi- iour of the Mojahedin-é
every aspect of one clearly defined Khalq Organisation
ple which is that a
their lives. Again, terrorist cult: (MKO), it was decided
terrorist group that to present it to you in
many scientists of In the First Circle the form of a special
systematically util- issue of the Nejat News-
human and social there stand the letter.
ises violence to
studies who have people who are
reach its goals will The truth is that MKO is
extensively studied trained to carry out a well established terror-
also be utilising
this phenomenon ist cult which has all
some specific as- terrorist activities known behaviours of
agree that any cult, and to ultimately such groups and their
pects of cult modus name is among various
because of its destroy their own
operandi according international terrorist
unique characteris- lives and those of
lists.
to contemporary
tics, is potentially the others. These What is mentioned in
definitions of cults
capable of using i n di vi du als are
the present article is just
[1]. one example of such
violence and physi- proud of their ter- behaviours and deeds
What this means is practiced within the
cally eliminating rorist acts and con- organisation.
that an organised
not only its own sider this, within
entity which, for There are many articles
members but also the framework of published in the past
any stated reason,
its opponents if it their ideological
which deals with this
attempts to physi- kind of behaviours of
deems this neces- system, to be the this cult that are useful
cally eliminate its for all readers (e.g.
sary. Any cult will, highest pinnacle of please see the book pub-
opponents (as op-
in theory at least, purity and sacrifice. lished by Mas’ud
posed to engaging Banisadr under the title
believe this to be This ‘ideological’ of Memories of an Ira-
with them in any
an absolute right. framework is sig-
nian Rebel).
other way) will be
Examination of a nificant because of Anyway, we do hope
assumed to be em- that this would help you
documented exam- course the direct in order to getting to
ploying mind con-
ple in this regard is perpetrators of ter- know the organisation
trol techniques much better.
N EJ AT N EWS LETT ER
Cults and Terrorism - A Case Study (cont)
rorist acts are themselves
the prime victims of terror-
ism but unfortunately are
quite unaware of this bitter
fact. It is due to this frame-
work that the fact
some suicide bombers do
not inflict casualties as a
result of their own deaths
does not stop others from
following them.
In the Second Circle there
stand the people who play
the role of intermediates
between the leader of the
organisation and those who
are tasked to act in the ac-
tual scene. It is these indi-
viduals who put into prac-
tice a specific process of
psychological manipulation
or mind control which will
prepare the people in the
first circle to carry out ter-
rorist operations. These in-
dividuals are so thoroughly
dissolved in the system of
the organisation that they
are capable of sincerely and
uncritically imposing these
mind control techniques on
others.
In the Third Circle there
stand the leaders of the
cult who have developed a
mask to portray freedom
and humanity to the mem-
bers of their cult and be-
yond this to the outside
world where their pur-
ported advocacy of democ-
that racy and human rights is
designed to distance them
from the actual victims of
terror on both sides. Culls
are not what they show.
Cult leaders are expert at
covering their actual nature
and easily show a different
face from their actual one
to those who do not know
them.
Now we describe a docu-
mented example using the
framework of those con-
nected circles which com-
prise the structure of a ter-
rorist cult. The case study
has been chosen from the
Mojahedin-é Khalq Organi-
sation (MKO). This organi-
sation according to current
sociological definition is a
destructive cult. [2]
First Circle
Around March 2001, three
individuals named Gar-
shasb Soleymanian, Mas'ud
Bakhshi and Amir Gudarzi,
who had been trained mili-
tarily and ideologically in
P AG E 2
the MKO camps in Iraq un-
der the hegemony of Sad-
dam Hussein, were sent to
a city inside Iran to per-
form a terrorist act. They
were eventually killed in a
street clash with law en-
forcement officers. The
news relating to this clash
along with their biographies
was published in Mojahed,
a Persian language news-
paper, the main publicity
organ of the MKO at that
time. From the text and
tone of their letters to their
commanders and their
wills, we can derive the
kind of preparation that all
three underwent for the
mission and identify the
specific psychological ma-
nipulation which takes
place under the heading
‘Internal Ideological Revo-
lution’. The mind-set of all
three is that they are acting
as saviours by conquering
the city and freeing the
people. They apparently
believe that all these peo-
ple are waiting for the arri-
val of their commanders
after they have cleared the
way for them. Such evi-
dence of psychological ma-
nipulation, which often also
N EJ AT N EWS LETT ER
Cults and Terrorism - A Case Study (cont)
includes forms of coercion,
which is imposed on the
operational individuals
the ‘first circle’ can
found in most cults. It is
this which guarantees the
operation being performed
whatever the price might
be and that the next indi-
viduals with the same men-
tal mechanism get ready to
finish the unfinished task of
in their previous colleagues.
be In this regard, the cult at-
taches specific, value laden
attributes to their opera-
tives which are highly sig-
nificant: “the proud hero
of the scene of commit-
ment and bearing respon-
P AG E 3
sibility, the courageous
Mojahed-é Khalq com-
mander, with the will like
steel, the heroic Moja-
hed, the young blood of
the sun . . .” (The sun is
often used in the MKO as
an analogy for cult leader,
Maryam Rajavi)
N EJ AT N EWS LETT ER P AG E 4

Cults and Terrorism - A Case Study (cont)

(Memorize the three photos of the three persons above)

Garshasb Soleymanian lexicon of cult indoctrina- of ordinary, un-
writes in his letter to tion embodied in this letter indoctrinated people in
"Sister Maryam" (Maryam clearly demonstrates the every society who would
Rajavi) that: "I thank God cultic relationship of the not be proud of launching
thousands of times particu- devotee to the leader. mortal shells on a city.
larly when I see that I Second Circle Quite to the contrary, when
would have not reached the hearing of such acts of ter-
We mentioned that the
values of your revolution ror people become fearful
people who commit acts of
(the MKO’s Internal Ideo- and disappointed. So, how
terror are the prime victims
logical Revolution [3]) else- is it possible that some can
of their own actions, but at
where. If you had time, shed the blood of others
the same time are proud of
please pray for me that I and be proud of their
killing and maiming and
be able to fulfil the commit- deeds?
they are convinced that
ments of being your soldier The person standing in the
their action is holy and di-
with my maximum assault second circle is instrumen-
vine. This mind-set is strik-
against the enemy". The tal in converting normal
ingly at variance with that
N EJ AT N EWS LETT ER
Cults and Terrorism - A Case Study (cont)
people into killers. How do
they think and what tech-
niques do they use?
Ms Sediqé Hoseyni, cur-
rently First Secretary of the
MKO in Iraq and in the Ash-
raf Camp, met up with the
team identified as First Cir-
cle members above just
before they embarked on
(Sediqé Hoseyni in her last visit with the operational team)
Third Circle
Now we move to the top of
the pyramid of the cult in
order to examine the prac-
tical mechanism of cults
and to better understand
their true content. The re-
cruits into a cult are indoc-
trinated into worshiping the
cult leader – in this case
the Spiritual Leader,
P AG E 5
their terrorist mission. In about what he is about to
the meeting she conveyed do. He must prove with his
to them the message of operation that he has
their Spiritual Leader, reached a high level of obe-
Maryam Rajavi, in order to dience to Maryam Rajavi.
boost their morale. This At the same time, as the
was the farewell meeting go-between, Sediqé
between the followers and Hoseyni sincerely believes
the messenger of the guru in what her recruits are
in order to prevent the indi- about to do.
vidual having any doubts
Maryam Rajavi. All mem- to the leader.
bers of the MKO are equal (Interestingly, if the recruit
in only one aspect and that did not want to stay or
is their adoration of the could not do so in the de-
leader and this is their only termined framework, the
right within the cult. In- very same person would
deed, the value of an indi- within a day become, in the
vidual inside the cult is language of the cult, a trai-
measured solely by the tor, defector and merce-
mental, emotional and nary of the enemy.)
moral proximity they have
Ms Sediqé Hoseyni has
N EJ AT N EWS LETT ER
Cults and Terrorism - A Case Study (cont)
proved the extent of her
ideological faith in the spiri-
tual leader by successfully
passing all the phases of
the Internal Ideological
(Maryam Rajavi and Sediqé Hoseyni in a military workshop in the NLA in Iraq)
Allocation of rank or posi-
tion in a cult is not done
according to the capabili-
ties, abilities, or personal
talent of the individual. The
main factor is the extent of
dependence on and sub-
mission to the cult's leader.
For the individual member,
this is a difficult matter to
prove. Other members of
the cult must be able to
testify that that particular
person has dissolved into
the system and denied
their own identity and has
Revolution and being able
to indoctrinate others in it.
In this respect she has
passed all the stages of
submitting to the demands
replaced it with the identity
of the leader. They must
have become a appearance
‘transparent’ person and
most important of all must
be judged to have reached
the fullest understanding of
the absolute spiritual lead-
ership. In the MKO, one of
the ways to prove that is
the success of the teams
trained by the person and
how effectively they have
learned to either kill or get
killed.
P AG E 6
of the cult leader. It is for
this very reason she has
now been chosen and intro-
duced as the First Secre-
tary of the MKO.
Remember that the leaders
of the cult adopt a peaceful
and present
democratic and liberating
slogans. However, a cult
exists in direct conflict with
the outside world (‘us’ and
‘them’) and through a proc-
ess of psychological ma-
nipulation or mind control
can convert even the most
honest peaceable of per-
sons into terrorists and
murderers to defend itself
as an entity.
N EJ AT N EWS LETT ER P AG E 7

Cults and Terrorism - A Case Study (cont)

Mr Ali Moradi a former After a year at Centre 11, In this base she managed
member of the MKO cult Sediqé became the deputy to brainwash many teams
returned home to his family and then the commander of with the aid of some well
after the fall of Saddam Centre 17. This was about known MKO torturers and
Hussein's dictatorial re- the same time that an interrogators such as Assa-
gime. He writes about agreement was reached dollah Mosanna, Naqi Ar-
Sediqé Hoseyni as follows: with the former Iraqi dicta- vani, Mohammad Reza Mo-

"She gradually rose in the tor Saddam Hussein to haddes, and Kamal Niknami

ranks of the MKO. After a send teams inside Iran to and to prepare a few ter-

while, Sediqé became the undertake sabotage activi- rorist teams. These teams

deputy commander of Axis ties. Then Sediqé moved to were first settled in sepa-

3 of the National Liberation the city of Kut in Iraq as rate compartments and

Army (NLA) [the Mojahe- the Chief of Staff of Centre were shown made-up films

din’s military wing]. She 5. She was chosen to guide and were given special

was then moved to Centre and control the teams who training and education in

11. After a while some were nominees to be sent order to be able to kill with-

young people who had re- to Iran since she was very out mercy inside Iran. One

cently been deceived into stubborn and inflexible. The of masterworks of Sediqé

the organisation moved to Mehran, Shalehabad, and was to convince the team

her part and underwent the Dehloran regions were the members to use cyanide

brainwashing processes. areas that her teams were pills if they are about to
to perform their operations. face any danger.
N EJ AT N EWS LETT ER
Cults and Terrorism - A Case Study (cont)
In this period the team of
Abdolkarim Mahmudi
his companion and
team of Gashtasb
Mas'ud Bakhshi and their
companion and some other
teams were sent to perform
terrorist operations which
resulted to their deaths.
Also the clashes in the re-
gion of Chilat which re-
sulted to the death of Al-
lahmorad Chaghaleh
Shahram Juyandeh
their companion were the
works of Sediqé Hoseyni.
There were several teams
which were trained
sent to Iran under the com-
mand of Sediqé of whom
there is no trace of their
destiny whatsoever. In this
period Sediqé, played a de-
cisive and active role in
training and sending terror-
ist teams to Iran and she
was totally obedient to the
desires of Rajavi the leader
of the MKO. She always
used to say that a success-
ful commander is the one
who would not care about
the lives and safety of his/
her recruits since this sort
of consideration would cre-
ate an obstacle to complete
missions. Therefore
her way of accomplishing
tasks was quite desirable to
and Mas’ud and Maryam Rajavi,
the she was appointed to be-
and come the Commander in
Chief of the Fourth Army of
the NLA. In the army she
showed her total compli-
ance until was appointed to
be the deputy of Mozhgan
Parsayi [at that time First
Secretary of the MKO].
But another era of Sediqé's
and struggle which appears to
and be the main factor for her
ascending was her suppres-
sive role in the process of
family visits to Camp Ash-
and raf after the fall of Saddam
Hussein in 2003. She intro-
duced a new thesis and
gave the formulae: Family
= nest of corruption and
Family = anti struggle,
which she wrote on the
board. She held several
sessions before any meet-
ing with the family to in-
doctrinate the members
who were about to face
their relatives with these
formulae. She used to say
that we must be firm
against the nest of corrup-
tion and anti struggle and
against our family and op-
pose them. Therefore be-
since fore any meeting she used
to hold compulsory ses-
P AG E 8
sions for those who were
about to meet their families
and Sediqé used to brief
them that the families have
come on a campaign and
therefore we must either
fight them back when we
meet them or do not go to
the meeting at all. People
were instructed not to re-
ceive photographs, not to
embrace or kiss each other,
not to cry, not to show
emotions, and not to divert
the political discussions to
emotional ones. She used
to instruct people so as to
finally leave them with a
cold and impassive atti-
tude. She wanted them to
prove to their families that
they are the children of
Mas’ud and Maryam. Any-
one that Sediqé suspected
to be anxious to visit their
family was prevented by
using different excuses
from meeting with the fam-
ily.
This reference to the words
of Mr Moradi is not to deal
with the personal character
of Ms Sediqé Hoseyni since
we must believe that she is
herself a victim of the cult
before anything else, and
she has been a victim of
mind control in the system
N EJ AT N EWS LETT ER P AG E 9

Cults and Terrorism - A Case Study (cont)

of the cult in such way that lence against its own mem- mitted totally and can pass
she is capable of brain- bers and the outside world) this value to others and
washing others with abso- are clear. With even a gen- turn them into robots who
lute sincerity. Certainly any eral understanding of the can perform the terrorist
member in her position nature of cults, Ali Moradi’s operations better, will rise
would have acted in the description above of the higher in the system of the
same manner. The aim of behaviour of the MKO’s cur- cult. These known methods
this article is to expose a rent First Secretary Sediqé and techniques are not
connection between the Hoseyni can leave no doubt used solely by the MKO.
two phenomena of terror- that the MKO is a cult. Be- Nearly all terrorist organi-
ism and cult by analysing yond this, his testimony sations and even mafia
the two inseparable princi- exposes the underlying type gangs utilize these
ples of ‘armed operation’ connection between cult psychological techniques,
and ‘current operation’ methodology and terrorism otherwise they would not
which operate in the MKO. in an organisation having be able to persuade their

The term armed operation the three above mentioned members logically and with

refers to the principle of interconnected circles. open discussion to endan-

using violence to achieve According to the teachings ger other people's lives as

the aims of the cult. The of the MKO cult, the re- well as their own and ask

term current operation re- cruits of the organisation them to carry out blind

fers to the necessity for all must be devoid of any armed operations and blow

members at all levels to emotional feelings toward up a hand grenade in their

undertake ongoing psycho- their beloved ones and own belly or to take cya-

logical manipulati on their families. They must nide pills.

through ritual daily confes- stop their contacts with The role played by Sediqé
sion and repentance ses- them in order to become Hoseyni in the family rela-
sions. good tools to carry out ter- tions of cult members as

In the above example of rorist acts. Again according described in the testimony

one specific terrorist or- to the teachings of the cult, of the member returned

ganisation, the connection the recruits must mentally from Iraq is a common

between its internal cult reach a point at which they characteristic of all cults.

relationships (mind control truly believe that they are Basically, one of the most

- or psychological manipu- absolutely nothing and they underscored points of dif-

lation and the total submis- are of no value whatsoever ferentiation between cults

sion to the cult leader) and and their lives are only to and lawful organisations is

its external relationships be sacrificed for their their viewpoint on the fam-

(committing acts of vio- leader in a terrorist opera- ily and family values. All
tion. Those who have sub- established religions and
N EJ AT N EWS LETT ER
Cults and Terrorism - A Case Study (cont)
popular parties and groups
would look at the family as
a valuable establishment
which must be at least re-
spected if not encouraged.
On the contrary, cults, in
any form that they might
take, ultimately consider
family relations and its val-
ues as their enemy. Cults
only tolerate family connec-
tions in two ways. One is to
recruit potential members
and the other is to gain
money from them. Accept-
ing family values and ter-
rorism do not match to-
gether. An individual who is
tasked to take the lives of
other people must initially
suppress their own civiliz-
ing and humane behav-
iours. An individual indoc-
trinated by a cult into
evacuating themselves of
any feelings would not have
any qualms about planting
bombs in public places and
taking the lives of innocent
people.
The direct relationship be-
tween a terrorist act and
the cultic relationship is the
basis for this article and it
is hoped this example will
provide a starting point for
further investigation into
this link.
Notes:
[1] There are several gen-
erally accepted definitions
of what differentiates a cult
from other similar entities.
The late Margaret Singer,
clinical psychologist and
once Professor of Psychol-
ogy at the University of
California, Berkeley was the
pre-eminent cult expert of
the 20th Century. She
counselled and/or inter-
viewed thousands of people
affected by controversial
groups often called cults.
Dr. Singer offered mean-
ingful definitions of unsafe
groups or cults in her book
Cults in our Midst.
According to Dr. Margaret
Singer, unsafe groups or
cults can generally be de-
fined by three factors:
1. The origin of the group
and role of the leader.
2. The power structure, or
relationship between the
leader[s] and the followers.
3. The use of a coordinated
program of persuasion,
which is called thought re-
form [or more commonly,
'brainwashing'].
A more specific definition
P AG E 1 0
can be taken from the Cult
Information Centre:
Every cult can be defined
as a group having all of the
following five characteris-
tics:
1. It uses psychological co-
ercion to recruit, indoctri-
nate and retain its mem-
bers;
2. It forms an elitist totali-
tarian society;
3. Its founder leader is self-
appointed, dogmatic, mes-
sianic, not accountable and
has charisma;
4. It believes ‘the end justi-
fies the means’ in order to
solicit funds and recruit
people;
5. Its wealth does not
benefit its members or so-
ciety. [2] The term destruc-
tive cult refers to a cult
which poses a danger to its
own members and/or the
outside world.
HOW TO DETERMINE IF A
GROUP IS A DESTRUCTIVE
CULT
Q) Anybody can unfairly
attack a group they dis-
agree with by calling it a
cult or saying they are us-
ing coercive mind control.
How does FACTNet prevent
N EJ AT N EWS LETT ER P AG E 1 1

Cults and Terrorism - A Case Study (cont)

this type of problem and mind control systems, as school teacher feels un-
determine fairly whether or defined by Robert Jay justly treated by a princi-
not a group is a cult? Lifton's eight point model of pal, appeals can be made.
A) FACTNet uses specific thought reform. Please see In a cult, the leader claims
criteria to determine if a "Robert Jay Lifton's Eight to have the only and final
mind control system has Point Model of Thought Re- ruling on all matters.
been used, and does not form" also at http:// The cult's leaders tend to
suggest organizations are www.factnet.org/ be charismatic, determined,
destructive or dangerous rancho1.htm. If most and domineering. They per-
cults without careful re- points in this model are be- suade followers to drop
search and determination ing used in a cultic organi- their families, jobs, careers,
that the evidence fits defi- zation, it is most likely a and friends to follow them.
nite criteria. These criteria dangerous and destructive They (not the individual)
are threefold. cult. then take over control of
The first set of criteria The third set of criteria their followers' possessions,
comes from the groups' use have to do with defining money, lives.
of a specific set of mind common elements of de- The cult's leaders are self-
control tactics. Please see structive and dangerous appointed, messianic per-
"A technical overview of cults. The following section sons who claim to have a
mind control tactics" at will help clarify what some special mission in life. For
http://www.factnet.org/ of those specific elements example, the flying saucer
rancho1.htm for details or and criteria are. cult leaders claim that peo-
s e e h t t p : / / Common Properties of Po- ple from outer space have
www.factnet.org/ tentially Destructive and commissioned them to lead
coercivemindcontrol.html Dangerous Cults people to special places to
for a shorter version. These await a space ship.
The cult is authoritarian in
two documents are derived The cult's leaders centre
its power structure. The
from the work of Dr. Mar- the veneration of members
leader is regarded as the
garet Singer former profes- upon themselves.
supreme authority. He or
sor emeritus at the Univer-
she may delegate certain Priests, rabbis, ministers,
sity of California at Berke-
power to a few subordi- democratic leaders, and
ley, the acknowledged
nates for the purpose of leaders of genuinely altruis-
leading authority in the
seeing that members ad- tic movements keep the
world on mind control and
here to the leader's wishes veneration of adherents
cults.
and roles. There is no ap- focused on God, abstract
The second set of criteria peal outside of his or her principles, and group pur-
has to do with defining system to greater systems poses. Cult leaders, in con-
other common elements of of justice. For example, if a trast, keep the focus of
 Cults and Terrorism - A Case Study (cont)
love, devotion, and larger; such groups of the marriage of
allegiance on them- have the goals to bet- Mas’ud Rajavi with
Briefing selves. ter the lives of their Maryam Azodanlu in

Publicationof The cult tends to be

totalitarian in its con-
members and mankind
in general. The cults
February 1985. Rajavi
declared himself the
Nejat Society trol of the behaviour of may claim to make self-appointed ideo-

its members. Cults are social contributions, logical leader of the

likely to dictate in but in actuality these Mojahedin, or spiritual

great detail what remain mere claims, leader – a role taken

members wear, eat, or gestures. Their fo- over in public by his

when and where they cus is always domi- wife Maryam Rajavi
Address nated by recruiting since his disappear-
E.mail: work, sleep, and
info@nejatngo.org bathe-as well as what new members and ance after the fall of

P.O.Box 14395/679, to believe, think, and fund-raising. Saddam Hussein in

Tehran say. The cult appears to be 2003.
Fax: 88 96 10 31
The cult tends to have innovative and exclu- Along with this role he

a double set of ethics. sive. The leader claims introduced ‘phases’ of

Members are urged to to be breaking with the Internal Ideologi-

be open and honest tradition, offering cal Revolution which

within the group, and something novel, and would in his terms

confess all to the lead- instituting the only lead the members to

ers. On the other viable system for a full understanding of

hand, they are encour- change that will solve his ideological beliefs.

aged to deceive and life's problems or the The phases included

manipulate outsiders world's ills. While daily reporting of

or non-members. claiming this, the cult thoughts and feelings;

then surreptitiously forced marriage fol-
Established religions
uses systems of psy- lowed by forced di-
We are on the teach members to be
chological coercion on vorces; separation of
Web! honest and truthful to
its members to inhibit children from parents;
www.nejatngo.org all, and to abide by
their ability to exam- confession of sins in-
one set of ethics.
ine the actual validity cluding erotic dreams
The cult has basically
of the claims of the and fantasies. The
only two purposes,
leader and the cult. aim of these phases is
recruiting new mem-
http:// to connect the mem-
bers and fund-raising.
www.factnet.org/ ber to the leader with
N ej at Soci ety Established religions
rancho5.htm nothing between them
and altruistic move-
in an exclusive rela-
ments may also recruit [3] Internal Ideologi-
tionship of total sub-
and raise funds. How- cal Revolution
mission to the leader’s
ever, their sole pur- Introduced at the time
will.
pose is not to grow