"Iraqi government is looking for a way to get rid of MKO, which has been left from Saddam Hussein’s toppled regime in Iraq. Despite opposing the Iranian regime, this paramilitary group has been designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the European Union and the US," German newspaper, Süddeutsche Zeitung, wrote in an article.
Süddeutsche Zeitung, referring to post-Saddam era and the establishment of US forces in Iraq, wrote:
"Mojahedin-e Khalq organization was disarmed by US forces, but 4000 members of this group are still under the protection of Americans in Camp Ashraf, 120 km north of Baghdad. This group will possibly be used by Americans for gathering intelligence and, if necessary, for military operations."
"This is exactly what the Iraqi government doesn’t want to stand anymore. Last week, Iraqi PM Nuri al-Maliki announced that his government will treat the MKO as a terrorist organization. A committee has been formed to see if a third country accepts the MKO," the paper added.
According to Süddeutsche Zeitung, "this won’t be easy regarding the history of the MKO. During Iran-Iraq eight-year war, it was equipped with Iraqi weapons and fought Iranian forces with the financial backing of Saddam Hussein. Many of the members of current Shia government were then refugees in Iran. MKO, in cooperation with Saddam, acted several times against Iraqi Kurds. Arab or Islamic countries will hardly be willing to give shelter to this organization."
"MKO leadership has recently tried so much to remove the name of group from terrorist list. For this purpose, NCRI has held several press conferences in Auvers-sur-oise in Paris, where Maryam Rajavi lives. However, only a few politicians have responded to Rajavi’s request for the removal of her group from terror list."
Süddeutsche Zeitungalso added that: "Maryam Rajavi claims that she is not aware of whereabouts of her husband Massoud Rajavi, who’s being pursued by many secret services and group’s internal victims. He may have hidden himself in Camp Ashraf. Human Rights Watch organization last year accused the MKO of imprisoning and torturing internal dissidents."
By revealing the locations of Iranian nuclear sites, MKO tries to get legitimacy; but CIA and Pentagon are already aware of the cases and the information of MKO is not new. Besides, CIA and Pentagon are the only agencies in the US that agree to consider the MKO as a non-terrorist opposition.
Süddeutsche Zeitung said that MKO was designated as a terrorist organization by the US because of killing 6 US advisors in Shah’s army, its support for the execution of former regime officials by the leaders of Islamic Republic, and its involvement in occupying US embassy in Tehran.
DW-World – 2006/07/29
