The British government has dismissed a call from a leading supporter of the so-called National Council of Resistance (NCRI) to provide backing to deproscribe the anti-Iran Mujahedin-e-Khalq as a terrorist group.
“We have no such plans. The Mojahedin-e Khalq (MKO) is proscribed in the UK under the Terrorism Act 2000,”Foreign Office Minister Kim Howells said
The debate on recent comments made by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Israel was raised by Labour peer, Lord Corbett, a renowned supporter of the Mujahiden-e Khalq terrorist group, who urged the UK government to treat the outlawed group as a”friend.”But the Foreign Office minister rejected the call, saying that the MKO was proscribed under the country’s Terrorism Act 2000 and that the government had”no plans to carry out such a review.”
The European Union published Tuesday an updated list of persons and groups that the 25-member European bloc designates as terrorists.
The Iranian Mujahedin-e-Khalq Organization (MKO), which was put on the EU’s terrorist list in 2002, remains on the new blacklist.
It coincided with the MKO, which is already a proscribed terrorist group in the UK, being allowed holding its latest campaign meeting in London under its so-called front group, the National Council of Resistance.
“It is a sect, not a political party, and has virtually no support in Iran. It is a diversion from the real issues,”she said and repeated that the UK Government should be”clear, consistent and transparent”in engaging in dialogue with Iran and its people.
With regard to the nuclear issue, Starkey commended the role that the UK Government has played, together with its EU partners, in trying to reach a negotiated resolution.
Three former members of terrorist MKO (Mojahedin-e khalq organization) joined their families in special ceremony held in Shahid Beheshti Hall in the city of Kurdkooy….In this event, full of tears and happiness, the former members detailed MKO’s crimes.
The German weekly “Focus” quoted a former CIA employee and said that the US is spying on Iran by using Mojahedin-e Khalq members.
Beside the pictures of MKO tanks (which were received from Saddam Hussein), Focus quoted Ray McGovern saying: “There’s no doubt in Washington that this group (MKO) can be a good leverage against Iran.”
The law defines terrorism as any criminal act against people, institutions or property that”aims to hurt security, stability and national unity and introduce terror, fear or horror among the people and cause chaos.”…The tough new anti-terrorism law – a response to almost daily suicide bombings and attacks in Iraq – sets capital punishment for”those who commit … terror acts”as well as”those who provoke, plan, finance and all those who enable terrorists to commit these crimes,”
The British embassy in Tehran here Wednesday denied the reports about the visit of the leader of the terrorist group Mujahedin Khalq Organization (MKO), Maryam Rajavi, to Britain and said that according to British law on campaign against terrorism (2000) MKO is considered as an illegal and terrorist organization.
…”Iraqi people are waiting for the trial of the leaders of this group in court of justice so that their real nature and face and their ties to Saddam’s regime are revealed.”…..Stressing the need to expel the elements of the MKO from Iraq, Al-Jomhooriah wrote:”Iraqi government and leaders must take necessary measures to root out remnants of Baath regime, including the Mojahedin-e khalq.”