The Iraqi administration issued a statement on June 17, 2008 designating the Mojahedin-e Khalq as a terrorist organization and calling on the U.S. to stop supporting the militant group.
June 19, Al Alam television aired a discussion on the issue on its ‘Iraq Today’ programme. The programme titled ‘Mojahedin-e Khalq terrorists and American support’ was presented by Ali Al Sadi.
The participants were:
Sheikh Mazen Al Saedi, Managing director of the Sadr office in Baghdad.
Mr. Ali Al Alagh, Member of Parliament.
Mr. Ebrahim Khodabandeh, Terrorism and Cult expert from Tehran, Iran.
Excerpts:
Ebrahim Khodabandeh said, “It is important to recognise that these people have been working against the Iranian and Iraqi people for the last three decades in line with the interests of the U.K., U.S. and Israel – during Saddam’s war against Iran and against his own people. Although the organisation is a terrorist entity by nature, many retired individuals need to be rescued by those who have used them. It is not the duty of Iran or Iraq to help these people but the U.K., U.S. and Israel should grant safe haven and retirement opportunities for their cohorts.”
Sheikh Mazen Al Saedi condemned the support of America, Israel and Britain for MKO terrorists and said, “this is a clear indication of enmity against the people of Iran and Iraq”.
Mr. Ali Al Alagh, MP was asked “now that parliament has asked the government to deport these people, is it going to be a legal requirement for the government to do so?” He responded, “it did not need parliament to pass a new law as the presence of terrorists has been banned by our constitution and it is a normal government responsibility to make sure they don’t stay in Iraq.”
Full discussion can be viewed in Arabic at the following link:
http://www.alalam.ir/site/mokhtarat/iraqalyom0.htm