In an interview with VOA, Alireza Jafarzadeh, the diplomatic activist of MKO, released some statistics on Camp Ashraf. He raved about the number of Ashraf members as well as entertaining, educational, health, and medical centers therein. Likewise, Mojahedin-run TV is engaged in broadcasting programs on the significance of Camp Ashraf and its residents giving repeatedly cliché, inflated information on the structure and facilitations of Camp. It is evident that the demagoguery is aimed to cover the truth about what really passes within Ashraf under a cover of heavy media propaganda. However, many believe that it is a tactic through which Mojahedin attempt to distract the attention of the public opinion to effortlessly continue with their main job in Auvers-Sur-Oise quarters.
As a terrorist cult, the organization has developed sophisticated techniques to twist the mind of its listeners from among a range of sympathizers, advocates and ordinary run of people uninformed of the facts. It well recognizes the effect of propaganda in how to defend peace and freedom by appealing to patriotism, nationalism and humanitarian sentiments to continue with its violent plans.
Camp Ashraf is now considered as the mainstay of Mojahedin with regard to the practice of their cultic relations. After the Fall of Saddam in Iraq and the takeover and siege of Ashraf by the U.S. forces, Mojahedin have actually lost the opportunity of using the camp as the command center of plotting and launching over the border terrorist operations. Therefore, it has no strategic significance for the time being and has turned to be a spot merely keeping the cultic relations of the organization ongoing and intact. Now this question arises that in spite of overexposure of Camp Ashraf, why Mojahedin keep silent on releasing the least amount of information on their main quarters in France where the leaders, on whom the survival and life of the cult depend, are residing and making decisions?
Except the local residents of Auvers-sur-Oise, hardly any visitor to the calm town is conscious of a globally proscribed terrorist cult having situated its citadel there. Reported by New York Time’s correspondent Craig S. Smith going there on an arranged interview with Maryam Rajavi:
The sleepy town of Auvers-sur-Oise, 20 miles northwest of Paris, is best known as the place where van Gogh lived the last months of his life. Japanese and American tourists wander uncertainly down its main street, peering at reproductions of his paintings in front of the buildings that they portray. Few of the tourists are aware that the town is now home to an almost cult-like Iranian opposition group, some of whose members have divorced their spouses as an act of loyalty to the cause and whose armed wing is on the State Department’s list of foreign terrorist organizations. The group’s devotion to Mrs. Rajavi is so extreme that some members set themselves on fire when she was briefly detained by the French police two years ago. 1
It has to be pointed out that Auvers-Sur-Oise is not an ordinary site; on the contrary, it is well guarded by means of numerous controlling and security systems to the point that they have caught the attention of all interviewers and reporters arriving there. Almost all individuals meeting the residence of leaders and ranking Mojahedin in France unanimously focus on its complexity and high level of security. According to an Italian reporter once coming to have an interview with Massoud Rajavi:
His [Rajavi’s] dwelling in Auvers-sur-Oise, in the Parisian suburbs, is much like a fortress. There is a high wall keeping it concealed from suspicious looks. There are high voltage barbed wires around as well as searchlights on the walls illuminating the surroundings. The road to Massoud Rajavi’s villa (leadership centre) is controlled by two French check-points equipped with machine guns. The only entrance to villa is guarded by Mojahedin forces themselves. 2
Also, the Germany national broadcasting writes:
There were some impedimenta in our path to his [Rajavi’s] dwelling, 4 kms to northwestern Paris. The park therein was not well landscaped; the area was surrounded by barbed wires charged with high voltage. There were a number of French police officers at the entrance door to settle the possible disputes. 20 men always accompany Massoud Rajavi. His political assistants live outside his small fortress. 3
As noted by another Italian reporter, the main residence of the Rajavis and the highly imposed drastic security measures even for the group’s members is described as:
A place where no one (even the insiders) can enter unless fully inspected and under highly control measures. 4
The use of controlling systems fails to be productive in itself; however, the act of Mojahedin in misusing the facilities provided for them by the West is a matter of consideration. They make attempt to abuse these facilities for the achievement of their cultic and terrorist objectives and according to D.S.T report, they have established another cultic-terrorist haunt in France. The western political analysts have come to the point that ‘the Rajavis misuse the surprising laxity of the European governments by living in Auvers-Sur-Oise luxuriously for many years.’
There are evidences that Auvers-Sur-Oise is known at the present to have become the main strategic base for Mojahedin and they abuse it in different ways in order to pursue the totalitarian objectives. According to D.S.T report:
We have been able to identify numerous PMOI members recruited and housed in France, making regular trips to Iraq… They also follow several different routes to Iraq: passing through Jordan, Egypt, or Turkey. They make their connections through different European countries, such as Belgium and the Netherlands… Once in Iraq, the militants undergo various levels of political and military training. The NLAI fighters coming from Iraq regularly visit PMOI HQ in Auvers-sur-Oise, while veteran soldiers are installed in France and remain continuously active in promoting the organization. 5
In addition, a fact is acknowledged that Mojahedin aim to establish another Camp Ashraf in the Europe:
The Mojahedin’s aim was to move their "world operational centre" -previously based in Baghdad -to the Val d’Oise. 6
Interestingly, Mojahedin broadcast the majority of their television programs from Camp Ashraf and refrain to give any information about Auvers-Sur-Oise while almost all their political contacts and activities are conducted from the HQs there. It is much surprising that at a time when Mojahedin petition the West to remove their name from the terrorist list, what really panics them to let a free entrance into their dwelling. What is really different about Camp Ashraf and the camp in Auvers-Sur-Oise with the former being the focus of the media and propaganda while the latter remains off the air.
References
1. New York Times, September 24, 2005
2. Massoud Rajavi’s interview with Corriere della Sera Daily.
3. Massoud Rajavi’s interview with Deutschlandfunk.
4. Massoud Rajavi’s interview with Italian News agency (Ansa).
5. Gessler, Antoine; Autopsy of an Ideological Drift, chapter 14, DST report on MKO.
6. ibid.
