In the recent three decades, MKO has been charged in some European courts due to committing crimes of a wide range including terrorist attacks and breaking civil law. The reports of France police are full of charges against MKO members including use of violence and intimidation against their dissidents as well as orchestrating rallies under a variety aliases and disturbing rallies organized by other Iranians in different countries. Furthermore, there are many terrorist attacks attributed to Mojahedin hence enlisting their name in the terrorist lists of the Europe and the US State Department. Almost in all theses cases, Mojahedin develop a special relationship with the concerned courts and make false allegations to kill time and evade to met challenges and accusations. A typical case is the dossier of 17 June 2003 investigating the terrorist and cultic activities of Mojahedin after the arrest of Maryam Rajavi as the cult leader.
It was just seventy days ago that 36 members of Mojahedin residing in Camp Ashraf were apprehended for their acts of sabotage during the deployment of Iraqi police in the camp. They are reported to have been released while the Iraqi judicial authorities were to pursue charges against the men after their detention along with some MKO leaders who have to face trial due to numerous accusations made by Iraqi citizens against them. Of course, the organization may celebrate the freedom of the arrested members as a great victory after it resorted to hunger strike in camp Ashraf as well as some European countries including France. The significance of the recent transitions lies in the following factors:
1. After the fall of Saddam and establishment of the legal Iraqi government, the organization has recognized the decisions of the US, not Iraq, to challenge the legitimacy and legality of Iraqi government. Regardless of the strategic objectives of this approach, Mojahedin aim to pave the way for breaking law in Iraq. Soliciting aid from the US for setting MKO convicts free and then giving refuge to them is for furthering the same objective. In this regard, the insistence of Iraq on putting certain ranking members on trial may foil all futile efforts of Mojahedin and ruin false perception that they are under the support of the US and can misuse law.
2. Mojahedin’s soliciting aid from European and American bodies for the release of MKO detainees as well as initiating a propaganda war in this regard is considered a backlash and insult against the Iraqi government. No doubt, by bringing MKO wrongdoers to trial according to international and national rules, the Iraqi government can prove its sovereignty and confirms that despite recognizing the humanitarian rights of Ashraf residents, no crime on their part will be ignored even under the pressure of other governments.
3. The judiciary system of Iraq can demonstrate its jurisdiction, independence and resistance against the interference of foreigners by holding public trials with the presence of international media and reporters to prevent any misinformation by Mojahedin. It is many years that Mojahedin have adopted unethical and illegal procedures and propaganda blitz to sidetrack judiciary systems and legal organs. They just care winning their initiated propaganda war. After the recent detentions in camp Ashraf, Mojahedin have been engaged in another propaganda war that seems to continue up to victimizing a number of members in the Europe and camp Ashraf due to hunger strike.
4. It is likely that Mojahedin are after modeling the events of 17 June, as it seems true after arranging widespread hunger strikes, for enforcing Iraqi officials to forgo the trial of the arrested members. It will not be wrong to say that Iraqis might have been struck by a wave of self-immolation if the strikes failed to finish the job. Evidently, this is the final trick of Mojahedin for evading law. However, the resistance of Iraqi officials against the will of the organization and putting the accused on trials could make it once forever law-abiding.
5. Intentionally or unintentionally, Mojahedin are after winning one of the most reactionary and exploitative procedures in Iraq that is capitulation. In other words, they deem it legitimate to do any illegal action in Iraq under the support of the US. A brief look at the position-takings of the organization in recent years implies this false perception as a clear insult to Iraqi citizens and government. The trial of the arrested ones can foil the delusions of Mojahedin too.
6. In fact, the approaches taken by Mojahedin in Iraq in recent years, at least while the American is taking control of Iraq and camp Ashraf, was that of occupiers toward the occupied. The recent events confirmed that Mojahedin are still under the delusions of grandeur. However, the trial of MKO defendants could bring them to the reality that they no longer can interfere in Iraqi internal affairs and challenge the legal Iraqi government and to claim possession of a part of Iraqi soil. The history shows that no occupier can persist forever even in full political and military power. Mojahedin have to submit to law and sovereignty of Iraq.
The trial of the MKO members by Iraqi judiciary system for charges of assault and riotous assembly and resisting the lawful presence of Iraqi police in camp Ashraf that lead to the death of a number of Iraqi polices could turn into an all-out judgment on all crimes and misdeeds of Mojahedin inside Iraqi soil in recent decades. The Iraqi judiciary system can well make use of former MKO members as live eyewitnesses to Mojahedin crimes by consulting them and using their statements for identifying the key MKO leaders in charge of all terrorist and cultic activities of Mojahedin in Iraq. Even before the recent events, Iraqi government had issued a decree on capturing the suspects. The Iraqi government could use this golden opportunity to try all MKO wrongdoers and restore law and order in Iraq. Any sign of conciliation from the Iraqi part may cause Mojahedin’s boldness to become more inattentive to its warnings and decisions.