The US Court of Appeals says it will remove the terrorist Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization from the list of terrorist groups if the secretary of state does not decide on the MKO’s appeal within four months.
“We order the secretary to act on PMOI’s (MKO) petition no later than four months from the issuance of this opinion," said the court on Friday.
The court then warned Clinton that if she does not decide within four months, it would issue a so-called writ of mandamus order and remove the group itself.
"Failing that, the petition for a writ of mandamus setting aside the FTO (foreign terrorist organization) designation will be granted,” the court’s statement added.
The United States designated the MKO as a foreign terrorist organization in 1997.
The group has appealed to be taken off the list, claiming it renounced terrorism in 2001.
This is while the MKO has been confirmed to be involved in or behind several terrorist attacks against Iranian citizens since then.
The MKO members fled to Iraq in 1986, where it enjoyed the support of Iraq’s executed dictator Saddam Hussein, and set up their camp near the Iranian border.
The group is listed as a terrorist organization by much of the international community and is responsible for numerous acts of terror and violence against Iranian civilians and government officials.
