++ There was a strong reaction to the MEK’s TV programme in which the group has asked for money. Commentators identified this as a need to publicly whitewash the money which the MEK have already received from Saudi Arabia and Israel. They say it is disgusting that ordinary people may fall into the trap and be fooled into giving money to the MEK which they don’t need.
++ Iran’s parliament declared the establishment of an all-party committee for the support of the victims of terrorism in Iran. As well as giving various support to the victims, the committee will also follow their cases through the judiciary. This mostly involves victims of MEK terrorism which has claimed the lives of 16,000 people in Iran.
++ There has been continued reaction to the film about the Mohammadi family, which has shocked people in Iran in particular. The film shows how the MEK have deceived and misused and ruthlessly exploited families. Many ex members remind us that “this is not unique to one family, it is the story of all of us, we have all suffered like this”.
++ On the anniversary of the attack on Camp Ashraf in which 52 MEK members and Massoud Dalili, an ex-member, were killed, Maryam Rajavi made some risible statements. She claimed that Maliki’s departure and arrival of Abadi from the same Shia faction is a victory that the MEK has achieved, and because of this the blood of these 52 martyrs has not been in vain. Many critics point out how disgusting she is to claim such a thing.
++ Irandidban has an analysis of Maryam and Massoud Rajavi’s behaviour during the years they tried to hang on to Ashraf. The title is: ‘anniversary of shattering Rajavi’s ideological container (Ashraf), Rajavi’s delusions and the price members pay’. The article takes a historic overview of Rajavi’s delusions, including his dream that the Americans would save him, right up to the point where he has now left his people in Iraq to get killed. Looking into Rajavi’s history Irandidban makes the case that there is a discernible pattern in which Rajavi makes a mess of something like the failed 1981 coup or operation Eternal Light, and then runs away and sacrifices others.
++ News this week that Iran has helped Iraqi forces to oust IS apparently led to American suggestions for cooperation with Iran because they saw how effectively the terrorists were dealt with. Rajavi is afraid of such rapprochement and is shouting through his sites to stop this. He is angry that IS and the Saddamists have been pushed aside and he is worried there will be an alliance that will wipe out the rest of IS. The only places which have announced any support for IS have been Rajavi and Saddam’s daughter.
++ An open letter by the usual paid MEK lobbyists published in the Washington Times and addressed to President Obama, asks him to help rescue the MEK in Iraq. Several analyses were written as to why the MEK would pursue such an irrelevant issue at this point in time. Firstly, what the MEK says now contradicts their previous claim that the new government of Iraq is in their favour. They now claim even worse mistreatment as they are not allowed to empty the septic tanks or bring fuel into Camp Liberty. Mojtaba Rashidi from Paris has an analysis as to why the MEK jumped on this now when their real job has been to prepare for Geneva and New York to try to derail negotiations and rapprochement. Rashidi says they have suddenly woken up to the reality that IS and the Saddamists have been unexpectedly pushed back and now there is a vacuum which presents a danger for them. Whether Maliki is better or Abadi, the reality is that the Iraqi establishment is unified. There is no internal fighting for the MEK to live in the gaps like a parasite. Even though their paymasters’ orders are to work to cause problems for Iran at the UN in Geneva and New York, the MEK have panicked and gone into a defensive mode in Iraq. Essentially, if the MEK cannot keep hold of their hostages in Camp Liberty and especially if these people arrive in Europe and start talking, the MEK will have no substance, no basis to say anything. If this happens all they can do is wait to go to court instead of staging demonstrations.
In English:
++ Masoud Banisadr spoke at a London Press Conference on “terrorism, cults and mind manipulation”. He identified three area of weakness which can be exploited by terrorist recruiters: perceived injustice, misrepresentation of ideology or doctrine and the use of methods of mind manipulation. Describing these recruits as modern slaves, Banisadr concludes that “we need to inform and educate society and especially young people about these phenomena and the dangers they pose. We must criminalize the brainwashing and enslavement of people, just as we banned the old slavery. We need to help people who are on the road to killing their personality and individuality, just as we try to prevent would-be suicides”.
++ Philip Giraldi writes in Global Research that ‘Pro-Israeli American Billionaires Helped by the White House “Make War on Iran”’. A legal case in Manhattan has exposed “a group of Jewish American billionaires who are apparently doing their best to make sure than negotiations with Iran go nowhere in the mistaken belief that they are doing what is best for Israel. And they would also appear to be assisted in their efforts by the White House, which is at the same time claiming that it wants the talks to be successful.” Giraldi argues that “the power and wealth of the anti-Iran groups as well as their unrivalled access to the United States government means that a policy of détente with Iran, which would be a no brainer based on both American and Iranian interests, only proceeds by fits and starts with the US Congress and much of the media lined up solidly to stop the effort.” He identifies the role of the MEK: “Supporters of MEK also ignore the fact that the group is run like a cult, routinely executes internal dissidents, and has virtually no political support within Iran. But such are the ways of the corrupt Washington punditocracy, lionizing an organization that it should be shunning. MEK’s political arm is located in Paris and it has long been assumed that it is funded by the Israeli government and by at least some of the same gaggle of billionaires, possibly including their Israeli counterparts, who support the anti-Iranian agenda in the United States.”
++ Nejat bloggers goes “behind the scene of the Al Arabiya interview with Maryam Rajavi”. The article exposes the MEK’s former links with Al Arabiya. Former MEK member Batoul Soltani notes, ”considering that today the cult of Rajavi is more hated and disgraced for its alliance with ISIS, the cult has resorted to Al Arabiya TV in order to gloss over its scandalous situation among Iraqi nation.” In her opinion the interview was just a masquerade show for Maryam Rajavi to deny their cooperation with ISIS.
++ Adam Forrest writing for Vice.com had a nice interview with Masoud Banisadr about “the power of cults, and how this might help us understand why young men in the UK are vulnerable to joining the Islamic State and other extremist groups”. The article ended with the question: “What would you say to British parents who have children fighting in Syria or Iraq?”
Banisadr answers: “It’s very difficult, very delicate. If a parent says anything critical against a radical preacher, or about an organisation like Islamic State, that’s when a person’s mind becomes defensive. It is difficult to argue rationally. So if a parent has contact, they should not try to talk about politics or religion. They should show only kindness and love. This is the member’s weakness. Feelings do not die away, even if personality has changed. So the parent has to let them know they will be there, waiting. There has to be a pathway back to a life where family love is there, something that has nothing do with ideological thinking. Unconditional love unlocks the mind manipulation that has taken place.”
++ A Sepinoud writing for Nejat Bloggers claims that Rajavi’s agenda is to make 3000 martyrs. Sepinoud examines the events of the September 1, 2013 attack on Camp Ashraf before concluding: “Despite the Cult’s futile efforts to rebuild its cultic structure in any country and its members are being transferred in order to keep the transferees within the cult boundaries, still a large number of the MKO members who relocated to Albania distanced themselves from the group and connected to the former members in Europe and have started denouncing the MKO. So, the MKO leaders who see their cult on the verge of collapse and losing their decades-long hostages seem to prefer to make use of the Liberty captives in a way which best benefits their interests. That is to make 3000+ martyrs out of them.”
September 05 2014