A short brief on the Mojahedin-e Khalq
The Mojahedin-e Khalq Organization (MEK, MKO, PMOI, NCR, NCRI, NLA, and many other disguised entities) 
was established in 1965 as an urban guerilla movement to fight against the Shah and seize power in Iran through armed struggle.
It pitched its appeal to attract leftist, Islamist and anti-imperialist forces at the time and killed US citizens in Iran as well as many of the Shah’s officials. Assassination was, and remains, central to the strategic modus operandi of the organization.
After the Iranian revolution in 1979, the MEK opposed the newly established Islamic Republic of Iran and assassinated many officials as well as thousands of ordinary people through bombings.
The leader Massoud Rajavi fled to France in 1981, then in 1986 moved to Iraq by invitation of Saddam Hussein where he founded the National Liberation Army as an adjunct to the Iraqi army and entered the Iran-Iraq war on the side of the enemy.
Massoud Rajavi became a cult leader and used mind manipulation methods to brainwash his followers in order to control their thoughts and beliefs and to command their total, unquestioning obedience. Compulsory divorces and celibacy, and the separation of children from their parents were imposed by the cult leader on every member. Members were isolated from the outside world and had no contact whatsoever even with their families.
After the fall of Saddam Hussein and the invasion of Iraq by the allied forces, the situation of the MEK dramatically changed. Massoud Rajavi, who lost his only state support, went into hiding and Maryam Rajavi moved to Paris. The organization then adopted pro-western gestures and falsely pretended to have distanced from its past terrorist activities.
On 17 June 2003, Maryam Rajavi was arrested along some 120 individuals in her base in Paris by the French police charged with fraud, money laundry, and plotting violent activities against opponents and former members.
As a result the cult ordered several members to commit self-immolation to protest against this action by the French authorities. Ten individuals in ten different European cities simultaneously set fire to themselves. Two died and the others were severely injured. This was considered as the most obvious sign of thought control imposed by the MEK on the members. A person who obeys an order for self-immolation is certainly capable of performing suicide attacks on others too.
The organization has absolutely no popular support in Iran since it committed the most public act of betrayal; cooperating with the enemy at war against the homeland. The MEK leaders are aware of this fact more than anyone else.
At the present time the organization is striving to find an alternative for the deposed Saddam Hussein, this time in the west, since it has lost its hope to gain any backing inside Iran. They are making contact with all and any enemies of Iran, including terrorist entities such as ISIL.
The MEK is currently re-creating its Iraqi terrorist bases in Albania with property and facilities it has purchased close to Tirana. The Iraqis have always considered them as the worst heritage left by Saddam Hussein for their country and have tried to expel them from their country since the fall of the dictator. The MEK participated in suppressing Iraqis in the past and have caused many national security difficulties for the nation at the present time.
The MEK organized a rally in Villepinte near Paris to promote this new base. Maryam Rajavi’s keynote speech focused on her demand that the group be re-armed. This can only be interpreted as the MEK’s intention to construct a militarized base in Europe from which to train terrorists to attack Iran or elsewhere. The occasion which is being celebrated by the MEK is the anniversary of the start of armed struggle on June 20, 1981.
Western government experts are fully aware of the activities and beliefs of the MEK. One can, of course, refer to the US Department of State or the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office for further clarification.
The MEK uses deceptive methods to influence general political opinion and individuals in the west, and do not say who they really are when they approach people to gain their support.
One may like to refer to the 2009 RAND Report and the 2005 HRW report ‘No Exit’ for more detailed information. If researchers would like further information the http://iran-interlink.org/wordpress/ is a good source.
