The Mojahedin Khalq terrorist group has finally been expelled from Iraq after years of effort by the Government of Iraq, UNAMI and the US to get them to go. What is strange is that, after three years of intransigence, the group’s leader has now ordered her followers to celebrate their move. For a group which advertised itself as ready to topple the Iranian regime from Iraq and only a year ago demanded the US rearm them in Camp Liberty, it is not clear what they are celebrating.
Back in 2013, the United States – which had pledged to protect the MEK – negotiated a deal with Albania to take an initial number of 210 members and re-settle them in Tirana. The MEK refused absolutely to move. They demanded that either the whole group be moved wholesale to America, or the group be returned to its training base Camp Ashraf from which they had been moved to Camp Liberty for reasons of safety.
In spite of a number of armed attacks against the MEK by unknown assailants, which caused the deaths of about 200 and many more injuries, the MEK still refused to co-operate with US and UNHCR efforts to have the members transferred to safety in Albania.
This is what the Washington Times reported in March 2013:
“…The U.S. wants the MeK leadership to ‘accept the government of Albania’s humanitarian offer immediately, and urges the residents of Camp [Liberty] to resume participation in resettlement interviews to ensure that individuals avail themselves of safe and secure relocation opportunities outside Iraq,’ said State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland. The dissidents are housed at Camp Liberty, a temporary location near Baghdad’s international airport. ’We further urge the MeK leadership to place the highest priority on the safety and security of the former residents of [Camp] Ashraf through full and unconditional cooperation with the resettlement process,’ Mrs. Nuland said. The MEK has rejected the offer.”
MEK leader Maryam Rajavi is now facing questions from her followers about this move and about their futures. In order to distract their minds from these troubling doubts, over the past week she has paid millions to lobbying groups and individuals in the West to send congratulatory messages about the move. She has also ordered her followers to stage celebrations. She hopes this will be enough to convince them or at least numb them enough to forget their predicament.