letter of Milad Ariee to the US State Department
To: Iran Desk, US State Department
From Milad Ariaee,
December 7, 2006
With all due respect,
The Mojahedin Khalq Organisation of Iran (MKO) has again started attempts to remove its name from the list of terrorist organisation. The task has been delegated to a law firm, DLA Piper, which purports to have researched the history of MKO and come out with a fresh report about the terrorist cult. The basis for such an attempt and the provider for it is, of course, the MKO itself.
The above mentioned law firm, charging the Mojahedin with the highest fees, is to attempt to whitewash the history of this terrorist organisation. A history that has been an obstacle for the terrorists to enjoy free legal and financial activities. It has been announced that Mr. Richard Armey is heading this so called independent review which is due to be published in the near future.
Any investigation into the involvement of Mojahedin Khalq in terrorism and violence is welcomed, but the law firm employed by the terrorist organisation has adjusted the context of its report according to the needs of its client so that not only would it not allow access to the truth, it is overtly trying to avoid international justice for its client and even attempting to remove them from the list of terrorist organisations.
As you are aware, in 1994, over 20 American academics and experts in relevant issues whose names have been published were asked by the State Department to investigate the MKO and report their findings back to the State Department. And they did.
The deep analysis and investigation by the group into the nature and activities of this organisation resulted in proscription of Mojahedin Khalq Organisation as a terrorist entity by the State Department. Not only was the result of this investigation found to be still valid in 2005, further investigations resulted in keeping the group in the list of terrorists permanently.
Mojahedin’s lawyers (using the MKO’s alias National Council of Resistance of Iran) challenged the foundation of the State Department ruling in 2004 and applied to the court to appeal the ruling. The appeal court announced its verdict as follows:
…the case was investigated on 2nd April 2004, and” on 9th January 2005 a verdict was given… serial Number: 01-1480” complainer: National Council of Resistance” against: State Department and Mr. Colin Powell the Secretary of State… After the investigation and checking all the documents we believe that the decision of the State Department in classification of Mojahedin Khalq Organisation as a foreign terrorist organisation is in line with constitutional obligations. Therefore the request from National Council of Resistance will be rejected"
It is clear that the law firm DLA Piper and Mr. Richard Armey would not be able to whitewash the history of Mojahedin Khalq Organisation but unfortunately their actions can have the short-term effect of misleading some people and that is why I would like to draw the attention of Iran desk to the following.
The MKO, according to Human Rights Watch report ‘No Exit’ of May 2005, has tortured its own disaffected members and has killed at least two of them under torture in 1994.
The MKO is accused of orchestrating the disappearance of tens of its members between 1985 when they entered Iraq up to 2003 when Saddam Hussein was removed from power.
According to the report given by the French security services, the Mojahedin have been planning to kill their critics on European soil and the marked maps and relevant document were seized by the anti terrorism police from Mojahedin HQ in France.
The Mojahedin Khalq Organisation has never been a political alternative for the people of Iran and for years has worked hand-in-hand with some parts of the Iranian regime to stand in the way of progress, democracy and freedom in Iran.
The Mojahedin Khalq started their terror and violence in the 1970s with the assassination of American attaches including Colonel Hawkins and continued their violent strategy with the use of mortars resulting in the indiscriminate killing of ordinary civilian people in the crowded cities of Iran.
I would like to bring your attention to another important issue. There is no dispute about the strategic relation between the leadership of Mojahedin and the regime of Saddam Hussein during the past two decades. The MKO joined the military and secret forces of the now toppled Iraqi regime and participated in the massacre of people of Iran and Iraq. The toppled Iraqi regime spent millions of dollars from the oil-for-food program in supporting this organisation; money which during the years of sanctions was supposed to be spent for the essentials of Iraqi people. The organisation in return did whatever possible to ensure the political and military survival of Saddam Hussein. The participation in the massacre of Kurdish people in March 1991 can be taken as an example.
Considering the above mentioned points and considering democratic values and the fundamentals of human rights and remembering that MKO has been recognised as a terrorist organisation across the globe, I hope that the activities of Mr. Richard Armey is not an attempt to directly support a terrorist organisation.
MKO starts with the notion that they have never directly carried out terrorism against American personalities. The argument is fraudulent and a non-starter.
– In 1973 Colonel Luis Hawkins, an American army attach was killed in cold blood by Mojahedin in Tehran..
– In 1975, members of Mojahedin Khalq Organisation killed two American air force officers in Tehran and attacked an American embassy car resulting the death of another service man.
– In 1976 Mojahedin killed 3 employees of Rockwell International.
– In 1979, Mojahedin openly supported the kidnapping and holding of American embassy staff up to 1981 when they were released by the Islamic Republic.
The truth is that due to its terrorist nature, you can not trust the Mojahedin as a source in any aspect. Would you trust Hezbollah or Al Qaida?
The rule of ‘passage of time’ does not apply to murderers, war criminals and terrorists and the ones who provide for and support terrorists. That is why the passing of thirty years from the time that they killed the first American does not give amnesty to the Mojahedin. Otherwise it would be as if we accept that the human rights abuses by the government of Cambodia in the 70s can be an excuse for the Khmer Rouge and their violence.
Yours sincerely,
Milad Ariaee
December 7, 2006
CC:
British Foreign Office
Foreign Ministers of European countries
Foreign Minister of Republic of Iraq
DLA Piper