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AP Sources: Obama Administration to Remove Iranian Militant Group From Terror List

Sep. 21, 2012 4:03pm Jason Howerton

Members of the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq organization chant slogans and hold banners during a tour organized by the Iraqi government for foreign diplomats in Baghdad, Iraq, Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2012. (Credit: AP)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration will remove from the U.S. terrorism list an Iranian militant group formerly allied with Saddam Hussein, officials said Friday, describing a move that will infuriate Tehran and end years of high-profile campaigning by the group.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will notify Congress of her intent later Friday, the officials said. A court order had given her until Oct. 1 to make a decision about the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq, or MEK. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to speak about the matter.

Clinton’s decision comes just days after the last big batch of the Iranian exiles reluctantly left their decades-old paramilitary base in northeastern Iraq, relocating for now to a refugee camp outside Baghdad. The U.S. had insisted that the MEK’s 3,000 members comply with an Iraqi demand to leave Camp Ashraf as a condition of the MEK’s removal from the list of foreign terrorist organizations.

Derided by its critics as a cult, the group has journeyed through multiple countries and the shifting alliances of the Middle East over its four-decade history. The MEK helped Islamic clerics overthrow Iran’s shah before carrying out a series of bombings and assassinations against the Iranian government. It fought in the 1980s alongside Saddam’s forces in the Iran-Iraq war, but disarmed after the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003. It has since suffered violent recriminations from Iraq’s new Shiite-dominated government.

Members of the Mujahedeen-e-Khalq organization seen inside the Liberty refugee camp in Baghdad, Iraq, Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2012. (Credit: AP)

The decision to remove the MEK list rested on two factors: whether it still had the capacity and intent to commit acts of terror. Several American military officials and defense contractors were killed by the MEK in the 1970s, U.S. officials maintain, and its attacks have killed hundreds of Iranians. But the group contended it swore off violence more than a decade ago and now only seeks a peaceful overthrow of Iran’s theocratic government.

The MEK assembled a high-profile roster of champions even as it remained on the U.S. blacklist. Luminaries who’ve advocated for the MEK’s removal from the list include former Attorney General Michael Mukasey, former FBI Director Louis Freeh, former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge, former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell and James Jones, President Barack Obama’s first national security adviser.

That led the Treasury Department earlier this year to examine whether the officials were providing illegal material support to designated terrorists; that civil inquiry probably would be nullified now. Removal from the list also should make it easier for the MEK to raise money and recruit in the United States.

The organization is far from Iran’s mainstream opposition, however.

The group has an ideology mixing Marxism, secularism, an obsession with martyrdom and near adoration of its leaders. A 2009 report by the security think tank RAND accuses it of fraudulent recruiting as well as “authoritarian control, confiscation of assets, sexual control (including mandatory divorce and celibacy), emotional isolation, forced labor, sleep deprivation, physical abuse and limited exit options.”

MEK supporters say this is Iranian propaganda, pointing to several former members who’ve freely left the group.

It also vehemently rejects the Iranian accusation that members have worked with Israel to assassinate several Iranian nuclear scientists. U.S. officials say there is no evidence to suggest recent terrorist activity by the group.

U.S. officials said Clinton’s letter to Congress would not amount to a final designation. That will probably come in a couple of weeks as officials unfreeze assets held by the group in the United States and other legal work that might allow it to open a U.S. office.

Camp Ashraf is not yet fully closed. An estimated 200 exiles remain there to try to sell off the property that was left behind in the move, but Iraq’s government wants them to leave quickly.

The hostility of Baghdad’s Shiite leaders reflect its desire to build stronger ties with Iran, but also the deep hatred for the group in Iraq because of its purported role in helping Saddam crush Shiite and Kurdish revolts in the 1990s.

When the MEK handed over its hundreds of tanks and artillery pieces to U.S. forces, the Bush administration agreed to protect the group and posted soldiers and a general at the camp for years. The army and the MEK even worked on joint patrols and other emergency plans.

But for Iraqi authorities the camp remained a no-go zone. In effect, the MEK attempted to defend a sovereign zone inside the post-Saddam Iraq, which U.S. officials say contributed to violence.

An Iraqi raid last year left 34 exiles dead.

The MEK has shown footage of the atrocities and gained U.S. support. But it said it needed the administration to act because the terrorist label helped Iraqi authorities justify mistreatment of its members and made it harder for residents to find permanent homes in other nations.

Most of its members are now in Camp Liberty, a former U.S. base designed as a compromise way-station for the United Nations to speed them out of Iraq peacefully. Several governments are weighing whether to accept them. Washington could allow the immigration of some, but none that were actively involved in terrorist attacks from the 1970s-1990s, officials have said.

After suffering a crackdown under Iran’s monarchy, the MEK helped Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini overthrow U.S.-backed Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi in Iran’s Islamic Revolution in 1979.

It then quickly fell out with Khomeini, and thousands of its followers were killed, imprisoned or forced into exile. It launched its campaign of assassinations and bombings against Iran’s government in retaliation. The U.S. declared it a terrorist organization in 1997 at a time when Washington sought warmer relations with Tehran under the reformist presidency of Mohammad Khatami.

Yet the group also has provided the Americans with intelligence on Iran and convinced many governments that it has abandoned terrorism. In 2002, it revealed Iran’s secret work on uranium enrichment near the city of Natanz – intelligence that many speculated came from Israel’s Mossad.

It claims to have a strong network of sympathizers and informants inside Iran. But would-be reformers have distanced themselves from the movement. The Green Movement that protested after the 2009 fraud-riddled re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has publicly shunned the MEK.

Still, the group presses on with its goal of replacing the Iranian regime with a democratic, secular government. It says its parliament in exile includes Kurds, Baluchis, Armenians, Jews and Zoroastrians.

Because the MEK cannot operate legally in the U.S., it has lobbied its cause through several front organizations. Maryam Rajavi is the ostensible head of the whole movement from the France headquarters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran. Her husband, Massoud, was the MEK’s leader before he disappeared in Baghdad nine years ago. He is presumed dead.

The terror designation “was illegitimate from the onset,” said Shahin Gobadi, a Paris-based spokesman for the group. He called it an impediment to change in Iran, an unfair punishment of the MEK and the justification for Iraqi mistreatment of its members.

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Comments (40)

RedFlyer
Posted on September 22, 2012 at 11:34pm
Actually, this is good news no matter how much I dislike Obama. Clinton flagged this group as a terrorist organization to negotiate with the Iranian Regime. Only TWO countries lable this group as a terrorist organization; US and Iran! If the label was removed back when the Iranians were rioting, we’d be in much better shape in the mid-east than we are now. Obama FAILED by not removing this designation years ago, but Bush failed too. It may be too late, but this is a good thing.

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thedingo8
Posted on September 22, 2012 at 3:50pm
this is simple.. people that do not recognize their enemy are doomed… the enemy of modern civilization is I slam… the death to the infidel crowd vs modern civilization… everyone must pick a side there is no middle ground… there can be no spectators.

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The_Cabrito_Goat
Posted on September 22, 2012 at 2:59pm
Too many to keep track of?

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rl
Posted on September 22, 2012 at 2:45pm
Why does he even have a list. EVERYONE KNOWS IT MEANS NOTHING…..

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LogicalMetaphysician
Posted on September 22, 2012 at 1:03pm
Why, is it more of Valerie Jarret’s family?

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ThoreauHD
Posted on September 22, 2012 at 12:17pm
” an ideology mixing Marxism, secularism …and a near adoration of its leaders.”

Obama clones.

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- The_Cabrito_Goat
  Posted on September 22, 2012 at 3:06pm
  Secularism?
  
  Report this comment
MarieC
Posted on September 22, 2012 at 9:27am
Obama is a fool….

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- 1947
  Posted on September 22, 2012 at 11:44am
  The release is for VOTE support and that these people are part of his BROWN SHIRT ARMY………after he calls for MAR. LAW
  ‘
  
  Report this comment
blkbelt7
Posted on September 21, 2012 at 9:23pm
anone who votes for this treasonist SOB needs to stay on their meds…the winds are shifting and he is standing with the muslims…just like he said eh would….

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barber2
Posted on September 21, 2012 at 6:31pm
The MEK has ” an ideology mixing Marxism, secularism …and a near adoration of its leaders.” That sounds just like the Obama Democrats ! No wonder they are all riding on the Hate Israel and Hate American Capitalism Express Bus together right now !

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- Jaycen
  Posted on September 21, 2012 at 7:55pm
  I have to say, that’s pretty close to what I was thinking when I read that line.
  
  Report this comment
ProgressivePete
Posted on September 21, 2012 at 6:18pm
This article is another reason why Obama will get re elected. His prospects of winning are looking brighter each day. The GOP needs a miracle to win the House, Senate, and Presidency. Perhaps it would help if they offered solutions or passed the president’s jobs plan.

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- barber2
  Posted on September 21, 2012 at 6:37pm
  PETE just joined the Blaze yesterday. think I know his Troll message and his mission ….
  
  Report this comment
- ProgressivePete
  Posted on September 21, 2012 at 9:17pm
  @BARBER 2
  I am no troll, my purpose for being here is to prove a point that none of you along with the GOP can refute the facts that Bill Clinton said in his DNC speech regarding why Obama deserves a second term. He exposed the true intent of the GOP. Here is an example
  
  “In Tampa, the Republican argument against the president’s re- election was actually pretty simple, pretty snappy. It went something like this: “We left him a total mess. He hasn’t cleaned it up fast enough, so fire him and put us back in.”" -Bill Clinton 2012
  
  Report this comment
- Hopeless_Optimist
  Posted on September 22, 2012 at 10:39am
  “He exposed the true intent of the GOP.”
  
  I don’t choose my presidents on the “intent” of the GOP. The party leadership of the Republicans are just as bad as the Democrats. As a single voter, I blame the Fed and Ben Bernanke for not allowing the financial failures of the past to be played out in a single lifetime. I blame Nancy Pelosi for not allowing us to answer the healthcare problem properly. I blame Obama for not being there when he should have been for real moral support and making a mockery of us to the rest of the world. Finally, I blame myself for letting this happen in my lifetime. For my voice as a citizen of this great country remained silent too long and my efforts misdirected while I assumed too much but now that is over.
  
  Sorry Pete, but the best way to act is to keep showing the GOP that the old school that made those statements are over and the real power is the People. We solve things not the central government. Time to reverse the trend and give the power back to our local governments so we can start implementing targeted solutions instead of some generic redistribution that assumes every state is the same.
  
  Obama doesn’t need help from the GOP. The premise is wrong. You don’t need to test an open flame to know you will get your hand to burnt and you don’t need to spend yourself into oblivion to realize that it will not save you, so I don’t need to give Obama another four years.
  
  Don’t worry Pete, I am just one voter.
  
  Report this comment
zoro51
Posted on September 21, 2012 at 5:57pm
this is how a LEFTISTS DEMOCRAT NON american born but MUSLUM born weak so called dictator slaps the face of the us n makes US look weak.. IMPEACH N THROW OUT OF THE UDSA OBAMA NOW END THIS ****

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- WarMunger_Al
  Posted on September 21, 2012 at 6:04pm
  “the group has an ideology mixing Marxism, secularism, an obsession with martyrdom and near adoration of its leaders…”
  The real reason Obama will let them off the list…They are his kind of people.
  Under NDAA shouldn’t Louis Freeh be indefinitely detained along with the other supporters of this group?
  
  Report this comment
13th Imam
Posted on September 21, 2012 at 5:45pm
Will they vote for Barry now?

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AllAmericanGirl22
Posted on September 21, 2012 at 5:31pm
Did they do some charity work or something? Feed the homeless, volunteer at an animal shelter…? Didn’t think so.

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Psychosis
Posted on September 21, 2012 at 5:27pm
i think people here dont know who the MEK are

they are AGAINST IRAN and were put on the terrorist list at the REQUEST of IRAN

they want to overthrow IRAN and are actually one of our few allies in the area

iran has been trying to decimate the mek for over a decade

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- WarMunger_Al
  Posted on September 21, 2012 at 6:06pm
  Terrorists that just happen to support the overthrow of an enemy government doesn’t make them less terrorists. They helped put this same government into power in the first place.
  
  Report this comment
- wtd
  Posted on September 21, 2012 at 6:12pm
  Your definition of ally may be very different from mine, ‘Psychosis’. How about we see MEK’s reaction to the film “Innocence of muslims”, &/or Hebdo’s cartoons &/or the film “Submission” by Theo Van Gogh & Ayaan Hirsi Ali . . .before trying to convince anyone for one second that the MEK doesn’t belong on the terror list permanently. We’ve tried the ‘muslim ally of convenience’ tactic for decades and have yet to benefit from any of those attempts. It’s time to change tactic to sever all ties to the Muslim world and declare Islam a dangerous political ideology not worthy the protections of a favored ‘religion’. Until the muslim world fixes the problems in their belief system/societies, they should not be permitted to import those problems into ours.
  
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whatistruefreedom
Posted on September 21, 2012 at 5:23pm
If everyone in America would watch this video, the election would be over today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPK_0XD8jis

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needmoinfo
Posted on September 21, 2012 at 4:36pm
They never forgive and forget over there. So they only want a peaceful overthrow of Iran now. And of course to be able to recruit in America. They are just getting a little R&R. They will be back in it after they rest, recruit, rearm and all the enemies they made remake their acquaintance. So Hillary is poised to do them a favor on Oct. 1. Why? They have always been and always will be terrorists with unlimited control issues that are never appeased. So why are they more important than Israel.

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- needmoinfo
  Posted on September 21, 2012 at 4:43pm
  When Hussein used that (non-existant) poisonous gas and killed every last breathing man, woman and child, animal and insect in an entire Kurd village in one attack, did this group help?
  
  Report this comment
eaglesview
Posted on September 21, 2012 at 4:33pm
What else should we expect from the Appeaser in Chief ?.
His consistency is in your face, and counter to all with any common sense.
Nothing shocks me with this tyrant.
Vote his a– out, or else we’re not owing to recognize our country.

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Gary_K
Posted on September 21, 2012 at 4:27pm
Great, remove a muslim terror group from the terrorist list and add everyone in the US that believes in the constitution or is a christion….I am sick of the POS in the govt. and cant wait for the election.

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- Gary_K
  Posted on September 21, 2012 at 4:40pm
  oops Christian….
  
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BJC
Posted on September 21, 2012 at 4:27pm
Rush was right once again. Obama IS trying to cause chaos and confusion in the entire world. What a sorry POS!

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pandora
Posted on September 21, 2012 at 4:21pm
Next thing you know, this administration will be nominating terrorists for Nobel Peace Prizes.

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- TSUNAMI_22
  Posted on September 21, 2012 at 4:28pm
  The already covered that one when Obama got his.
  
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TSUNAMI_22
Posted on September 21, 2012 at 4:20pm
I feel safer already.

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RJJinGadsden
Posted on September 21, 2012 at 4:16pm
Hmmm, is this another distraction?

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- WindyDualism
  Posted on September 22, 2012 at 9:12am
  Little bit.
  
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phillycornerboy
Posted on September 21, 2012 at 4:11pm
this alone is proof of obamas’ treason. the real question is what are YOU going to do about it.

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- booger71
  Posted on September 21, 2012 at 4:19pm
  By definition they are a terror group, and especially in the middle east, will turn on allies on a dime. This is just stupid
  
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- iblvingd
  Posted on September 21, 2012 at 4:56pm
  Yeah, exactly which states are allowing the corrupt congressman to stay in office? They have their own self interest in mind, so bringing up BHO on treason charges is the last think on their mind.
  
  VOTE OUT any congressman who has held more than 2 terms!
  
  Report this comment
- iblvingd
  Posted on September 21, 2012 at 4:59pm
  It would be great if they hand-cuffed BHO as he was leaving office on treason charges!
  
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blackfeather
Posted on September 21, 2012 at 4:11pm
…why not just run ads all over the world with taxpayer dollars that say “bomb the hell out of us”???…..these are complete morons we have in the white house.

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