The Iran Connection: Fox News commentator accused of being terrorist frontman

washingtonpost.com ^ | Thursday, January 29, 2004 | Richard Leiby

[Destro]

The Iran Connection

By Richard Leiby

Thursday, January 29, 2004; Page C03

Rep. Bob Ney (R-Ohio), who helped put "Freedom Fries" on House restaurant menus in the run-up to the Iraq war, is championing a new patriotic cause. He wants Fox News to fess up about the controversial past of one of its commentators on Middle Eastern affairs.

In a letter last week to Attorney General John Ashcroft, Ney identified Alireza Jafarzadeh as the head of an Iranian exile group that the U.S. government lists as a terrorist organization. It's a Marxist Islamic outfit called the Mujaheddin el-Khalq, once allied with Saddam Hussein. "The MEK has killed United States military and civilian personnel in the past, aided in the overthrow of the American Embassy in Tehran and targeted American civilians for murder," wrote Ney, who used to teach English in pre-revolutionary Iran.

"I watch Fox News, I like Fox News, but I was shocked to see him on there," the congressman told us. Ney demanded that the network inform viewers about Jafarzadeh's background, saying, "I don't think they're fair and balanced on this issue."

[GeronL]

wow. they probably didn't do it on purpose like CNN does though.

[Jewels1091]

Ok, I can't even picture the guy's face! What does he look like?

[Kaslin]

The guy doesn't even sound familiar

[nuconvert]

Ney is pro-regime sympathizer and has been on the warpath lately against MEK. MEK is anti-regime.

[dinok]

I've heard of the this group, I have not seen their representative on Fox. And I watch about 6 hours of Fox daily. If he was on it must have been for a short segment here and there.

[nuconvert]

PONG

[nuconvert]

Alireza Jafarzadeh is NOT the head of MEK. It's run by a husband and wife team named Rajavi

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Ney doesn't know that? LOL

[Kaslin]

You need to consider the source (Washington Compost)

[adam_az]

"Ney is pro-regime sympathizer and has been on the warpath lately against MEK. MEK is anti-regime."

MEK is just as bad as the regime! Big deal!

[Angelus Errare]

The MEK is a Marxist group with all of the trappings of a cult that fought for Saddam Hussein - the French arrested most of their expatriate wing over the summer and the rest are being held by our troops in Iraq, whom they fought against along with the Fedayeen and the Republican Guard. I think that their Washington and London lobbying wings are the only major segment of the organization that's still intact.

They may hate the mullahs, but they're still terrorists and they do NOT want a free Iran - they want to turn Iran into something like North Korea.

[Amerigomag]

I just went to Fox to check this out and their servers are overloaded ... probably "slashdoted" by Freepers but I was able to get through on a few higher level URL's.

Here's what I found: This is indeed the same man but his role on the 3 programs for which he's listed as participating was more a role of presenting the opposition position than being a US expert observing of the comings and goings of Iran's domestic politics from a neutral viewpoint.

I'm sure the congressman is correct in the respect that's Mr. Jafarzadeh is the leader of a "terrorist" group and probably is correct that the audience should be aware of his politics but I don't think Fox has committed treason.

[nuconvert]

"Big deal!"

Excuse Me. But Mr Ney is a CONGRESSMAN. A UNITED STATES CONGRESSMAN. Sympathizing with regime in Iran >>Axis of Evil, Remember? You don't think there's anything wrong with that?

[nuconvert]

The Rajavis want to run Iran.

[adam_az]

Yes, BIG DEAL.

MEK are just as bad as the Mullahs.

Marxists, Islamofascists, both are just as dangerous, deadly, and inimical to peace and human liberty.

[nuconvert]

Helllooo??

Mr. Ney has his own motives for wanting MEK people arrested and investigated. And it has nothing to do with patriotism or what's best for Iran. The issue isn't MEK vs Regime. It's Mr. Ney and his motives. That's a BIG DEAL.

[MattAMiller]

Ok, I can't even picture the guy's face! What does he look like?

It's not a great picture but here he is. If you can't read the text on your computer he's on the right.

[adam_az]

I don't care WHAT Ney's motivations are, MEK are still just as bad as the Mullahs. THey are on the State Department terrorist group list, as well.

[Destro]

No it is not the WP it is Ney talking to the WP.