Iranian dissent Group (Mojahedin Klaqh) labeled a Terrorist Cult

Washington Post ^ | 6/21/03 | Karl Rick

[freedom44]

ISTANBUL, June 20 -- When French riot police stormed the suburban Paris headquarters of the People's Mujaheddin earlier this week, the Iranian dissident group put up little resistance. Officers seized satellite phones and $1.3 million in cash, and detained 159 people, including the wife of the group's leader.

But in days following the arrest, members retaliated with self-immolations. One after the other, nine people set themselves on fire, often as TV cameras rolled, to protest the continued holding of Maryam Rajavi. One of them died, others were severely burned.

The group shrank during exile into an isolated band of a few thousand whose every behavior is governed by their charismatic leader, Massoud Rajavi, according to academics, fellow activists and former members.

"They use the term democracy," said Ervand Abrahamian, a City University of New York professor and author of "The Iranian Mojahedin." But "there's no shred of democracy in the Mujaheddin. Rajavi decides who you sleep with, who you marry, who he sleeps with -- everything."

"They stopped being a mass movement with Marxist roots and became basically a cult," he said.

[freedom44]

Some of you asked me for information about the round up of members of an Iranian dissent group called the MEK, MKO or Mojahedin Klaqh in France. This group is a marxist, islamist group with zero support in Iran. They fought alongside Saddam against Iranians and have killed Americans in their demonic attempt of installing some Marxist-Islamist State in Iran. They were supported by the Soviet Union in the 60's and 70's. They are on, both, the United States and Europes 'terrorist' list.

"not all opposition is good opposition"

[freedom44]

on or off iran ping..


Maryam Rajavi, co-leader of Iranian opposition group Mujahedeen Khalq, smiles Thursday July 3, 2003 at the group's headquarters in Auvers sur Oise, north of Paris after she was released from jail. The jailing of Rajavi, whom the group has named 'president-elect' in a future Iranian government, provoked dramatic protests including two self-immolations. (AP Photo/Jacques Brinon)

Maryam Rajavi, leader of the political wing of the Iranian People's Mujahideen, detained in France on suspicion of planning possible terrorist attacks, smiles after her release from jail, July 3, 2003. Rajavi, head of the National Council of resistance of Iran (NCRI), was arrested on June 17, 2003 in a French crackdown of Iran's largest armed opposition group that sparked protests among its supporters throughout Europe. REUTERS/Xavier Lhospice

[Sparta]

The French actually did the right thing arresting their leaders in Paris. However, they screwed up letting them out.

[McGavin999]

This is the first picture I've seen of her. That is not a good face, and it does not belong to a good person.

[nuconvert]

You got that right!

[nuconvert]

I know. She's scarey.

[BlackVeil]

In that article, they mention that members are obliged to marry at the leader's decree. Also, children are sent here and there, and families are "created." There is no way of knowing, in some cults, whose children are who. Very weird.

[MEG33]

I castigated the French for not doing it sooner.

[Simmy2.5]

At first, I was critizing France for detaining these people since, the first things that the media said about them was...they were a group that was against the Mullahs. But, thanks in part to you, with a little more education and finding out what the Mujahadeen really stand for, I found myself actually siding and even cheering the French on this. The only thing I share with this Marxist/Communist terrorist group is the hate for the Mullahs. Everything else, they deserved to be behind bars.

Now the French are surrendering to terrorist again by letting them go. Gotta love the French. :-/

[Stultis]

[RaceBannon]

Pardon the humor, but is anyone else thinking of YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN here? Marty Feldman?

img src="http://www.triviatribute.com/images4/martyfeldman1b.jpg"