- The US State Department includes the
Mujahedeen-e Khalq (MEK), a militant Iranian opposition group, in its list
of foreign terrorist organizations. [Newsweek, 9/26/2002; US State Department,
2003; White House, 9/12/2002] MEK, which in English means, "People's
Holy Warriors," [Christian Science Monito
-
- September 2000
US confrontation with Iran
-
- When the Iranian National Council of
Resistance, a front group for the militant Mujahedeen-e Khalq (MEK), holds
a demonstration outside the United Nations protesting a speech by Iranian
President Mohammed Khatami, Republican Senators Ashcroft and Chris Bond
from Missouri issue a joint statement expressing solidarity with the organization.
[US State Department, 2003; Newsweek, 9/26/2002; Slate, 3/21/2003]
-
- March, 2002
US confrontation with Iran
-
- The conservative National Review publishes
an op-ed article by Sam Dealy titled "A Very, Very Bad Bunch,"
commenting on the Iranian opposition group known as People's Mujahedeen
of Iran (MEK) and "its surprising American friends." Dealy's
piece is an attack on Congresspersons who support the MEK despite the exile
group's past history of anti-Americanism (see 1970s and November 4, 1979-January
20, 1981). "How has a terrorist group managed to win the support of
mainstream US politicians?" h
-
- July 2004
US confrontation with Iran
-
- After a 16-month review by the US State
Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bush administration
says it has found no basis to charge any of the 3,800 Mujahedeen-e Khalq
(MEK) fighters held in custody by the US at Camp Ashraf with violations
of American law. The decision is made in spite of the group's long history
of collusion with Saddam Hussein. MEK fought alongside Iraqi forces against
Iran during the 1980s (see December 2003) and helped Saddam's internal
security forces brutally put down the 1991 Shia uprisings (see New York
Times, 7/27/2004; Christian Science Monitor, 7/29/2004]
-
- December 8, 2004
US confrontation with Iran
-
- Knight Ridder reports that, according
to US officials, congressional aides and other sources, Pentagon and White
House officials "are developing plans to increase public criticism
of Iran's human-rights record, offer stronger backing to exiles and other
opponents of Iran's repressive theocratic government and collect better
intelligence on Iran." Additionally, the administration would like
to withdrawal troops from Iraq so Bush would have "greater flexibility
in dealing with Iran," one official tells the newspaper. [Knight Ridder,
12/8/2004] The news agency also says that the US is using the Mujahedeen-e
Khalq (MEK) as a source for intelligence on Iran's weapons programs, even
though the organization "remains on the State Department's list of
foreign terrorist groups." [
-
- February 2005
US confrontation with Iran
-
- The Mujahedeen-e Khalq (MEK) says that
it has provided the International Atomic Energy Administration (IAEA) with
information that Iran is now producing polonium-210, beryllium, and neutron
generators, giving Iran the capability to produce a detonator. MEK claims
that Iran plans to have a nuclear weapon by the end of 2005. Mohammed Mohaddessin,
head of the group's foreign affairs committee, tells reporters that the
information was obtained from "the Iranian people" and MEK's
network inside Iran.
-
- [Associated Press, 2/3/2005; Associated
Press, 2/3/2005]
|
