500 prominent political
personalities, parliamentarians and jurists from 40 countries and five
continents demand basic rights for Liberty residents (MEK members); and formal
recognition of NCRI
No more excuses. No more lies. We want action on
Camp Ashraf/Liberty”-Vice President of the European
Parliament Aleco-Vidal Quadras ,Villepinte
The FTO-List Analysis: US State Department Appeasing The Mullahs
By: Soharb safavi
If there be any among us who would wish to dissolve the Union or to change its republican form, let them stand undisturbed as monuments of the safety with which error of opinion may be tolerated where reason is left free to combat it.
Thomas Jefferson
Christopher Hitchens once said: A sure sign of ineptitude and malice is manifested when one's attacker is willing to cover himself with mud in order to try and make some of it adhere to his target. We have been witnessing the same repellant tactics in a smear campaign against MEK- US official supporters only to provide cover for the failed Policy of the US State department towards the Iranian crisis.
The core argument behind the current smear campaign against the MEK and its US supporters is that this main Iranian opposition group to the clerical tyrants in Iran is still in the US black list.
The term “terrorism” can be double standard unless defined by rule and established by the rule of law.
It is to distinguish any group or persons that choose to challenge an establishment: “A person, usually a member of a group, uses or advocates terrorism, or;A person who terrorizes or frightens civilians.
A popular saying that “One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter” simply indicates the struggle between good and evil and right and wrong.
But the moral question remains, literally speaking: who are the terrorists, and who are the freedom fighters?
The list of "Foreign Terrorist Organization" is a designation for non-United States-based organizations declared terrorist by the United States Secretary of State in accordance with section 219 of the U.S.Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
read more at : http://bit.ly/HJ1Xpz
By Sadegh Sistani, on March 27th, 2012
Foreign Policy is putting out cheap journalism by Josh Rogin demonizing the Iranian opposition.
Josh Rogins’ mystery series in Foreign Policy, with a recent one titled “Terrorist group's supporters throw party in U.S. Congress |”repeat the Iranian regime’s stale allegations against the main organized opposition group People’s Mujahedin of Iran (MEK) and do a disservice to the Foreign Policy’s record of unbiased journalism. They are part of an effort by Iran’s intelligence ministry to demonize the supporters of the Iranian resistance.
Some 22 courts in the UK, Europe and the US have ruled that the MEK is not involved in terrorism; furthermore, the European Union de-proscribed the group in 2009 after the courts rejected the very allegations that the articles have yet again brought up.
The piece represents a desperate, albeit futile attempt to block, in contravention of the Rule of law and the statutory requirements, the removal of the MEK from the State Department’s list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO).
Rogins’ shedding of crocodile tears for Justice over crime, appears disingenuous given the absence of a mere criticism, let alone condemnation, of the Ayatollahs vicious collective hangings ongoing and the last two blood lead attacks on the victims of an “inhumane massacre in Camp Ashraf.”
As far as his concern for complications provided for US MEK supporters in “providing material” support is concerned, Mr. Rogin does not have a clue what these “material” supports are in the legal context and conceals his ignorance by assuming it may include “advocacy”.
In a previous reply to similar salivated suggestions Former Trustee of President Bush and High judge Michael Mukasey had this to add:
Suggestions that our conduct raises a question under the material-support statute is undone by the text of the law itself. The statute barring material assistance to organizations on the State Department’s list of foreign terrorist organizations (“FTO”) says that although “material assistance” includes “personnel,” and although “personnel” may include the person providing the assistance — here, the four of us — the “personnel” have to be working “under that [FTO’s] direction or control.” And then, just to make explicit what is already obvious, the law continues: “Individuals who act entirely independently of the [FTO] to advance its goals or objectives shall not be considered to be working under the [FTO]’s direction and control.” As a result, we felt quite secure, thank you, in relying on the protection Congress placed in the statute, backed up by the First Amendment.
As far as Rogins mystery series are concerned “Things are not what they appear to be”.
This hypothesis mediated by Mr. Rogin is to lure readers into anti-MEK sentiments. Thereafter; the wave of sentiments and the “much ado about nothing” would cleverly cover US – UNAMI dogged obligations in face of any humanitarian tragedy for the 3400 of Camp Ashraf.
It would be a far more “crime” to accomplice readers into a “Crime against Humanity” and “sin” than any alleged financial controversy.
The main issue which is being submerged under this entire anti-MEK blitz is that the Washington appeals court on Monday gave the US government until March 26 to examine quickly a request by the main Iranian opposition group to be taken off a US terror blacklist, which is causing immediate threat and deaths to their families and members.
In a conference recently Governor Tom Ridge had this to say:
“You will not silence us. Whoever is responsible has a moment of quiet reflection, I suggest that they just take a look at the Constitution of the United States, the Bill of Rights, and particularly take a look at that first amendment. It’s called freedom of speech, the same freedom of speech that the men and women of MEK aspire to under the leadership of Mrs. Rajavi, the same freedom of speech that democratic opposition throughout Iran aspire to. at the end of the day we will continue to stand on the right side of history with the people of MEK, the freedom-loving people of MEK at Liberty and Ashraf until they are resettled.
Mayor Rudi Giuliani reacted to the hsosh posh of the “treasurey” hunt :
“Speaking for myself and so many of my colleagues, that anonymous, cowardly sources in the State Department or elsewhere who unknowingly are doing the bidding of the mullahs don’t frighten me, won’t stop me, won’t stop any of us, ever.”
Former High Judge Michael Mukasey also commented on the “anonymous” comments recently used in mysterious press campaigns:
“It’s a funny thing about anonymous sources, what are they afraid of? They must be afraid of something. They’re afraid to have their names used. Look at the timing. The MEK tells the State Department and the Justice Department, “You know, you’ve been dragging your feet long enough with this designation. We’re going to go into court.” They gave them not only advanced notice that they’re going to do it, they gave them an advanced copy of the papers they were going to file. And they disclosed the names of the people. Mayor Giuliani, Tom Ridge, others, many others, who would have also filed paper in court as friends of the court, telling them on the basis of our experience and our knowledge—many people on that brief directly involved in national security affairs—that there is no basis, no reason for that designation. They were told that in advance. And lo and behold a couple days later subpoenas get served on the speaker agencies that send those people out to express their views.”
To be used or allowed to mislead the public into bogus issues in order to cover the main highlight is unethical and unprincipled modus operandi by Foreign Policy, which boasts of “FP's award-winnings” only, serves to pave the way for another massacre of the residents in satisfaction of the Iranian clerical fascists.
Annotations:
Sin : http://news.yahoo.com/bipartisan-political-leaders-urge-removal-mek-terrorist-list-043208692.html
Washington Appeal Court : http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jst73NnEgd_19BuKsuM85Ag1OBYg
Michael Mukasey: http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/256689/mek-not-terrorist-group-michael-b-mukasey-tom-ridge-and-frances-fragos-townsend
Gov.Tom Ridge: http://www.ncr-iran.org/en/news/ashraf/11831-governor-tom-ridge-we-cant-be-silenced-
Mayor Giuliani : http://www.ncr-iran.org/en/news/ashraf/11830-mayor-rudi-giuliani-anonymous-cowardly-sources-who-unknowingly-are-doing-the-bidding-of-the-mullahs-dont-frighten-me-
Saturday, 24 March 2012
iran elections @whitehouse Apologies to US Supporters of MEK: Never Support Democracy http://bit.ly/FVc4on Side with Mullahs and Tyrants for Immunity in US Elections
iran press elections Bipartisan Leaders Urge Removal of MEK from FTO;Denounce Attempt to Silence State Department Policy Critics http://bit.ly/GLbayP With a federal appeals court deadline looming for the U.S. State Department to answer why it has defied earlier court rulings requiring review of a decision to maintain the main Iranian opposition movement, the Mujahedin-e Khaq (MEK) on the terrorist list, top former US officials and Members of Congress are urging the Department to remove the group immediately
iran press elections Bipartisan Leaders Urge Removal of MEK from FTO;Denounce Attempt to Silence State Department Policy Critics http://bit.ly/GLbayP
iran press elections Bipartisan Leaders Urge Removal of MEK from FTO;Denounce Attempt to Silence State Department Policy Critics http://bit.ly/GLbayP
Monday, 19 March 2012, 2:45 pm
Article: Steffen Hues
Apologies to US Supporters of MEK: Never Support Democracy and Freedom
Side with Mullahs and Tyrants for Immunity in US Elections
by Steffen Hues
March 15, 2012
What could be the reason for Nazi style defamation against certain line of US politicians who have spoken for basic American values: Democracy and Independence?
They are either driven by expedient actions guided primarily by self-interested motives for election or misguided policy steered from Tehran.
President Obama’s campaign mottos included “Organize for change and "Help me take back America". These embrace values embedded in the American Revolution for independence and democracy from British “Illegitimate tyranny” during the 17 century. If “change” and “American values” are still watchwords of the Administration, then it is unequivocal to presume any person “friend or foe” advocating and paying the price to promote them is a staunch.
Read article
The
infightings within regime still flaring: khamenei trying to curb situation
every step of the way
The Clerics
Supreme leader has been pre-occupied trying to keep the infightings of within
its ranks and hierarchy subtle so prevent any pretexts for uprisings and
protests. The society is potentially explosive: none of the so called economic
plans of Ahmadinejad have worked, the infightings and differences within the
ranks (loyalist conservatives to khamenei ; the perseverance front (Ahmadinejad and
Mashaii) , and the remaining so called reformers such as Rafsanjani) have been
displayed in official TV broadcasts of the Majlis during Ahmadinjeads’ recent
impeachment procedure which was reformed into a “questionnaire”.
Khamenei
chose his Expediency Council. Once again he appointed Rafsanjani ( one of the
wealthiest clerics in the hierarchy) as the head , but discharged previous
members such as cleric Imami Kashani,Mir hossein Moussavi, Mohammad Hashemi (Rafsanjai’s
brother) and cleric Rei Shahri. He instead appointed Mahmoud hashemi sharoodi,
cleric Iraqi, cleric Mesbah Moghadam, RGC Commander Saffar harandi, RGC
commander Vahidi and a number of others in the same ranks as the new members.
It is
most probable that Khamanei’s volatile situation does not allow him to rid
Rafsanjani off his back. He desperately needs to keep the splitting factions
weak and close to him, keep an open door as to control what is happening under
his feet.
Ahmadinejad’s
so called impeachment in the Iranian Parliament:
Ahmadinejad
mocked parliament and supreme Leader
As reported
in official papers the whole staged TV show was in favor of Rafsanjani , while
Ahmadinejad fired back at some of his personal rivals in the Majilis in his
answers.
The
impeachment was modified into “10questionnaire” because the supreme leader was
trying to prevent an outburst of blatant fighting in the Majilis which would
most probably give way to notorious corruption of the hierarchy and weaken his
structure. The wuestions included his management of the economy, his defiance
of the Supreme Leader and even his views on the hijab and Islam.
There had
been a petition before the show but it seems many of the signatories withdrew
their signatures and this changed impeachment into a modest questionnaire which
was given to him two weeks earlier. The members who withdrew were encouraged by
the supreme leader to do so in order to keep the “open battle of fractions” in
a low profile.
As agreed
by many and as reflected by pro-khamenei loyalists in the Majilis in angry
protests; Ahmadinejads replies were only to mock and under estimate the questionnaire.
Some of those who did dare to enter the dogfight poured their thoughts into
outbursts on the parliament floor; “How dares he to insult the Majlis and the
leadership in such audience” said one conservative loyalist.
In return
Ahmadinejad who is known for his bad manors and zero culture and ethics, was
very rude in tone and frank in examples he put forth to the parliament. In
other words he turned the questionnaires into an impeachment of the Majlis
members while mocking them most of the time.
Therefore
the supreme leader in such staged formality was able to keep the infightings at
the lowest possible, while keeping the structure in parts attached.
A
point of reminder: When we refer to members of Iranian parliament, bear in mind that most
of these appointed members have a history of genocide and corruption and are
mostly members of the Revolutionary Guards Corps, or the retired section of the
corrupted Cartel.
A book
in Farsi had been printed some years ago which I read, describing each one of
the members with their astonishing crimes during the 1980s.
Last
Wednesday of the New Iranian Year: firecrackers festivities
The Fire Festival
(Charshanbeh Suri) in cities across Iran became the scene of protest
and expressing outrage of the regime.
At the same time, widespread dissatisfaction
has been the centre of activities of the resistance during the “fire”
festivities. The “reddening of last Wednesday” which is originally a Zorostian
ceremony but has been kept for centuries, has been banned by the clerics.
Nevertheless, it allows excuse for gathering and also mocking the security
forces of the clerics who are almost in constant battle presence in most main
cities of Iran.
Despite lack
of access to free Internet and the presence of an organized “Internet police”
under the supervision of the Special Revolutionary Guards Corps, people have
been able to send reports of the festivities carried out.
In twitter
@iraniscc reports from the scene :
13 Mar@iraniscc: Despite the plan by regime to have very low
profile this year, no news out , still people are going against them.
13 Mar@iraniscc:Shiraz
youth used tactic of small home made fireworks “taraghe” to scare sec patrol
cars.
13 Mar@iraniscc: Esfahan Charbaghpayeen area: fight between Basijs and security unites over
incompetence to disperse youth.
13 Mar@iraniscc:Esfahan, security
seemed low profile but present.They tried to keep distance from youth.
13 Mar@iraniscc:Esfahan roads
leading to kohsofeh are either blocked by security and parked busses in order
to stop people from going there for 4shanbe soori (fire festivities)
13 Mar@iraniscc: Esfahan in
one place under marnoon, youth exploded sound grenade bridge cause huge echo in
area.
13 Mar@iraniscc:Esfahan despite
the fact that people are recognized by
security guards, many turn out near marnoon &park leading to it
13 Mar@iraniscc:Tehran
the mere presence of people for charshanbe soori (fire festivities) scares the Bassijis to
parts.
13 Mar@iraniscc-Tehran
families in park Baharestan bullies by security to drift off. But still they
are there (to continue with the fire ceremony)
13 Mar@iranisccTehran people are only
walking in numbers. They tried to put up flares but security was high.
13 Mar @iraniscc:Tehran In Amirieh a big
explosion was reported :youth used fire extinguisher to frighten off the sec
car near by
13 Mar@iraniscc: In Tehran : Narmak area
people chant : Sid ali (Mocking name of the Supreme leader) you are the next in
line
A film sent out on You tube in which people,
while using the opportunity of festivities chant anti-government slogans
It has been
reported that in Tehran,
numerous districts people successfully carried out the ceremonies and despite
regular patrolling of security, they refrained from confrontation with the
chants. These areas were: In Pakdasht region, in Nazi Abad, Khani Abad and
Tehran Bazaar, In Ferdowsi and Geisha and Vanak Squares, Mehrabad, Narmak,
Tehran Pars, and Poonak Shemiran areas, Hakimiyeh, GHaleh Hassan Khan, Towhid Square,
Molawi, Dowlat Abad, Golestan, Roodhen and Mahalat.
In other
cities the same pattern followed.
Hangings and death
tolls and execution orders:
Unfortunately in
the past week only at leas 15 people have been hanged (3 sisters included) for
various reasons. Some of the MEK family members and also arrested independent students
and teachers have been charged with MOHAREBE (being anti-God) which is a death
sentence. They await their fate. The bitter irony is that the regime allows
prison guards to demand money from families of those hanged in exchange for
their corps.
Two of those hanged
have been Afghan nationals (Gholam sarani, Gol Ahmad heidari).
Response from the Natonal Council of Resistance of Iran
Editor's note: The following reponse to this article was received after publication from Shahin Gobadi, a spokesman for the Nationa Council of Resistance of Iran.
The claim that the Mujahedin-e Khalq (PMOI/MEK) had any role in the assassination of Iranian nuclear scientists and the claim of the PMOI/MEK cooperation with Mossad is a sheer lie without even a scintilla of truth.
The National Council of Resistance of Iran has repeatedly denied the baseless allegation of playing a role in the assassination of Iranian nuclear scientists. The primary source of this baseless allegation has been the propaganda machine of the Iranian regime and its officials. The last MEK denial was on January 11, 2012. Faced with tightening sanctions, growing internal and international isolation, the prospect of losing its strategic ally in Syria and growing internecine internal feuding, the clerical regime is paranoid about the prospect of delisting of the MEK by the U.S. Department of State. As such, it resorts to any fabrication and fairy tales, including the one that has been rehashed by NBC, to prevent the delisting of the MEK.
The Iranian Resistance revealed last year that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei had ordered a special unit of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) to liquidate any managers or experts in nuclear projects if it detected that they are distancing themselves from the regime or intend to leave the country. He also said that the killings should be blamed on the MEK, the U.S., Israeli operatives or “world arrogance”.
On January 7, Fereydoon Abbassi, the Director of Atomic Organization of Iran, referred to widespread dissatisfaction among the regime's nuclear experts and told IRGC-run Fars news agency: "One should not lose site of the fact that just as we had deserters during the war, there are those scientists who refrain from cooperating with nuclear projects in order to maintain their international ties... Of course, we have never been worried and are not worried about this issue since there are plenty of human resources and experts in the country. At the moment, there is greater demand for activity in nuclear projects than there is the possibility.” He predicted curiously that since the enemy cannot prevent the entry of science in Iran, "it resorts to assassinating Iranian scientists."
The totally fabricated story on the MEK is nothing but rehash of the thread-bare and baseless propaganda by the clerical regime. It gets repeated for a sole political objective: To justify the illegal, immoral, and baseless continuation of terrorist designation of the MEK by the State Department. A listing that is totally discredited, punctured from all directions and is on its death bed. It should be reiterated that no fantasy story such as the one by NBC and remarks by anonymous officials who according to the article make vague comments such as "all your inclinations are correct," cannot provide last minute oxygen to keep this listing alive.
The DC Federal Appeals Court ruled on July 2010 that there were no credible evidence on this listing and all of the documents provided by the State Department had been heresy and uncorroborated. It said their sources were unknown or suspect and some were in and of themselves implausible. Thus, the court ordered the State Department to review this listing. More than 100 members of Congress, including Representative Mike Rogers (R-MI), Chairman of the House Select Committee on Intelligence, in a rare bipartisan initiative called for revoking of the listing. Dozens of the most senior national security officials of the past four administrations have joined this campaign.
Contrary to the claim of the article, this rare consensus, as has been stipulated by the most senior national security officials of the past four administrations, is because there exists no evidence and document connecting the MEK with terrorism and the US government has not been able to provide even a single document to this effect.
It is not a coincidence that the main source of this story, similar to the shows broadcast by mullahs on their state TVs, is Mohammad Javad Larijani, who has been introduced as advisor to Ali Khamanei.
The main mission of Larijani, who in fact has been one the ideologues of the ruling dictatorship, is to justify at the international stage the brutal suppression, public hangings and stoning to death of Iranian people by the clerical regime.
Blaming others for what oneself does, is one of the main attributes of Iranian regime and its officials. In fact, Larijani is the same person that on 1990 officially declared that the only means for the survival of the clerical regime was to expand its fundamentalist brand of Islam other Islamic countries. It is clear that the main means of this expansion has been export of terrorism, and fundamentalism.
The unfounded nature of these allegation become all the more clear if one recalls the claim about MEK's cooperation with the Ramzi Yousef for bombing Imam Reza Shrine in Mashad in 1994. This allegation amounts to defamation and could be pursued legally. The MEK has never had any contact or connection to Ramzi Yousef. It is very telling that when this tragic bombing took place on June 20, 1994, Ali Khamenei, personally attributed the bombing to the MEK, something the MEK flatly denied at the time. A few years later, during the regime's factional feuding, a former member of the regime's Ministry of Intelligence (MOIS) revealed that the bombing had been perpetrated by the MOIS and in particular by Saeed Emami faction, then a deputy of the MOIS.
Shahin Gobadi, National Council of Resistance of Iran, Paris, February 9, 2012
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