HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK ---------------------------
> > Ashcroft’s Baghdad Connection > > Why the attorney general and others in Washington have backed a terror group > with ties to Iraq > > > > By Michael Isikoff > NEWSWEEK WEB EXCLUSIVE > > > > Sept. 26 — When the White House released its Sept. 12 “white paper” > detailing Saddam Hussein’s “support for international terrorism,” it caused > more than a little discomfort in some quarters of Washington. > > > > THE 27-PAGE DOCUMENT—entitled “A Decade of Deception and Defiance”—made no > mention of any Iraqi ties to Osama bin Laden. But it did highlight Saddam’s > backing of the Mujahedin-e Khalq Organization (MKO), an obscure Iranian > dissident group that has gathered surprising support among members of > Congress in past years. One of those supporters, the documents show, is a > top commander in President Bush’s war on terrorism: Attorney General John > Ashcroft, who became involved with the MKO while a Republican senator from > Missouri. > The case of Ashcroft and the MKO shows just how murky fighting > terrorism can sometimes get. State Department officials first designated the > MKO a “foreign terrorist organization” in 1997, accusing the Baghdad-based > group of a long series of bombings, guerilla cross-border raids and targeted > assassinations of Iranian leaders. Officials say the MKO—which originally > fought to overthrow the Shah of Iran—was linked to the murder of several > U.S. military officers and civilians in Iran in the 1970s. “They have an > extremely bloody history,” says one U.S. counterterrorism official. > > But the MKO, which commands an army of 30,000 from bases inside > Iraq, has tried to soften its image in recent years—in part with strong > backing from politically active Iranian-Americans in the United States. The > MKO operates in Washington out of a small office in the National Press > Building under the name the National Council of Resistance of Iran. > According to the State Department, the National Council of Resistance is a > “front” for the MKO; in 1999, the National Council itself was placed on the > State Department terrorist list. But National Council officials adamantly > deny their group has earned the terror label and have aggressively portrayed > itself to Washington lawmakers as a “democratic” alternative to a repressive > Iranian regime that itself is one of the world’s leading sponsors of > terrorism. “You’re talking about a really popular movement,” says Alireza > Jafarzadeh, the National Council’s chief Washington spokesman, who insists > that the MKO “targets only military targets.” > Only two years ago, these arguments won sympathy from Ashcroft—and > more than 200 other members of Congress. When the National Council of > Resistance staged a September 2000 rally outside the United Nations to > protest a speech by Iranian President Mohammed Khatami, Missouri’s two > Republican senators—Ashcroft and Chris Bond—issued a joint statement of > solidarity that was read aloud to a cheering crowd. A delegation of about > 500 Iranians from Missouri attended the event—and a picture of a smiling > Ashcroft was later included in a color briefing book used by MKO officials > to promote their cause on Capitol Hill. Ashcroft was hardly alone. Among > those who actually appeared at the rally and spoke on the group’s behalf was > one of its leading congressional supporters: Democratic New Jersey Sen. Bob > Torricelli. > That same year, Senator Ashcroft wrote a letter to Attorney General > Janet Reno protesting the detention of an Iranian woman, Mahnaz Samadi, who > was a leading spokeswoman for the National Council of Resistance. The case > quickly became a cause celebre for the MKO and its supporters in the United > States. > U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service agents had arrested > Samadi at the Canadian border, charging her with failing to disclose her > past “terrorist” ties as an MKO “military commander”—including spending > seven months in a MKO military-training camp inside Iraq—when she sought > political asylum in the United States several years earlier, according to > court documents obtained by NEWSWEEK. > Senator Ashcroft saw the case differently. In his May 10, 2000, > letter to Reno, the Missouri lawmaker expressed “concern” about the > detention, calling Samadi a “highly regarded human-rights activist” and a > “powerful voice for democracy.” (As part of a later settlement with the INS, > Samadi admitted her membership in MKO but denied that she personally > participated in any “terrorist activity.” While her grant of political > asylum was revoked, the INS dropped its deportation proceedings and she was > permitted to remain in the United States.) > Alireza Jafarzadeh, the National Council’s top Washington lobbyist, > said he had “several” meetings with Ashcroft aides about the matter and that > he “certainly” viewed the Missouri senator as a supporter of his group. But > backers of the MKO acknowledge the real lobbying was done by > Iranian-Americans in Missouri who wrote letters and made repeated phone > calls on Samadi’s behalf. How much Ashcroft got personally involved isn’t > clear. A Justice Department spokeswoman told NEWSWEEK that Ashcroft’s letter > to Reno was the result of a “straightforward, constituent-type inquiry,” > adding that the current attorney general would never “knowingly” back any > terrorist group. When he signed the joint statement with Bond that was read > at the National Council rally at the United Nations, Ashcroft did not > “intend to endorse any organization,” the spokeswoman, Barbara Comstock, > said. “He was supporting democracy and freedom in Iran,” she said. Comstock > said Ashcroft currently has “no problem” prosecuting all U.S.-based terror > groups, including the MKO. > Ashcroft isn’t the only one now distancing himself from the MKO. The > Senate’s most aggressive promotor of the MKO for years has been Bob > Torricelli, who in recent years has circulated numerous letters among his > colleagues—including one as recently as last year—describing the MKO as a > “legitimate” alternative to the repressive Iranian mullahs and urging that > the group be taken off the State Department terrorist list. Torricelli told > NEWSWEEK he saw his support for the group as a way of putting pressure on > the Iranian regime. “They [the MKO] were the only game in town,” he said. > But Torricelli also said last week said he would no longer push the group’s > cause after getting hammered over the issue by his GOP opponent, Doug > Forrester, who accused Torricelli of receiving more than $100,000 in > campaign contributions from Iranian-Americans who supported the group. > (Torricelli aides say the amount is exaggerated and that others, including > some leading Republicans, have also received contributions from some of the > same Iranian-Americans.) As a result of the September 11 attacks and new > concerns about any allegations of terrorism, Bond also has put his backing > for the group “in abeyance,” an aide said. > > Much of the new skittishness among MKO’s congressional backers also > stems from the decision by the Bush White House to emphasize the connections > between MKO and Saddam. It isn’t the first time this was done. Former > Clinton administration official Martin Indyk, who served as assistant > secretary of State for Near Eastern affairs in 1997, told NEWSWEEK that one > of the reasons the group was put on the terrorism list in the first place > was part of a “two-pronged” strategy that included ratcheting up pressure on > Saddam. Like the Bush White House, the Clinton administration was eager to > highlight Iraqi ties to terrorism and had collected extensive evidence of > Saddam providing logistical support to the MKO in the aftermath of the > Iran-Iraq War. (The MKO’s headquarters are located on a heavily guarded > street in central Baghdad.) But the United States could find no other hard > evidence linking Saddam to terror groups, Indyk said. “That was about all we > had on [Saddam] when it came to terrorism,” Indyk told NEWSWEEK. > National-security adviser Condoleezza Rice said in an interview > Wednesday on PBS’s “The NewsHour” that the United States had new evidence > from “high-ranking detainees” that Iraq has provided “some training to Al > Qaeda in chemical-weapons development.” But a top U.S. law-enforcement > official recently cast some doubt about the strength of the evidence > connecting Saddam and Al Qaeda, telling NEWSWEEK there is far more > substantial evidence that Iran was harboring top Al Qaeda leaders.) > The other “prong” in the Clinton strategy that led to the inclusion > of the MKO on the terrorist list was White House interest in opening up a > dialogue with the Iranian government. At the time, President Khatami had > recently been elected and was seen as a moderate. Top administration > officials saw cracking down on the MKO—which the Iranians had made clear > they saw as a menace—as one way to do so. Still, Indyk said the basic > decision to label the MKO as terrorists could be justified anyway. “Yes, > they’re bad guys,” he told NEWSWEEK. “But no—they’re not targeting us.” > > Indyk’s comments lend partial support to one of the main contentions > of MKO and its congressional supporters: that geopolitical strategy—a tilt > toward Iran—was an important factor in the State Department decision to > accuse MKO of terrorism. “They wanted to appease the Iranian regime,” said > Jafarzadeh, the National Council of Resistance lobbyist. > Still, the Justice Department appears only to be stepping up > investigations into MKO members. Early last year, the FBI broke up a ring of > Iranians who were raising money at the Los Angeles airport under the guise > of helping suffering children when, according to a court complaint, they > were routing the funds to the MKO. (A federal judge recently tossed the case > out of court, but the Justice Department is appealing.) Then, last December, > FBI agents showed up at the home of Jafarzadeh. Armed with a search warrant, > the agents hauled away boxes of documents, including files on the group’s > dealings with members of Congress. One in particular must have gotten the > agents’ attention. It was labeled ASHCROFT. > > © 2002 Newsweek, Inc. > > --------------------------- ANTI-NATO INFORMATION LIST ==^^=============================================================== This email was sent to: archive@jab.org EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.bacIlu Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^^===============================================================
The case of Ashcroft and the =
MKO shows=20
just how murky fighting terrorism can sometimes get. State Department =
officials=20
first designated the MKO a =93foreign terrorist organization=94 in 1997, =
accusing=20
the Baghdad-based group of a long series of bombings, guerilla =
cross-border=20
raids and targeted assassinations of Iranian leaders. Officials say the=20
MKO=97which originally fought to overthrow the Shah of Iran=97was linked =
to the=20
murder of several U.S. military officers and civilians in Iran in the =
1970s.=20
=93They have an extremely bloody history,=94 says one U.S. =
counterterrorism=20
official.
But the MKO, which commands an army =
of 30,000=20
from bases inside Iraq, has tried to soften its image in recent =
years=97in part=20
with strong backing from politically active Iranian-Americans in the =
United=20
States. The MKO operates in Washington out of a small office in the =
National=20
Press Building under the name the National Council of Resistance of =
Iran.=20
According to the State Department, the National Council of Resistance is =
a=20
=93front=94 for the MKO; in 1999, the National Council itself was placed =
on the=20
State Department terrorist list. But National Council officials =
adamantly deny=20
their group has earned the terror label and have aggressively portrayed =
itself=20
to Washington lawmakers as a =93democratic=94 alternative to a =
repressive Iranian=20
regime that itself is one of the world=92s leading sponsors of =
terrorism. =93You=92re=20
talking about a really popular movement,=94 says Alireza Jafarzadeh, the =
National=20
Council=92s chief Washington spokesman, who insists that the MKO =
=93targets only=20
military targets.=94
Only two years ago, =
these=20
arguments won sympathy from Ashcroft=97and more than 200 other members =
of=20
Congress. When the National Council of Resistance staged a September =
2000 rally=20
outside the United Nations to protest a speech by Iranian President =
Mohammed=20
Khatami, Missouri=92s two Republican senators=97Ashcroft and Chris =
Bond=97issued a=20
joint statement of solidarity that was read aloud to a cheering crowd. A =
delegation of about 500 Iranians from Missouri attended the event=97and =
a picture=20
of a smiling Ashcroft was later included in a color briefing book used =
by MKO=20
officials to promote their cause on Capitol Hill. Ashcroft was hardly =
alone.=20
Among those who actually appeared at the rally and spoke on the =
group=92s behalf=20
was one of its leading congressional supporters: Democratic New Jersey =
Sen. Bob=20
Torricelli.
That same year, Senator =
Ashcroft=20
wrote a letter to Attorney General Janet Reno protesting the detention =
of an=20
Iranian woman, Mahnaz Samadi, who was a leading spokeswoman for the =
National=20
Council of Resistance. The case quickly became a cause celebre for the =
MKO and=20
its supporters in the United States.
=
U.S.=20
Immigration and Naturalization Service agents had arrested Samadi at the =
Canadian border, charging her with failing to disclose her past =
=93terrorist=94 ties=20
as an MKO =93military commander=94=97including spending seven months in =
a MKO=20
military-training camp inside Iraq=97when she sought political asylum in =
the=20
United States several years earlier, according to court documents =
obtained by=20
NEWSWEEK.
Senator Ashcroft saw the case=20
differently. In his May 10, 2000, letter to Reno, the Missouri lawmaker=20
expressed =93concern=94 about the detention, calling Samadi a =93highly =
regarded=20
human-rights activist=94 and a =93powerful voice for democracy.=94 (As =
part of a later=20
settlement with the INS, Samadi admitted her membership in MKO but =
denied that=20
she personally participated in any =93terrorist activity.=94 While her =
grant of=20
political asylum was revoked, the INS dropped its deportation =
proceedings and=20
she was permitted to remain in the United States.)
=
=20
Alireza Jafarzadeh, the National Council=92s top Washington =
lobbyist, said=20
he had =93several=94 meetings with Ashcroft aides about the matter and =
that he=20
=93certainly=94 viewed the Missouri senator as a supporter of his group. =
But backers=20
of the MKO acknowledge the real lobbying was done by Iranian-Americans =
in=20
Missouri who wrote letters and made repeated phone calls on Samadi=92s =
behalf. How=20
much Ashcroft got personally involved isn=92t clear. A Justice =
Department=20
spokeswoman told NEWSWEEK that Ashcroft=92s letter to Reno was the =
result of a=20
=93straightforward, constituent-type inquiry,=94 adding that the current =
attorney=20
general would never =93knowingly=94 back any terrorist group. When he =
signed the=20
joint statement with Bond that was read at the National Council rally at =
the=20
United Nations, Ashcroft did not =93intend to endorse any =
organization,=94 the=20
spokeswoman, Barbara Comstock, said. =93He was supporting democracy and =
freedom in=20
Iran,=94 she said. Comstock said Ashcroft currently has =93no problem=94 =
prosecuting=20
all U.S.-based terror groups, including the MKO.
=
=20
Ashcroft isn=92t the only one now distancing himself from the MKO. The =
Senate=92s=20
most aggressive promotor of the MKO for years has been Bob Torricelli, =
who in=20
recent years has circulated numerous letters among his =
colleagues=97including one=20
as recently as last year=97describing the MKO as a =93legitimate=94 =
alternative to the=20
repressive Iranian mullahs and urging that the group be taken off the =
State=20
Department terrorist list. Torricelli told NEWSWEEK he saw his support =
for the=20
group as a way of putting pressure on the Iranian regime. =93They [the =
MKO] were=20
the only game in town,=94 he said. But Torricelli also said last week =
said he=20
would no longer push the group=92s cause after getting hammered over the =
issue by=20
his GOP opponent, Doug Forrester, who accused Torricelli of receiving =
more than=20
$100,000 in campaign contributions from Iranian-Americans who supported =
the=20
group. (Torricelli aides say the amount is exaggerated and that others,=20
including some leading Republicans, have also received contributions =
from some=20
of the same Iranian-Americans.) As a result of the September 11 attacks =
and new=20
concerns about any allegations of terrorism, Bond also has put his =
backing for=20
the group =93in abeyance,=94 an aide said.
Much of the new skittishness among MKO=92s =
congressional backers also stems from the decision by the Bush White =
House to=20
emphasize the connections between MKO and Saddam. It isn=92t the first =
time this=20
was done. Former Clinton administration official Martin Indyk, who =
served as=20
assistant secretary of State for Near Eastern affairs in 1997, told =
NEWSWEEK=20
that one of the reasons the group was put on the terrorism list in the =
first=20
place was part of a =93two-pronged=94 strategy that included ratcheting =
up pressure=20
on Saddam. Like the Bush White House, the Clinton administration was =
eager to=20
highlight Iraqi ties to terrorism and had collected extensive evidence =
of Saddam=20
providing logistical support to the MKO in the aftermath of the =
Iran-Iraq War.=20
(The MKO=92s headquarters are located on a heavily guarded street in =
central=20
Baghdad.) But the United States could find no other hard evidence =
linking Saddam=20
to terror groups, Indyk said. =93That was about all we had on [Saddam] =
when it=20
came to terrorism,=94 Indyk told NEWSWEEK.
=
=20
National-security adviser Condoleezza Rice said in an interview =
Wednesday on=20
PBS=92s =93The NewsHour=94 that the United States had new evidence from =
=93high-ranking=20
detainees=94 that Iraq has provided =93some training to Al Qaeda in =
chemical-weapons=20
development.=94 But a top U.S. law-enforcement official recently cast =
some doubt=20
about the strength of the evidence connecting Saddam and Al Qaeda, =
telling=20
NEWSWEEK there is far more substantial evidence that Iran was harboring =
top Al=20
Qaeda leaders.)
The other =93prong=94 in =
the Clinton=20
strategy that led to the inclusion of the MKO on the terrorist list was =
White=20
House interest in opening up a dialogue with the Iranian government. At =
the=20
time, President Khatami had recently been elected and was seen as a =
moderate.=20
Top administration officials saw cracking down on the MKO=97which the =
Iranians had=20
made clear they saw as a menace=97as one way to do so. Still, Indyk said =
the basic=20
decision to label the MKO as terrorists could be justified anyway. =
=93Yes, they=92re=20
bad guys,=94 he told NEWSWEEK. =93But no=97they=92re not targeting =
us.=94
Still, the Justice Department =
appears=20
only to be stepping up investigations into MKO members. Early last year, =
the FBI=20
broke up a ring of Iranians who were raising money at the Los Angeles =
airport=20
under the guise of helping suffering children when, according to a court =
complaint, they were routing the funds to the MKO. (A federal judge =
recently=20
tossed the case out of court, but the Justice Department is appealing.) =
Then,=20
last December, FBI agents showed up at the home of Jafarzadeh. Armed =
with a=20
search warrant, the agents hauled away boxes of documents, including =
files on=20
the group=92s dealings with members of Congress. One in particular must =
have=20
gotten the agents=92 attention. It was labeled ASHCROFT.
=
=20
=A9 2002 Newsweek,=20
Inc.
