U.S. Closes Offices, Freezes Assets of Iranian Opposition Group

[NNN0LHI]

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGAAPW6REJD.html

WASHINGTON (AP) - Secretary of State Colin Powell ordered the closure of two offices in the United States connected to an Iranian opposition group, the State Department announced Friday. He also ordered their assets frozen.

The Washington-based representative of the group, the National Council of Resistance of Iran, accused the Bush administration of giving in to demands of the Iranian government, part of President Bush's "axis of evil."

Treasury Department spokesman Taylor Griffin said that nearly $100,000 in financial assets belonging to the group was found in the United States and was frozen. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control carried out Powell's blocking order.

The State Department has considered the Mujahedeen Khalq a terrorist organization since the Clinton administration. The U.S. government says the group, known as the MEK and People's Mujahedeen, is the same as National Council of Resistance, although some resistance officials say they are only close affiliates.

It has been allowed to operate in the United States, where it often holds press conferences near the White House to accuse Iran of making weapons of mass destruction and supporting terrorists.

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[greatauntoftriplets]

1. The next war is coming.

Question is when.

[NNN0LHI]

2. These people are comparable to Chalabi and his opposition group

They used to be the wingnuts best friends. Iran demanded this to be done, and the US complied with the demand.

Don

[indictrichardperle]

3. without these phony front groups

it would be just Perle, Wolfowitz, Feith and Ledeen out front demanding an invasion of Iran/Iraq.......that wouldnt sell.


The OSP(they have changed their name now) has to be pissed about this, this is good news. :D

[Paschall]

6. Well, Don, the US certainly waited long enough

Remember when the French arrested about two dozen of this group's members near Paris a few weeks ago (remember those immolations in London, Paris and Berne?), they seized $9 million in cash. Only $100,000 in the US seizure? I suspect they knew this was coming and shuttled their cash to safer havens.

[NNN0LHI]

4. Look at this

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/nation/5598418.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp

Support waning for controversial Iran rebel group

BY FRANK DAVIES
[e-mail]

WASHINGTON - An Iranian opposition group whose military arm was sheltered by Saddam Hussein and attacked by U.S. forces is spurring intense debate on Capitol Hill, with Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Miami as one of its chief defenders.

The National Council of Resistance, known for its articulate, well-financed lobbying efforts, once attracted the support of 220 House members and John Ashcroft before he became attorney general. Members of the group made sizable contributions to incumbents in the 1990s.

The group portrayed itself as the leading movement of exiles taking on the militant anti-American mullahs who have ruled Iran since 1979.

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[indictrichardperle]

5. gee, i wonder who is funding them ?

that is sickening. Im sure the Iranian people just cant wait to be "liberated" just like Iraq....:puke:

Ledeen, Perle and Wolfowitz are really so concerned about Iranian freedom arent they ? Maybe they should concentrate on freedom for the women and children in the west bank ?.....no i didnt think so.

[Aidoneus]

7. a longer history of the group

very interesting, details the origins and opportunistic ideological shifts of the group since its creation (and a bit before that)..
http://www.wsws.org/articles/2000/sep2000/iran-s14.shtml