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Islamic Human Rights Commission
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27th April 2003

Press Release: IHRC concern as US redefines terrorism to support banned group.
UK & US aiding terrorism through tacit support of banned Mujahedin-e-Khalq Organisation (MKO) terror group.

IHRC is deeply concerned at the latest inconsistent application of the definition of terrorism used by the US and its allies. A ceasefire was called last week between US forces in Iraq and the Mujahedin-e-Khalq Organisation (MKO), an anti-Iranian group responsible for attacks including bombings around the world, which have resulted in the deaths of thousands of civilians.

The MKO were trained and funded in large part by the Saddam Hussein regime and were until the ceasefire enemy combatants. IHRC expresses its concern that in addition to the ceasefire, the MKO have been allowed to retain their weapons. This continuing blind-eye shown by the US and UK governments towards MKO activities within their borders and in US-administered Iraq exhibits not only a shameful lack of consistency but a complete deficit of ethical motivation.

IHRC fears that firstly, the MKO will be granted carte blanche the freedom to continue its terror activities. Secondly the message it will send out to the wider Middle East in this critical period. The US is prepared to act against Ansar al-Islam and other Islamists. However it is positively hesitant to take any action against MKO terror camps within Iraq, despite MKO’s long-established status as a proxy of the Saddam regime.

IHRC notes that both the UK and US have designated the MKO as a terror organisation (i). Indeed the MKO further participated in Saddam’s brutal crushing of the post-Gulf War Kurdish and Shia civilian uprisings.

For further information please contact the Press Officer on (+44) 20 8902 0888 or (+44) 7958 522 196, email: info@ihrc.org.

Islamic Human Rights Commission
PO Box 598
Wembley
HA9 7XH
United Kingdom

Telephone (+44) 20 8902 0888
Fax (+44) 20 8902 0889
Email info@ihrc.org
Web www.ihrc.org

(i) On 8 October 1997, the U.S. Secretary of State designated MKO as amongst 30 foreign terrorist organisations that “engage in terrorist activities that threaten the security of U.S. nationals or the national security of the United States”. The British government under the ‘Terrorism Act 2000 (Proscribed Organisations) (Amendment) Order 2001’, banned MKO as a terror organisation.