Arrest of Members of the People's Mujahedin Organization by French Police - 2003-06-17

Today, Tuesday, the French police conducted a large-scale operation against members of the People's Mujahedin Organization in Paris, arresting 165 individuals, including Maryam Rajavi, who is recognized by the Mujahedin as the President of Iran. The order for these prosecutions was issued by the famous anti-terrorism judge, Jean-Louis Bruguiere. Reports indicate that over 1,200 police officers participated in this operation across thirteen locations. In one of these operations, police reportedly raided the European headquarters of the Mujahedin in 'Auvers-sur-Oise' in northern Paris, resulting in the overall arrest of 165 Mujahedin members. The United States and the European Union classify the People's Mujahedin Organization as a terrorist organization. However, this is the first time French authorities have arrested individuals from this organization. The French police stated that they seized large amounts of computers and computer materials, along with approximately one million dollars in cash from the Mujahedin. French Ministry of Interior officials stated that the anti-terrorism judge has classified the Mujahedin as a criminal organization whose goal is to orchestrate terrorist operations and fund terrorist activities. Ali Safavi, a spokesperson for the Mujahedin in London, claimed these accusations against the Mujahedin are baseless. He told reporters via phone that the French police raid was an act to appease the fundamentalist regime in Iran. The People's Mujahedin Organization has been active for over twenty years to overthrow the Tehran regime and had an army within Iraqi territory. French officials stated that Maryam Rajavi, the wife of Massoud Rajavi, the Mujahedin leader, who was declared by the Mujahedin as the future President of Iran in 1993, is among those arrested. The Mujahedin played a role in the Islamic Revolution of 1979 to bring Ayatollah Khomeini to power but later became disfavored by the Islamic regime that had solidified its grip on power in Iran. The Mujahedin were brutally suppressed by the Iranian clerical government. The leaders of the Mujahedin fled to France but were expelled in 1986 and sought refuge with Saddam Hussein, the former dictator of Iraq, finding sanctuary and a base in Iraq. Following the military operations against Saddam led by the United States, the Mujahedin ceased hostilities with coalition forces and surrendered their weapons to U.S. forces. In Tehran, a spokesperson for the Islamic Republic's Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the arrest of Mujahedin leaders in France as a positive step and urged France to treat the detainees as terrorists.