Exclusive: Biden Administration Supports Albania's Right to Investigate 'Possible Illegal Activities on Its Soil'

A U.S. official told Voice of America that the Albanian police assured the Biden administration that they acted according to the law, and the Biden administration supports Albania's legal right to investigate the possibility of illegal activities on its soil. A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department stated on Tuesday, June 20, that it appears the Albanian police's entry into the Ashraf camp was to execute a court order, and the police assured the U.S. that they acted in accordance with the law. The spokesperson mentioned that the Biden administration supports Albania's right to investigate potential illegal activities within its territory. The Albanian police reported that hundreds of officers entered Camp Ashraf 3, which hosts members of the Mujahedin-e Khalq, based on a directive from the country's Special Prosecutor's Office. The Albanian Ministry of Interior also stated that no one was killed during the police operation, while the National Council of Resistance of Iran reported one death. According to the Albanian section of Voice of America, the police announced that this operation was aimed at thoroughly inspecting all internal spaces and offices. The report indicated that the order for these inspections was based on suspicions of organized cyberattacks against other countries. The Albanian Ministry of Interior later accused the Mujahedin-e Khalq of violating the agreement regarding the settlement of its members in the country. The ministry stated, 'The court's decision is a direct result of actions that directly violate the agreement and commitments of the Mujahedin since 2014, when they were settled in Albania for humanitarian reasons. Unfortunately, this group has not adhered to these commitments and has violated the agreement.' According to the Albanian Ministry of Interior, there was resistance against the police, which was performing its duties, within the camp, which 'is a violation of the law.' The report also mentioned that members of the Mujahedin-e Khalq and their lawyer spoke of police violence and the use of tear gas and rubber batons. A lawyer for the Mujahedin-e Khalq stated that several injured individuals were treated at the camp hospital, and one person died due to the violence. The Albanian Ministry of Interior rejected these claims, emphasizing that 'there were no fatalities or injuries during this operation. All claims regarding fatalities in the hospital where they reside are under investigation.' Meanwhile, it has been reported that over 15 injured individuals are being treated in hospitals in Tirana, the capital of Albania. In contrast, according to a statement from the National Council of Resistance of Iran, following the actions of the Albanian police, Ali Moshtashari, a member of the Mujahedin-e Khalq, was killed, and over 100 individuals were injured due to pepper spray. The council described the behavior of the Albanian police as 'reminiscent of the criminal attacks by Maliki's forces on Ashraf in Iraq between 2009 and 2015.' This statement refers to the attacks by Iraqi forces on the Mujahedin-e Khalq's base in Iraq, during which about 100 members of the Mujahedin-e Khalq were killed and hundreds were injured. The council urged 'the U.S. government and the United Nations, which have repeatedly guaranteed the security and health of Ashraf residents,' to condemn this 'criminal and barbaric behavior and provide the necessary guarantees to prevent these illegal actions that violate many international treaties, including the Refugee Convention, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the European Convention on Human Rights.' Ali Safavi, a member of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, stated in a written response to Voice of America regarding the Albanian police's attack on Camp Ashraf 3, 'This was a brutal attack. They invaded the women's resting area. During this attack, one member of the Mujahedin was killed, and over a hundred were severely injured, some of whom are in a coma, and the Albanian government shamelessly talks about a court order?' He added, 'The price of these shameful concessions has always been paid by the people and the resistance of Iran over the past 40 years, with executions and repression. It has reached a point where the West, by conceding to this medieval regime, has extended terrorism to its own soil.' Safavi emphasized, 'Do not forget that just recently, the Belgian government, by violating its own constitutional court ruling and disregarding the most basic principles and values of Europe and the rule of law, handed over a terrorist who intended to commit a mass murder to the regime.'