Prominent British politician : European Terror list to appease Iran

Lord Russel-Johnston, the honorary president to the Liberal group in the Council of Europe says that the exiled Iranian opposition, People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran, has been included in Europe’s terror organization’s list as a measure meant to appease the regime in Iran, Danish daily Politiken reported.
Politiken, June 24, 2007 -A prominent British politician says that the exiled Iranian opposition that has exposed this countries uranium enrichment program has been entered into EU’s terror list.  “Some believe Iran would abandon its uranium enrichment,” he added.

Lord Russel-Johnston, the honorary president to the Liberal group in the European Council says that the exiled Iranian opposition, People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran, has been included in Europe’s terror organization’s list despite exposing Iran’s clandestine uranium enrichment program.  This is the result of an agreement between Iran, the UK and EU and they were included without being presented with any reasons.

Lord Russel-Johnston says, “Jack Straw, Former British Foreign Secretary has confessed in a television interview that the Iranian regime pressured him to put MKO in the British terror list and the British played a major roll in including the MKO in European Union’s terror list in 2002.  Dictators always use such tactics but the fact that this happens in European democracies is alarming.”

“Some believe that this can help so Iranians would shutdown their uranium enrichment.  You may be able to reach a compromise with a dictator but with the mullahs who consider themselves gods, you will not succeed.”

Russell-Johnston was member of a delegation by National Council of Resistance of Iran to meet the European Committee of the Parliament, Friday.  He underlined the roll that this committee has which the other countries in the EU lack.  

Russell-Johnston refers to the statement that the committee passed by a majority calling for the implementation of the courts ruling.

According to Russell Johnston the European Committee has set a foundation in Europe.  The Foreign Commission of Italian Parliament and 25 British members of Parliament have called for similar action.

Rune Lund from the Unity List party says, “This is the burial of judicial security.  The court removed this organization from the list but it didn’t take effect.  The government should comply to the majority in Europe.”

Charlotte Antonsen from the ruling Liberal party says, “The European Committee should not discuss whether MKO is terrorist or not.”  She says, “I can not question the opinion of security organization in 27 countries.  But Denmark did serve to lead the effort to ensure adherence to applicable safeguards under law in both the United Nations and the European Union. The court’s ruling in regard’s to the procedural shortcoming and the paucity of their (MKO) views must be adhered to.  We must ensure judicial security even for our worst enemies.”

Charlotte Antonson referred to foreign minister Per Stig Muller’s comment, where he said that the court has only annulled the 2005 EU decision and not the council’s decision to list the organization in the subsequent year.

A number of European parliamentarians consider the council’s decision a confused one, lacking argumentative substance.

On Russell Johnston, who views the decision to list the organization on the terror list as a measure meant to appease the regime in Iran, Charlotte Antonson noted: “It could be true that some European Union nations have such intentions, but our approach here in Denmark has been to address the issue in the context of the fight against terrorism.”

Charlotte adds that those on the list who wish to question the legitimacy of the listing may appeal to the European Courts. This in itself demonstrates that unlike the United States, legal safeguards are in place within the European Union.

Rone Lond notes, “It is rather ridiculous that the council of ministers consider itself a legal decision making body. This is a ludicrous act which combines the authorities of the judiciary with that of the executive branch.

Pouyan Taherloo from Iranian Democratic Committee says, “The unjust terrorist label on the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran effectually serves as a cover for mullah’s atrocious oppression of the Iranian people.  The council of minister’s decision demonstrates that there actually is no legal merit in EU’s continued support for the listing.”

Twenty five thousand people from Denmark have signed documents asking their government to follow the European Union’s rule by removing the MKO from the list of terrorist organizations.

NCRI representative in Denmark, Elahe Azim-Far noted, “We hope that the European committee uses its democratic rights and powers, asking the ministers to veto the European Union’s decision to maintain the MKO on the list of terrorist organizations.”

It appears however, that MKO’s continued listing will be reaffirmed by the Environmental Ministers in their upcoming July 28th meeting.

“The fact that the decision on this issue is on the Environmental Ministers agenda points to absurdity of the reasons behind it,” adds Russell-Johnston.