Description
The MEK philosophy mixes Marxism and Islam. Formed in the 1960s, the
organization was expelled from Iran after the Islamic Revolution in 1979, and
its primary support now comes from the Iraqi regime. The MEK’s history is
studded with anti-Western attacks as well as terrorist attacks on the interests
of the clerical regime in Iran and abroad. The MEK now advocates a secular
Iranian regime.
Activities
The worldwide campaign against the Iranian Government stresses propaganda and
occasionally uses terrorist violence. During the 1970s, the MEK killed US
military personnel and US civilians working on defense projects in Tehran and
supported the takeover in 1979 of the US Embassy in Tehran. In 1981, the MEK
detonated bombs in the head office of the Islamic Republic Party and the
Premier’s office, killing some 70 high-ranking Iranian officials, including
chief Justice Ayatollah Mohammad Beheshti, President Mohammad-Ali Rajaei, and
Premier Mohammad-Javad Bahonar. Near the end of the 1980-88 war with Iran,
Baghdad armed the MEK with military equipment and sent it into action against
Iranian forces. In 1991, it assisted the Government of Iraq in suppressing the
Shia and Kurdish uprisings in southern Iraq and the Kurdish uprisings in the
north. Since then, the MEK has continued to perform internal security services
for the Government of Iraq. In April 1992, the MEK conducted near-simultaneous
attacks on Iranian Embassies and installations in 13 countries, demonstrating
the group’s ability to mount large-scale operations overseas. In recent years,
the MEK has targeted key military officers and assassinated the deputy chief of
the Armed Forces General Staff in April 1999. In April 2000, the MEK attempted
to assassinate the commander of the Nasr Headquarters—the interagency board
responsible for coordinating policies on Iraq. The normal pace of anti-Iranian
operations increased during the “Operation Great Bahman” in February 2000, when
the group launched a dozen attacks against Iran. In 2000 and 2001, the MEK was
involved regularly in mortar attacks and hit-and-run raids on Iranian military
and law-enforcement units and government buildings near the Iran-Iraq border,
although MEK terrorism in Iran declined throughout the remainder of 2001. Since
the end of the Iran-Iraq war, the tactics along the border have garnered almost
no military gains and have become commonplace. MEK insurgent activities in
Tehran constitute the biggest security concern for the Iranian leadership. In
February 2000, for example, the MEK launched a mortar attack against the
leadership complex in Tehran that houses the offices of the Supreme Leader and
the President. Assassinated the Iranian Chief of Staff.
Strength
Several thousand fighters are scattered throughout Iraq, and most are organized
in the MEK’s National Liberation Army (NLA). Some NLA units possess tanks,
armored vehicles, and heavy artillery. The MEK also has an overseas support
structure.
Location/Area of Operation
In the 1980s, the MEK’s leaders were forced by Iranian security forces to flee
to France. Since resettling in Iraq in 1987, almost all of its armed units are
currently stationed in fortified bases near the border with Iran. In the
mid-1980s, the group did not mount terrorist operations in Iran at a level
similar to its activities in the 1970s, but by the 1990s the MEK had claimed
credit for an increasing number of operations in Iran.
External Aid
Beyond receiving all of its military assistance, and most of its financial
support, from the Iraqi regime, the MEK uses front organizations to solicit
contributions from expatriate
Iranian communities.