Iraq may deliver Mujahedeen to Iran

Agence France Presse
December 11, 2003

BAGHDAD, Dec 11 - Iraq's interim rulers are considering handing the People's Mujahedeen back to the very Iranian authorities the armed opposition has fought to overthrow, a member of the Governing Council said Thursday.

"It's better for them to ask for forgiveness from Iran. I think Iran will be understanding," Nuredin Dara, a judge, told AFP.

"If we deliver them to Iran I think they will issue a general amnesty. The country may forgive them for the crimes they committed against Iran and accept them back again in their country."

The Governing Council in Baghdad on Tuesday night branded the Mujahedeen as terrorists, to be kicked out by the end of the month and their assets seized.

Iran greeted the expulsion as "very positive" and said the Islamic republic would show "leniency" to low-ranking members wishing to give themselves up. The authorities said nothing this week about how middle- and high-ranking members would be treated, but have said in the past they would be dealt with harshly.

"We have good relations with Iran now and have agreed to prevent any border infiltrations by terrorists," Dara said.

He denied the Mujhahedeen had been sacrificed in the interest of better ties with Iran or that they would likely be executed upon their return.

Dara said the group, coralled by US forces into their last base at Camp Ashraf northeast of Baghdad, would be given time out of humanitarian consideration.

"We will give them time to get out. It still has to be decided in detail."

Dara accused the Mujahadeen of allowing themselves to be used "as a means for Saddam Hussein to execute the crimes of killing and slaughtering," notably of Kurds.

Disarmed and detained by US forces, the Mujahedeen rejected Wednesday the expulsion.

The Mujahedeen, who ran a low-level armed campaign against the Islamic Republic of Iran from bases along the border under Saddam's protection, suggested the US-appointed council did not have the legal right to expel them and invoked the Geneva Convention in a country under occupation.

The Mujahedeen, some 4,000-5,000 of whom had been regrouped and disarmed at Camp Ashraf following the March-April invasion, have since September been considered prisoners by the US-led coalition.