DUDLEY KNOX LIBRARY
Naval Postgraduate School
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DUDLEY KNOX LIBRARY |
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Description
Formed in the 1960s by the college-educated
children of Iranian merchants, the MEK sought to counter what it
perceived as excessive Western influence in the Shah's regime. Following
a philosophy that mixes Marxism and Islam, has developed into the
largest and most active armed Iranian dissident group. Its history is
studded with anti-Western activity and, most recently, attacks on the
interests of the clerical regime in Iran and abroad.
Activities
Worldwide campaign against the Iranian
Government stresses propaganda and occasionally uses terrorist violence.
During the 1970s the MEK staged terrorist attacks inside Iran and killed
several US military personnel and civilians working on defense projects
in Tehran. Supported the takeover in 1979 of the US Embassy in Tehran.
In April 1992 conducted attacks on Iranian embassies in 13 different
countries, demonstrating the group's ability to mount large-scale
operations overseas. Recent attacks in Iran include three explosions in
Tehran in June 1998 that killed three persons and the assassination in
August 1998 of Asadollah Lajevardi, the former director of the Evin
Prison. In April 1999, Brigadier General Ali Sayyad Shirazi, the deputy
joint chief of staff of Iran's armed forces, was killed in Tehran by a
MEK operative.
Strength
Several thousand fighters based in Iraq with an
extensive overseas support structure. Most of the fighters are organized
in the MEK's National Liberation Army (NLA).
Location/Area of Operation
In the 1980s the MEK's leaders
were forced by Iranian security forces to flee to France. Most resettled
in Iraq by 1987. In the mid-1980s the group did not mount terrorist
operations in Iran at a level similar to its activities in the 1970s. In
the 1990s, however, the MEK claimed credit for an increasing number of
operations in Iran.
External Aid
Beyond support from Iraq, the MEK uses front
organizations to solicit contributions from expatriate Iranian
communities.
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