Iranian terrorists: can someone explain this to me?

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are these guys Sunnis or something...? Or are there radical Shi'ite factions in Iran that really believe the mullahs are too liberal and that they need to be brought in line by random acts of terrorism...? I don't get it. As usual, news reports give no context, just the usual litany of victims, police action, etc.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/02/16/iran.bombing/index.html

Shakey Mo Collier (Shakey Mo Collier), Saturday, 17 February 2007 00:19 (seventeen years ago) link

They're Sunnis.

max (maxreax), Saturday, 17 February 2007 00:24 (seventeen years ago) link

!!!

"In more recent years under the guidance of Maryam Rajavi the organisation has adopted strong feminist principles. Women have now assumed the most senior positions of responsibility within the ranks of the MKO and although women make up only a third of fighters, two-thirds of its commanders are women. Rajavi ultimately believes that women should exert hegemony and dominance over men."

Shakey Mo Collier (Shakey Mo Collier), Saturday, 17 February 2007 00:24 (seventeen years ago) link

They're also Balochs, an ethnic minority that lives mostly in southeastern Iran/Pakistan/Afghanistan.

max (maxreax), Saturday, 17 February 2007 00:27 (seventeen years ago) link

they are not Sunnis.

"After the 2003 American invasion of Iraq, MEK camps were bombed by coalition forces because of its alliance with Saddam Hussein. The leaders of the MEK entered into a ceasefire agreement with the coalition after the attack, and handed over its weaponry to the US military. However there was no independent confirmation at the time by either the U.S. military or any third party whether all weapons had been handed over. Major General Geoffrey Miller, concluded the agreement with the MEK. After a 4 month investigation by several US agencies, including the State Department, only a handful of charges under U.S. criminal law were brought against MEK members, all American citizens. The MEK aka PMOI remains listed as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO) by the Department of State. [4] Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld declared MEK personnel in Ashraf protected persons under the Fourth Geneva Convention. They are currently under the guard of US Military. Defectors from this group are housed separately in a refugee camp within Camp Ashraf, and protected by the Bulgarian Army."

Shakey Mo Collier (Shakey Mo Collier), Saturday, 17 February 2007 00:27 (seventeen years ago) link

or at least, Wikipedia makes no mention of them being Sunnis - refers to their ideology as "confused", a mishmash of marxism, nationalism, and islam, etc.

Shakey Mo Collier (Shakey Mo Collier), Saturday, 17 February 2007 00:28 (seventeen years ago) link

this seems kinda fishy to me - a couple days after the US makes a bunch of noise about Iran sending weapons/fighters into Iraq, a group that we've been protecting makes a foray into Iran...?

Shakey Mo Collier (Shakey Mo Collier), Saturday, 17 February 2007 00:29 (seventeen years ago) link

MKO didn't do the bombing. Jondollah did:

"According to FARS, the leader of the Jondollah group, Abdolmalek Rigy, claimed responsibility for the bombing on MKO-TV. The group also claimed responsibility for a car bomb in the same area Wednesday."

max (maxreax), Saturday, 17 February 2007 00:29 (seventeen years ago) link

"The small terrorist group Jondollah claimed responsibility for Wednesday's attack, FARS reported."

max (maxreax), Saturday, 17 February 2007 00:30 (seventeen years ago) link

I figured since the claim was broadcast on MKO's TV station they were probably affiliated with MKO.

Shakey Mo Collier (Shakey Mo Collier), Saturday, 17 February 2007 02:18 (seventeen years ago) link

I heard today in spy school that these fellows were from Iran's Sunni minority, possibly the Arab Iranians you don't hear so much about.

The Real Dirty Vicar (The Real Dirty Vicar), Saturday, 17 February 2007 02:25 (seventeen years ago) link

They're Sunni Balochs.

max (maxreax), Saturday, 17 February 2007 02:35 (seventeen years ago) link

Matron!

The Real Dirty Vicar (The Real Dirty Vicar), Saturday, 17 February 2007 17:03 (seventeen years ago) link


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