the group announced it would move more of its members from Camp Ashraf to Camp Hurriya as demanded by the United States, Iraq and the United Nations.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said months ago that she would take into consideration whether the Mojahedin had all moved to Hurriya when she makes her decision on whether to keep the group listed as an FTO. Under court order, she must make that decision by September 30.
Last Wednesday, The New York Times said State Department officials expect the designation of the group as an FTO to be renewed because of its refusal to move all its members to Hurriya.
The group moved 2,000 of its members in five batches of 400 each to Hurriya—but then stopped on May 6. About 1,200 remain at Ashraf.
On Saturday in Baghdad, the Mojahedin said they would now move another 400 members to Hurriya. But they did not say they would move all 1,200.
In a statement, Maryam Rajavi, co-leader of the group, said, “As a gesture of goodwill, the residents of Ashraf will commence the sixth convoy of 400 residents of Camp Ashraf to Camp Hurriya on August 23.” In response, Rajavi said, she expects Washington to renew “its commitments to the approach to delisting” the organization as a terrorist group.
The State Department has not yet responded, but it will presumably not be impressed so long as any Mojahedin members remain at Ashraf.
Many people have criticized linking the FTO designation to the group’s presence at Ashraf, asking what physical presence at Ashraf has to do with whether the Mojahedin are terrorists or not.
The New York Times said it asked that question of State Department officials and was told the group had long used Ashraf for paramilitary training. One official said the refusal to move everyone out raised questions about whether the organization had truly changed its intentions.
The bottom line, however, is that Camp Hurriya is only supposed to be a way stop for processing Mojahedin members as refugees for transfer to other countries. But no country has yet announced a willingness to take any members of the group.
