MKO Tried to Beef Up Bases in France for Global Terrorism: French Official

In remarks published in the Le Figaro daily on Friday, Pierre de Bousquet, head of the DST internal security agency said that the DST believed the MKO was stepping up its base in France, in Auvers-Sur-Oise, north of Paris, that for years has served as their headquarters, from which to launch attacks on Iranian diplomatic missions in Europe.

Once announced outlawed by Iran after the 1979 Islamic Revolution, the MKO carried out numerous assassinations on Iranian officials and civilians. They have also been listed as a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the European Union.

The French anti-terrorist police on Tuesday arrested some 160 members of the group, including Maryam Rajavi, a ringleader and wife of MKO's chief Massoud Rajavi.

Bousquet added that this week's round-up of MKO members was justified as the group had become a dangerous, fanatical cult, and since a long time had slipped into the logic of terrorism.

"The Mujahideen has seen a sectarian shift that illustrates the fanatism of its militants. The dramatic immolations of recent days sadly confirms this," de Bousquet said.

"Its members must show blind devotion to Massoud Rajavi and his wife, and a high price is paid for the slightest criticism."

Bousquet further said that it was the indirect consequences of the U.S. intervention in Iraq which made France hasten its action against the group.

"On the one hand activists and trained militants were heading to Auvers-sur-Oise and on the other we had intelligence from various sources which convinced us of the MKO's intention to make France a new world headquarters after losing its bases in Iraq," he said.