| Former CIA counter-terrorism chief and 27 year CIA veteran, Vincent Cannistraro, says MEK is a terrorist group truly taking advantage of US officials support. |
Referring to Mujahedin-e Khalq terrorists enjoying widespread support within the United States Vincent Cannistraro told Habilian in a recent interview, “I agree that the MEK is a cult that interestingly is a terrorist group supported by neo-conservatives and others.”
Cannistraro who served as Director of Intelligence Programs for the United States National Security Council (NSC) from 1984 to 1987, said "some apparently think it’s not terrorism when it only kills people you don't like."
Earlier last month, a group of the US congressmen asked the Obama administration to take the MKO off the US terrorist list and increase efforts to keep its terrorist elements in Iraq.
In a November 26, 2011 NY Times article headlined "For Obscure Iranian Exile Group, Broad Support in U.S." about former US officials lobbying effort to delist MKO terrorist organization from the US list of terrorist groups, Scott Shane wrote “what makes it astonishing is the object of their attention: a fringe Iranian opposition group, long an ally of Saddam Hussein, that is designated as a terrorist organization under United States law and described by State Department officials as a repressive cult despised by most Iranians and Iraqis.”
“The American advocates have been well paid, hired through their speaking agencies and collecting fees of $10,000 to $50,000 for speeches on behalf of the Iranian group,” he continued.