France: Terrorism Charges Dropped Against Iranian Group
Source: NYTIMES
The French authorities are dropping terrorism charges against 24 members of an Iranian dissident group for lack of evidence, court documents show, nearly eight years after a sensational raid on the organization’s headquarters amid charges that the group was planning attacks in Europe. The police arrested 120 people in the raid on the offices of the group, the People’s Mujahedeen Organization of Iran, which wants to overthrow the Iranian government, in a Paris suburb in 2003. Most were released, but 24 people were held on terrorism or terrorism-financing charges. The authorities said the organization had been plotting to attack Iranian embassies and assassinate former members working with Iranian intelligence services in Europe. In a ruling dated Wednesday, the investigating judges found that there were no grounds for proceeding with indictments for terrorism or terrorism financing. The group’s lawyer, William Bourdon, said the judges based their decision partly on “a legitimate right to resist tyranny,” as well as the fact that there was no evidence that the group had ever been responsible for attacks on civilians. Nine members of the group remain under investigation for financial wrongdoing.
The French authorities are dropping terrorism charges against 24 members of an Iranian dissident group for lack of evidence, court documents show, nearly eight years after a sensational raid on the organization’s headquarters amid charges that the group was planning attacks in Europe. The police arrested 120 people in the raid on the offices of the group, the People’s Mujahedeen Organization of Iran, which wants to overthrow the Iranian government, in a Paris suburb in 2003. Most were released, but 24 people were held on terrorism or terrorism-financing charges. The authorities said the organization had been plotting to attack Iranian embassies and assassinate former members working with Iranian intelligence services in Europe. In a ruling dated Wednesday, the investigating judges found that there were no grounds for proceeding with indictments for terrorism or terrorism financing. The group’s lawyer, William Bourdon, said the judges based their decision partly on “a legitimate right to resist tyranny,” as well as the fact that there was no evidence that the group had ever been responsible for attacks on civilians. Nine members of the group remain under investigation for financial wrongdoing.
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