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Tribunal rejects Iran group ban | |
(about 4 hours later) | |
The government has lost a bid to keep Iran's main opposition body on its list of banned terrorist groups. | |
The People's Mujahideen Organisation of Iran (PMOI) is illegal in the European Union and the United States. | The People's Mujahideen Organisation of Iran (PMOI) is illegal in the European Union and the United States. |
But the Proscribed Organisations Appeal Commission in London ruled ministers must remove it from their blacklist. | But the Proscribed Organisations Appeal Commission in London ruled ministers must remove it from their blacklist. |
After the verdict, Home Office Minister Tony McNulty said: "I am disappointed at this judgement. We don't accept it and we intend to appeal." | After the verdict, Home Office Minister Tony McNulty said: "I am disappointed at this judgement. We don't accept it and we intend to appeal." |
The Home Office said that the PMOI would remain a proscribed organisation during the appeal by the government. | The Home Office said that the PMOI would remain a proscribed organisation during the appeal by the government. |
Launch attacks | Launch attacks |
The PMOI, or Mujahideen-e Khalq, which operates in exile, says it has renounced violence since 2001. The opposition group has been a thorn in Tehran's side for more than two decades. | |
A militant organisation, whose ideology combines elements of both Marxism and Islam, the group based itself in Iraq after being expelled from Iran. | A militant organisation, whose ideology combines elements of both Marxism and Islam, the group based itself in Iraq after being expelled from Iran. |
For more than 15 years before the fall of Saddam Hussein, it used bases in Iraq to launch attacks against Iran. | For more than 15 years before the fall of Saddam Hussein, it used bases in Iraq to launch attacks against Iran. |
Sixteen MPs and 19 members of the House of Lords appealed against the proscription in the first case to be heard by the POAC. | |
They argued that there rights to support and promote what they said was a democratic and peaceful opposition to the regime in Tehran had been infringed. | |
Lord Corbett, chairman of the Committee for Iran Freedom, claimed the banning had been tied up with international diplomatic attempts to stop Iran developing nuclear weapons. |
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