Iranian activists protest inclusion of rebel group on terrorist list

(21 Jun 2002) 1. Wide shot of protestors outside Danish Parliament Christiansborg 2. Police officer in foreground of protest 3. Protestors waving Iranian flags 4. Rally leader chanting "Nein" into microphone on stage 5. SOUNDBITE: (Iranian, with English tranlsation) Malher Rezaii, Mothers of Matyrs (holding a pictures of alleged victims) "She says these four have been killed in the Shah's time. And these, all of them, have been killed by Iranian regime at the time of Khomeini, at the time of the Mullah." 6. SOUNDBITE: (English) Nosrat Hongeri, Protestor from Germany (holding a picture of his friend) "During 32-33 years Mullah killed about a minimum of 120,000 of our people. You can see one of them is my friend. Mullah killed him about 20 years ago." 7. SOUNDBITE: (English) Dariuss Alizdaeh, Protestor from Holland "We are holding this demonstration against regime Mullah because regime Mullah is terrorist. They are terrorists, they must go. It's very important, we shall fight and we shall win because we have very great power." 8. Protesters waving flags and placards reading "Down with Khatami" 9. SOUNDBITE: (English) Mohammad Mohaddessin, NCRI Chairperson "I think this demonstration will inform the people who are ruling in EU countries that Iranian people are supporting Iranian resistance, are supporting the majority, are in favour of resistance. And we ask European countries to urge them to not be inside of the tyranny which is ruling our country. Don't be inside of the religious facism which is ruling our country." 10. Cutaway of protestors with axe and placard of plaster hands, depicting they had been cut off 11. SOUNDBITE: (English) Mohammad Mohaddessin, NCRI Chairperson "If it wasn't in Iran, the Iran regime would kill us. They killed many daughters and high school daughters and boys in demonstrations, and also, of course, despite the severity, we have demonstrated in Iran but not publicly, (they have been) organised underground." 12. Protestors waving flags and holding pictures of people killed STORYLINE: Thousands of Iranian opposition activists rallied outside the Danish parliament in Copenhagen on Friday to protest a European Union (EU) decision to label the Iraq-based rebel group Mujahedeen Khalq a terrorist organisation. The demonstration was timed by the Paris-based National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) to coincide with the opening of a summit of EU leaders in Seville, Spain. Spanish authorities refused permission to rally in Seville for security reasons. The NCRI, an Iranian exile group that is closely linked to the Iraq-based Mujahedeen Khalq, denies that the latter is a terrorist organisation and says its inclusion on the EU list encourages the Islamic government in Tehran to crack down on opponents. The Mujahedeen Khalq, which has frequently launched attacks inside Iran with the aim of overthrowing the Iranian leadership, was one of 18 groups and individuals added to the EU terrorist list, made public in May. N-C-R-I representative Mohammad Mohaddessin said Mujahedeen Khalq is a legitimate movement that is struggling against "religious fascism". Mohaddessin said the group only targets military objectives and "has not had any violent actions outside Iran". Police estimated the rally drew about three thousand people, while organiser Shahin Gobadi claimed there were 15-thousand supporters in the square, which was lined with photos and other images of alleged torture and execution victims. Denmark takes over the six-month, rotating EU presidency from Spain on July 1. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...