Report Discloses Sponsors of MKO Terrorists
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – An investigative report by Iranian daily Farhikhtegan has shed light on a clandestine financial network that sponsors and funds the heinous activities of the terrorist Mujahedin-e-Khalq Organization (MKO), currently based in Albania.
In a report released on Tuesday, September 19, the Iranian newspaper said it has obtained information about several companies that have provided large-scale financial aid to the MKO terrorists in the past years.
The list includes:
1. "Red Granite Pictures", an American Film Production Company
- Owner: Reza Aziz
- Asset value: $25 million
Reza Shahriz bin Abdul Aziz, better known as Reza Aziz, was born into a political family in Malaysia. His mother married former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak and adopted Reza.
2. Glazer Investment Company
- Executive Director: Avram Glazer
- Asset value: $1,200 million
Avram Glazer is an American businessman and the son of the wealthy Glazer family. His family company owns Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL) and holds a majority ownership stake in English football club Manchester United F.C.
Glazer family has also extensive charitable and political activities in its portfolio.
3. West Coast Prime Meat Company and International Pacific Seafood
- Founder and CEO: Craig Nikoloff
- Asset value: $100 million
Nikoloff was first famous for Claim Jumper chain restaurants, and then became one of the largest meat industry producers by establishing West Coast Prime Meat.
He is also one of the main suppliers of the network close to Ali Safavi.
4. Koyu Hotel Group
- Executive director: Tokutaro Umezawa
- Asset value: $35 million
Tokutaro Umezawa is the CEO of Koyu Hotels in America. These hotels are the main supporters of Ali Safavi network.
5. The Last bookstore
- Owner: Josh Spencer
- Asset value: $1.5 million
Josh is the co-founder of The Last bookstore, one of the 10 largest bookstores in the world and the largest bookstore in California.
6. Jeen Well Company
- CEO: Zhihiao Lu
- Asset value: $150 million
Zhihiao Lu was born in a wealthy Malaysian family in China. His grandfather is the founder of MWE Holding, which has gambling, real estate and alcohol manufacturing companies under his umbrella.
The MKO members, who are currently at a camp near Tirana, spent many years in Iraq, where they were hosted and armed by the former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. They sided with Saddam during the 1980-88 imposed war against Iran and then helped him quell domestic uprisings in various parts of the Arab country.
The hated group is responsible for killing thousands of Iranian civilians and officials after the victory of the Islamic Revolution in 1979.
More than 17,000 Iranians, many of them civilians, have been killed at the hands of the MKO in different acts of terrorism including bombings in public places, and targeted killings.