'MEK Organized Cyber Attacks against Iran from Albania'

Albanian police encountering Mujahedin-e Khalq resistance in Manzë 

 In Albania, the Special Prosecution Office against Organized Crime and Corruption has suspicions that the organization Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK), many of whose members have sought refuge in the Manza area near Durres, at Camp Ashraf 3, has used Albanian territory to carry out cyber attacks against the Islamic Republic of Iran at various times, as well as against several institutions in the Iranian state. This is the reason why the Special Court, through a decision dated June 19, which Voice of America has seen, has approved the Prosecutor's request to exercise control over the premises of the Camp, local media say.

The Prosecution has registered a criminal proceeding for a series of criminal offenses: "Provocation of war," "Unauthorized interception of computer data," "Interference with computer data," "Interference with computer systems," "Misuse of devices," and "Structured criminal group." The signal was received from the Cyber Crime Investigation Unit of the State Police, which has monitored several online pages and social networks where articles about cyber attacks against Iranian institutions have been published, accompanied by the publication of numerous personal documents and data, including suspiciously hacked photos and videos from the government computer systems in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Furthermore, data published on the social network Telegram by the so-called group "JusticeHomeland" have also been monitored, which contained threatening messages against Albania because "it is not stopping the terrorist activities of MEK." It was this group that, after the massive cyber attack on Albania's digital infrastructure last July, continuously published hacked documents and data from Albanian institutions and official agencies.

According to the Prosecution, "in late 2022, an increase in threatening rhetoric from the Republic of Iran and their intelligence structures to carry out possible attacks, including drone attacks, against the MEK organization in Albania, has been observed."

The information conveyed to the Court in the request for controls in Camp Ashraf 3 shows that "the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has transmitted a 'Verbal Note' to the Albanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stating that according to reliable and documented intelligence obtained from the security agencies of the Islamic Republic of Iran, regarding three recently arrested terrorist squads, it has been discovered that they were trained in the MEK camp in Durres."

Noting that the Mujahideen in Albania have been granted shelter for humanitarian reasons, and that they are prohibited from engaging in any political activity, and considering that Albania has been subject to continuous cyber attacks from Iran, as a response to MEK's activities in Albania, the Special Prosecution Office has requested the execution of controls in the premises of the Camp in Manza with the aim of "identifying servers or other computer devices that may have been used for cyber attacks from Albania." According to the Prosecution, there are even suspicions that MEK members are involved in criminal acts of terrorism and financing terrorism.

Yesterday's police intervention, according to the police, was met with strong resistance by MEK members, as can be seen in several videos shared by the police, where their vehicles are prevented from advancing inside the camp where numerous computer devices were found which were seized, as well as written documentation.

Members of the MEK accused the police of using violence, from which, according to them, one of the camp's residents also died. The accusations were rejected by the authorities, who specified that no one can ignore a court decision, and even worse, try to prevent the implementation of the decision.