Ahmad Ahmad Memoirs (52)

Edited by Mohsen Kazemi

Ahmad Ahmad Memoirs (52)
Edited by Mohsen Kazemi
Soureh Mehr Publishing Company
(Original Text in Persian, 2000)
Translated by Mohammad Karimi

Ways to Survive

From the beginning of secret life our connections with outside of MKO became so limited. Even with our families we had only phone calls. For phone calls we had only to use public phones and finish our dialogues in less than 3 minutes in order not to be tracked. Right in these phone calls I found out SAVAK had referred to my father’s and father-in-law’s houses several times and had asked about me. They even had attacked my father –in-law’s house once and detained his family and him for some hours. They had tried to force my wife’s parents to confess where we had been hidden but nothing was achieved by them.
In some necessary cases, and sometimes for exercising, we would make appointments with MKO membersat the crossroads or streets. In these appointments we would exchange the news, announcements, pamphlets, books and… We would also discuss or speak.
When we wanted to go to an appointment, we would not use the main streets or at most would only cross them. We would use side streets because it was possible to be tracked and identified by ACC agents.
In 1974 ACC would pay 250.000Rials for arresting or killing each guerilla. This prize was so enthusiastic for ACC agents to arrest or kill anti-regime fighters or guerillas. We had also predicted necessary attempt to encounter their news security steps. We knew they (i.e. agents) were afraid of going into far or unknown alleys or side streets because these places were not safe for them. They might be entrapped. So, we would arrange our necessary appointments in farthest oldest alleys and side streets of Tehran and mostly we were armed.
In some cases we would only walk in onepath at the same time and meet each other without stopping anywhere.
Every day we had to draw a sign on a wall or something to prove that we are “safe”. They would come from other teams and ranks of MKO to check it. This sign would show that everything was ok. If they would not see that, it was a sign of danger. So, the higher ranks had to cut all their contacts with us and clean and change their own place.

A Bat in Den

It was about five months that we were in the house in Zarrin-Na’l Street. One day, I noticed suspicious moves in front of the house. I told the matter to Habib. He also informed MKO at once. They ordered to change the place.
The task of finding a new house was ordered to my wife. In a short time she could find another house with the same security specifications in Majd alley at Bouzarjomehri (15th of Khordad) Street.
By coming to the new house, Habib informed Parviz and Khosrow that the go-between of their team-house had been arrested and it was possible for them to be revealed and being arrested, so they had to remain in the same house at nights.(1)
In renting a secure house the point which was so important was the carelessness of the owner about the identity of renters and the people who may come and go there, not the money for rent.
The new secret house had two rooms, a hall, kitchen, and bath. The windows would open to the alley and we could monitor most of the people’s traffic. The owner was a good man who would claim that once he had been a seminary student.
After the home change I had to do some changes in my job. So I stopped iron junk dealing. By consulting one of my old friends from INP, Ahmad Rouhi, I entered iron market (not iron junks). Mr.Rouhi introduced me to Haj Ali Akbar Pour-Ostad (2); he was also an old friend of my brother. We I met him he identified me. I told him that I wanted to do iron dealing. He hesitated and then thoughtfully asked: “To want to work or have a covering?” I said: “Both; covering is the aim but if I earn money, it is better.” Then he made contacts with some merchants and introduced me as iron dealer.
Before beginning my job I spent some days for finding some knowledge about different kinds of irons. I read some catalogues. Entering this job was not beneficial for me because of lack of experience and enough time and the market conditions but it was a good covering for my activities. Maybe if I could spend more time for this job I would have achieved good successes.
After some time, Habib separated from us and new person named Iraj was replaced with him. Iraj told us: "Habib is separated from you for conducting a mission. I am the go-between for you and MKO."
Iraj was an extremist. He believed for achieving the lost rights all ways possible were allowed; even stealing or any other action like stealing from small shops to big banks and cars. He would even steal spoon and forks from parties and consider it as "revolutionary confiscation" and a way to help the survival of MKO. Hearing his justifications we accepted to ignore two carpets of my wife which were used in our team-house and gave them to him. Later I was informed those carpets were transferred to Taqi Shahram's secret house in north of Tehran.

1- Mr. Ahmad narrates: "Khosrow told me that he seen the go-between of their team-house in the street and Habis had lied and it was only an excuse for entering my safe house."
2- Haj Ali Akbar Poor Ostad (Ostad Hussein Ali Kashi), son of Gholam Ali was born in 1929 in Tehran. He was an iron dealer in Tehran Bazaar. He was a member of Islamic Coalition Councils. He was arrested on October 5th 1963 because intriguing the shopkeepers and going on strike. He was freed a day after that arrest but continued his activities. On June 16th 1966 he was arrested once again and sentenced to two years in prison. After freedom he was permanently under SAVAK monitoring. Once again he was arrested on August 27th 1978 because of his contacts with the late Andarzgoo. He was imprisoned but freed on November 6th 1978.