Brussels, 08/05/2008 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 7 May, the Court of Appeal of England and Wales ruled that the People's Mujahedin of Iran (PMOI) should be removed from the list of terrorist organisations drawn up by the British authorities. The PMOI, which laid down its weapons in 2001, is also on the EU Council of Ministers list of terrorist organisations, despite the Court of Justice ruling against its inclusion on the list. In the light of the organisation's renunciation of violence since 2001, the Court deemed it should no longer be on the British list, with the attendant freeze on its funds and assets and restrictions on the movement of its members. In a press release, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said she was “very disappointed that the court has decided in favour of de-proscribing (the PMOI)”. A spokesman confirmed that the PMOI would be removed from the list, but that it could be brought back on to it “if circumstances change”. At European level, the Council of the EU included the PMOI on the European list of terrorist organisations in 2001 at the request of the British government. The Court of Justice of the European Communities ruled against this decision last year (see EUROPE 9436) since the organisation's right to reply had not been respected. The Council has not yet amended the list, however. A spokesman for EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana declined to comment on the British judgment, but said that the procedural failings identified by the Court of Justice had been remedied. (C.D.)