Masih Alinejad, an Iranian American journalist, says she is the target of an alleged kidnapping plot recently described in a federal indictment: "It's just obvious that they were going to execute me."

Transcript

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

We talk next with a journalist who was the target of an alleged kidnapping plot. Her name is Masih Alinejad. She is an Iranian American journalist who fled Iran in 2009. She now reports on Iranian human rights abuses from her base in New York City. And a federal indictment says Iranian intelligence agents spied on her home, tried to pay her family to lure her out of the country and even researched speedboats and maritime routes to slip her out of New York. Masih Alinejad joins us now. Good morning

MASIH ALINEJAD: Good morning, Steven. Thank you so much for having me.

INSKEEP: So while you would imagine you're safe inside the United States, how did you learn that you were the target of this alleged plot?

ALINEJAD: I learned from FBI. They came to my house, and they announced that I am under surveillance. It was quite shocking. You know, Steven, you went to Iran. You know the reason many dissident journalists, activists, women - they leave Iran to be safe. So I came here in New York to feel safe because I wanted to do my job. I'm a journalist. I'm just an activist. I'm not a criminal. I'm giving voice to the voiceless people. Well, one day, I see the FBI saying that the intelligence service hired a private investigator. They're taking photos of your private life. They're filming your movement, and they want to see where you are. They're going to, you know, kidnap you from here. We're going to take care of you.

INSKEEP: As I understand it, they told you eight months ago, and the indictment just came out this week. What was it like during those eight months when you were waiting? The FBI, I guess, was trying to gather evidence and do an airtight case. But during that period, the Iranians were still presumably out there looking for you.

ALINEJAD: Oh, my God. That was not easy because, you know, we had to go to different safe houses. I was away from my garden. My garden is like my family. I haven't visit my parents for 11 years. So I'm really - I'm a village girl. But I had to stay away from my garden, stay away from my stepchildren. Some of my friends, they got really scared. My neighbors were really supportive. But the problem is, you know, they want to create fear. They want you to live in fear and paranoia. So I managed to defeat that. I became more determined. I became more powerful, actually, to give voice to voiceless people because I said that I have only one life, and I don't want to die in fear and paranoia. That's it. And actually, I think that make them more furious and angry.

INSKEEP: We said earlier that you have criticized Iranian human rights abuses. It's not a free country as we would define it. We should say more that you've campaigned specifically against Iran's law that requires women to wear hijab, including covering of their hair. But it's not like you're the only critic of Iran. What do you think you did that might have made them so especially interested in you?

ALINEJAD: That's a very good question. I strongly believe that the government in Iran is scared of the people who actually risk their lives and send videos to me. Those women's rights, you know, activists is the nightmare - became the nightmare for Iran - those women actually, you know, practicing their civil disobedience, sending videos to me. I have, like, 5 million followers on Instagram, 1 million on Facebook. And there are videos of the morality police being beaten up, showing that gender apartheid regime makes the government angry. But most important thing that I believe that the government now is scared of - the mothers of those people who got killed in Iran protests breaking their silence and sending videos to me. The government announced that - that if anyone send videos to Masih will be charged up to 10 years prison. Can you believe that, Steven?

INSKEEP: We just have a few seconds left. But I'd like to ask - what did you assume they would have done with you if they'd gotten a hold of you?

ALINEJAD: It's just obvious. They were going to execute me. They announced that several times. When the government in Iran arrested the - I mean, not arrested, kidnapped Ruhollah Zam, another Iranian dissident, last year, what they did to him, they actually took him from France to Iraq. And then they kidnapped him from Iraq, then they executed him. And at that time, they announced that Masih Alinejad is going to be next.

INSKEEP: Masih Alinejad, it's a pleasure speaking with you. Glad you're OK. And we'll see how the court case turns out. I guess we should note that Iran has denied any wrongdoing. Thank you so much.

ALINEJAD: Thank you. Thank you so much for having me. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

Tags: kidnapping plot  iranian american  FBI  Iran