Paper: Documents Show Iraq-Al Qaida Link

Gonz

Gonz

molṑn labé
Staff member
Yahoo said:
LONDON - Documents discovered in the bombed out headquarters of Iraq (news - web sites)'s intelligence service provide evidence of a direct link between Saddam Hussein (news - web sites)'s regime and Osama bin Laden (news - web sites)'s al-Qaida terrorist network, a newspaper reported Sunday.

Papers found Saturday by journalists working for the Sunday Telegraph reveal that an al-Qaida envoy met with officials in Baghdad in March 1998, the newspaper reported.

The paper quoted an unidentified Western intelligence official as saying the find was "sensational."

The paper said the documents show that the purpose of the meeting was to establish a relationship between Baghdad and al-Qaida based on their mutual hatred of the United States and Saudi Arabia.

The meeting went so well that it was extended by a week and ended with arrangements being discussed for bin Laden to visit Baghdad, the newspaper said.

Journalists found a three-page file on bin Laden inside a folder lying in the rubble of one of the rooms of the intelligence headquarters, the paper said.

"Iraqi agents at some point clumsily attempted to mask out all references to bin Laden, using white correcting fluid," the newspaper reported. "After carefully removing the dried fluid, however, the name is clearly legible three times in the documents."

One of the pages, dated Feb. 19, was marked "top secret and urgent" and referred to plans for the trip from Sudan of the unnamed envoy, who is described in the file as a trusted confidant of bin Laden's, the paper said.

The document, signed, "MDA," which the newspaper said is a code name believed to belong to the director of one of the Iraqi intelligence sections, said the Iraqis sought to pay for the envoy's costs while in Iraq "to gain the knowledge of the message from bin Laden and to convey to his envoy an oral message from us to bin Laden."

The message to bin Laden "would relate to the future of our relationship with him, bin Laden, and to achieve a direct meeting with him," the newspaper quoted the document as saying.

The other documents confirm that the envoy traveled from Khartoum in Sudan to Baghdad in March 1998 and that he stayed at the al-Mansour Melia hotel.

The documents do not mention whether any meeting took place between bin Laden and Iraqi officials, the newspaper said.

Separately, The Sunday Times reported that its own journalists had found documents in the Iraqi foreign ministry that indicate that France gave Saddam Hussein's regime regular reports on its dealings with American officials.
The newspaper said the documents reveal that Paris shared with Baghdad the contents of private transatlantic meetings and diplomatic traffic from Washington.

One document, dated Sept. 25, 2001, from Iraqi foreign minister Naji Sabri to Saddam's palace, was based on a briefing from the French ambassador in Baghdad and covered talks between presidents Jacques Chirac and George W. Bush.
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How convenient...

I mean, it could true, but still... The whole thing sounds so absurd.

White correcting fluid... Come on.
 
Evidence for terrorist links & NBCs exist-in abundance. It's just more fuel for the fire.

HOw 'bout dat France part. Surprising ain't it :rolleyes:
 
most of the links are circumstantial or non-existant. rate this story about as highly as the daily 'we've found wmd's' report - soon to be denied.
 
ris said:
rate this story about as highly as the daily 'we've found wmd's' report - soon to be denied.
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This has moved from an internet questionable source story to print...in one of your papers. Either way, sicnce we're not trying the regime in a court of law, there is enough circumstantial to show guilt-easily.
 
most of the previous wmd discoveries also went to print, and then swiftly to retraction. i'll wait for the concrete stuff rather than the endless rumourmill drivel.
heck, we even get alledged executions of troops in our media and from the government that are then retracted, and this stuff is happening on the ground now that can be more easily controlled.

i shall remain firmly sceptical - proof this is not.
 
Even my dog was ashamed that they are trying to give Saudi Arabia plausible deniability with this one.... :rolleyes:
 
Document 1, dated February 19, 1998

Marked "Top Secret and Urgent" in the margin and signed by "MDA", thought to be the codename for the director of one of the intelligence sections within the Mukhabarat.

"The envoy is a trusted confidant and known by them. According to the above mediation we request official permission to call Khartoum station to facilitate the travel arrangements for the above-mentioned person to Iraq. And that our body carry all the travel and hotel expenses inside Iraq to gain the knowledge of the message from bin Laden and to convey to his envoy an oral message from us to bin Laden, the Saudi opposition leader, about the future of our relationship with him, and to achieve a direct meeting with him."

At the foot of the page, after the signature, the director recommends bringing the envoy to Iraq because "we may find in this envoy a way to maintain contacts with bin Laden". The deputy director general gives a signature of approval.

Document 2, dated February 23, 1998
Addressed to codename "M4/7", marked "Information M4 D1/3/4" and given the number 375 by the Mukhabarat bureaucracy.

"The permission of Mr Deputy Director of Intelligence has been gained on 21 February for this operation, to secure a reservation for one of the intelligence services guest's for one week in one of the first class hotels [the Al Mansour Melia hotel in Baghdad]".

Signed by "M.D. 1/3", next to which is written February 22.

In the margin it is written that this has been done in co-ordination with the chief of the Saudi section and that they write to extend the period of host for one more week.

A note at the bottom of the page says "The envoy H arrived 5th March". Another note mentions "room 414" next to the name, Mohammed F. Mohammed Ahmed.

Document 3, dated March 24, 1998

Written by hand and labelled number 736 and marked "Secret" in the margin. This paper has been given the code number M 4/7/2 and is addressed to codename "2/D1/3".

"Your information numbered D1/3/4/375 dated 23rd February 1998, we enclose herewith the bill to host a guest in Mansour Melia Hotel. Please let it be known and get the official permission to spend the amount and return the permission back with our regards. Include the name of bills of the hotel." Signed by another official with the codename M.M. 4/7

At the foot of this document there is another note, dated April 13, that says that after 21 days:

"We have been informed by Saudi section chief [of the Iraqi Intelligence Service, the Mukhabarat] that we get permission to send the amount and the permission is sent to directorate accountant."
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ris said:
bear in mind that the sunday times' sister paper is currently being sued over other documents it found that alledges a uk mp was recieving gifts from the iraqi government.
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I have that here. He can sue all he wants, he does look guilty. Let the courts decide.

As far as WMDs, I'm not looking, I'm just passing rumors. Speaking of rumoors, here's another.

BAIJI, Iraq - U.S. troops found about a dozen 55-gallon drums in an open field near this northern Iraqi town, and initial tests indicated one of them contained a mixture of a nerve agent and mustard gas, an American officer said Sunday.

Lt. Col. Ted Martin of the 10th Cavalry Regiment said troops went to the site at midnight Friday after having been alerted by U.S. Special Forces teams, which were suspicious because of the presence of surface-to-air missiles guarding the area.

A chemical team checked the drums, one of which tested positive for cyclosarin, a nerve agent, and a blister agent which could have been mustard gas, Martin said.

"I am satisfied that it is sarin," Martin said, adding that further tests were being conducted
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Yahoo

The quote above your last is the "evidence" to the threads topic. I came across it late last night & thought it fit. I'm already convinced there is enough evidence to show saddam was not in compliance.
 
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