Iraq-al Qaeda link found...

[bodypilot90 0]

http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/04/26/sprj.irq.britain.iraq.ap/index.html

took the cnn link just for conrad

LONDON, England (AP) -- Documents discovered in the bombed out headquarters of Iraq's intelligence service provide evidence of a direct link between Saddam Hussein's regime and Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda terrorist network, a newspaper reported Sunday.

Papers found Saturday by journalists working for the Sunday Telegraph reveal that an al Qaeda 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 Qaeda 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 February 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 September 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.

[bodypilot90 0]

If it's true, you still think we were not justifeid to go in?

[nacmacfeegle 0]

"If it's true, you still think we were not justifeid to go in? "

Official justification for 'going in' was, if I recall correctly, Saddam's failure to comply with a certain badly worded UN resolution regarding Weapons of Mass Destruction.
Subsequent spin has included humanitarian and anti-terrorist causes.
I would dearly like to see the evidence that preceded the invasion, but was denied public viewing due to 'security' reasons. And I don't mean vague references from taped phone calls, a bit of overtime being worked by some warehouse people, or suspicious container shaped ....ummm containers.

--------------------

He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me. Thomas Jefferson

[JackC 0]

Or maybe not.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,5944-661840,00.html

Quote

April 28, 2003
Saddam link to al-Qaeda in doubt
By Michael Evans, Defence Editor

BRITISH Intelligence officials have expressed doubt that Saddam Hussein established any working relationship with al-Qaeda despite the discovery of documents showing that an "envoy" for Osama bin Laden visited Baghdad in 1998.

The documents were found by The Sunday Telegraph at the bombed-out Baghdad headquarters of the Mukhabarat, Iraq's Intelligence service, and were hailed yesterday as positive proof of an Iraqi link to al-Qaeda. They mentioned the arrival of a confidant of bin Laden who had travelled to Baghdad from Khartoum in March 1998. Bin Laden was based in Sudan until 1996.

Officials told The Times that there had been intelligence indicators about that time of a possible visit to Baghdad by someone purporting to represent al-Qaeda. There had been no evidence of any follow-up meetings to suggest that Baghdad had forged a long-term partnership with al-Qaeda.

According to The Sunday Telegraph report, the purpose of the March 1998 meeting was to establish a relationship on the basis of Iraq and al-Qaeda's mutual hatred of the United States and Saudi Arabia. Because of the sensitivity of the meeting, the Iraqi agents who wrote the documents had covered bin Laden's name with correcting fluid. Once it was removed, the name was visible, the report claimed.

There is pressure on Western Intelligence services to provide governments with their own assessment of the thousands of secret files that were abandoned when Saddam's regime collapsed.

On the al-Qaeda link to Saddam's regime, Britain has taken a robust line against the Americans who insist there was a connection. Washington gave the link as one of the reasons for toppling Saddam. Britain's Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) has always rejected the idea of a link.

[rhino 0]

Suprise, suprise...

[craichead 0]

When journalism is described as "sensational", that's usually a bad thing.

Secondly, it's interesting that only now when the US is grasping at straws to find the WMD's, that they coming up with other ways to justify the war.

Thirdly, I thought you didn't watch/read CNN? You said they weren't good journalists, I think. Why are you quoting a news agency that you repeatedly slam? Either they have credibility or they don't. Which way is it?

_Am

__
"Scared of love, love and aeroplanes...falling out, I said takes no brains." -- Andy Partridge (XTC)

[craichead 0]

The views expressed in the above post are that of my boyfriend, AndyMan. He has this nasty habit of using my computer, forgetting to log out of my screen name, and posting highly opinionated comments in the forums.

-P

__
"Scared of love, love and aeroplanes...falling out, I said takes no brains." -- Andy Partridge (XTC)

[kallend 2,162]

"WOLF"

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[SkyDekker 1,465]

I thought they went in because there was clear and present danger ot the United States. WMD and everything. I guess they are just having a hard time finding them, eventhough they were quite vocal that they knew they had them and where they were.....

You just have to wonder......

[SpeedRacer 1]

Quote

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

So who is this "envoy" & what happened to him? Maybe he said something during the meeting that upset Mr. Bigglesworth.

Speed Racer
--------------------------------------------------

[Zennie 0]

What bothers me about this "find" is the well-known fact that Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein hate each other. Why on earth would you want to establish a relationship with someone who has been a bitter enemy for so long?

Now it may be a case of "the enemy of my enemy is my friend", but I still find this highly suspect.

- Z
"Always be yourself... unless you suck." - Joss Whedon

[kiltboy 0]

I'm more "surprised" that there are no Intelligence agents from the US or UK cordoning off that building while they gather up and examine all the intelligence that should be there.

Much better to let a "journalist find something" that he can then broadcast to the world.

When did I become such a cynic?

David