Revisiting Ansar al Islam's CBW capabilities

Regime of Terror ^ | 8.08.06 | Mark Eichenlaub

[ikez78]

Revisiting Ansar al Islam's CBW capabilities kurdmap (Back-to-Iraq photo)

With the upcoming Senate Intelligence report due shortly, perhaps the question of where and how Ansar al Islam received CBW know-how (which included ricin, botulinum and possibly cyanide) and equipment will finally be answered.

Initial reports from American media outlets mentioned the findings of the Ansar al Islam camps in Northern Iraq included directions on making high grade explosives and Iraqi military grade TNT in addition to the CBW starter kit. As mentioned by both the 9-11 Commission and Senate Intelligence Committee, the group's support from Saddam Hussein's regime included various types of weaponry with the likely intention being the group's targeting the anti-regime Kurds in the region.

Answers to what U.S. special forces and investigators found at the camps (regarding CBW) weren't fully answered in Western media outlets, likely due to the sensitive nature of findings. In Germany's media, one journalist, said to have excellent contacts within German Intelligence, did reveal some of the findings. Over 3 years ago, Bruno Schirra of the German weekly Hamburg Die Zeit, (who's article was recently made available to Regime of Terror by someone with access to foreign media outlets) revealed that Baghdad's contributions to Ansar al Islam were not limited to conventional weapons. ansar cw

[Peach]

What an outstanding job, Mark. I'm relatively sure your blog and article at FrontPage magazine has more information about the relationship between the jihadists and Iraq than the upcoming Senate Intelligence Report will have.

[Marine_Uncle]

Thanks for the ping. And thanks for your ongoing research into obtaining a fuller picture as just whom had what prior to the Iraqi liberation.
I wish I had more time of lately to put quality time into things at our site, your site, and elsewhere, work shifts often keep me from doing so.

[ikez78]

Unfortunately, that is probably true.
From what I've gathered about the upcoming report it will only compare prewar Intel estimates to what has actually been found postinvasion.

For example, if the intel said that Saddam assisted Ansar al Islam on March 1, 2002 by doing x,y or z then the report address if that was accurate. So if postwar revelations show Saddam did assist Ansar but it was on a different date, that will be a disproving of the intel.

Findings of terror training that were not mentioned prewar won't be in there because it's only to measure the success/failure of the prewar intel.

Kind of a waste of time for 2 years if you ask me. We shall see. Should be out in a few weeks hopefully.

[PGalt]

Thanks for the ping and your work, Mark.

[Lurker]

Hey! I ordered my CBW Starter Kit 6 months ago. Those bastiches charged my credit card and I still haven't gotten it.

Seriesly Mark. This is good work.

L