THIS IS HUGE!
In a USA Today article from December 2001, Stanley Bedlington, a senior analyst in the CIA's counterterrorism center until he retired in 1994, explained, "We were convinced that money from Iraq was going to bin Laden, who was then sending it to places that Iraq wanted it to go." He added, "There certainly is no doubt that Saddam Hussein had pretty strong ties to bin Laden while he was in Sudan, whether it was directly or through (Sudanese) intermediaries. We traced considerable sums of money going from bin Laden to the GIA in Algeria. We believed some of the money came from Iraq." [emphasis added]
Later, in an interview with THE WEEKLY STANDARD's Stephen Hayes, Bedlington elaborated on the relationship. "Osama bin Laden had established contact with the GIA," Bedlington explained, "Saddam was using bin Laden to ship funds to his own contacts through the GIA."
Some leftwing kook (some British Arab author) has Algeria deeply in the terror mix, something about a thwarted attack on France that the French covered up, anyone have any info?
And before anyone gets after me for listening to left wing kooks I'll say this, sometimes they know a fact or two, it's just their conclusions are always wrong.
I knew a fellow who lived and retired in Nacogdoches, Texas who worked for military intelligence in Algiers (Algeria) during WWII. He could tell you a LOT about the place. If he's still alive, give 'ol Ken Kennamer a call and see what he has to say.
Oh, if I remember correctly, he is one of the biggest liberal Democrats I have ever known. So, take what he says with a grain of salt.