Terrorist Behind September 11 Strike was Trained by Saddam

The Telegraph ^ | December 14, 2003 | Con Coughlin

[quidnunc]

Iraq's coalition government claims that it has uncovered documentary proof that Mohammed Atta, the al-Qaeda mastermind of the September 11 attacks against the US, was trained in Baghdad by Abu Nidal, the notorious Palestinian terrorist.

Details of Atta's visit to the Iraqi capital in the summer of 2001, just weeks before he launched the most devastating terrorist attack in US history, are contained in a top secret memo written to Saddam Hussein, the then Iraqi president, by Tahir Jalil Habbush al-Tikriti, the former head of the Iraqi Intelligence Service.

The handwritten memo, a copy of which has been obtained exclusively by the Telegraph, is dated July 1, 2001 and provides a short resume of a three-day "work programme" Atta had undertaken at Abu Nidal's base in Baghdad.

In the memo, Habbush reports that Atta "displayed extraordinary effort" and demonstrated his ability to lead the team that would be "responsible for attacking the targets that we have agreed to destroy".

The second part of the memo, which is headed "Niger Shipment", contains a report about an unspecified shipment — believed to be uranium — that it says has been transported to Iraq via Libya and Syria.

Although Iraqi officials refused to disclose how and where they had obtained the document, Dr Ayad Allawi, a member of Iraq's ruling seven-man Presidential Committee, said the document was genuine.

"We are uncovering evidence all the time of Saddam's involvement with al-Qaeda," he said. "But this is the most compelling piece of evidence that we have found so far. It shows that not only did Saddam have contacts with al-Qaeda, he had contact with those responsible for the September 11 attacks."

-snip-

[Coop]

I'm just bummed that this critical info hit the news the same day Hussein was captured. After watching numerous news channels and broadcasts throughout the day yesterday, the only mention of this was around 9:30 last night on Scarborough Country.

[Liz]

Weeping, moaning and gnashing of the teeth at DNC/terrorist headquarters.

Buy stock in Kool-aid mfg. Dims gonna be buying carloads of Jim Jones' acute clinical depression cure-all.

[Angelus Errare]

It was actually mentioned at least 4 times - on "Meet the Press" with Tim Russert, on "Hardball" with Chris Matthews, on "The O'Reilly Factor," and finally on "Scarborough Country." Not as much as I'd have liked, but I think that the word got out one way or another. The only people I didn't see cover it as much is CNN.

[Coop]

Thanks. That's good to hear that this memo wasn't completely swallowed up by the big story.

[Steve_Seattle]

More news we won't hear from Dan Blather or Peter "Corncob-Up-My-Butt" Jennings.

[ALOHA RONNIE]

NEVER FORGET


REPUBLICANS =

The FREEDOM Party


DEMOCRATS =

The Anti-FREEDOM Party


NEVER FORGET

[Travis McGee]

I agree with you about the AQ-Iraq connection, but don't get your hopes up that the 'rats will EVER admit it despite any evidence. They will just say the CIA cooked it up. They are commies at heart, and they will never admit it, just as they never admitted that Hiss or the Rosenbergs were commie spies.

[ravingnutter]

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed's Account Links 9/11 to '93 WTC Attack (Yousef came in on Iraqi passport, Yasin was granted sanctuary by Saddam Hussein after the attack

A previous post of mine about the Saddam/Al Qaeda connections

Meet the Press Transcript: Cheney admits Saddam complicit, more info on Yasin

Three Prisoners in N. Iraq Outline Links Between Al Qaeda and Iraq

Extensive list of links/info cited by freeper Republican Strategist

Want to know where the WMD is?

Report: U.S suspects Iraqi WMD in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley

Iraqis Removed Arms Material, U.S. Aide Says

[betty boop]

No wonder Abu Nidal was assassinated. Thanks for the great post, quidnunc.

[armymarinemom]

O'Reilly talked about this last night and now Rush is talking about this. This would be a good time for this to grow legs.

[justshutupandtakeit]

I guess it is too difficult to imagine him picking up certain things like, for instance, a vial or two of anthrax?
Or cash?

[brickel]

http://www.thexreport.com/atta_and_al-ani_photo_and_analysis.htm

Why have the media not showed these photos?

[Thud]

Waiting for confirmation.

[Thud]

So this article is just a repost of one the Telegraph published six months ago.

[Shermy]

No, that's the other thread. This is the old one.

"Waiting for confirmation"

--Could be a long, very long "wait."