Terrorist behind September 11 strike was trained by Saddam

London Telegraph ^ | 12-14-03 | Con Coughlin

[cody32127]

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."

Although Atta is believed to have been resident in Florida in the summer of 2001, he is known to have used more than a dozen aliases, and intelligence experts believe he could easily have slipped out of the US to visit Iraq.

Abu Nidal, who was responsible for the failed assassination of the Israeli ambassador to London in 1982, was based in Baghdad for more than two decades

[Scott from the Left Coast]

Yes, but it's nice bringing back up now that Saddam is wearing the orange jump-suit.

[Peach]

I pinged you to this last night. Quite an article, isn't it?

Just another nail in the coffin of those who said there was no linkage between AQ and Iraq.

[Mo1]

Yep .. I saw it last night and pinged you to it .. there is another thread about this with a lot of info on it

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1039898/posts?page=336#336

Habbush writes that the successful completion of the shipment was "the fruit of your excellent secret meeting with Bashir al-Asad (the Syrian president) on the Iraqi-Syrian border", and concludes: "May God protect you and save you to all Arab nations."

[wizardoz]

We may see a flood of information now that Saddam is captured.

Gives a whole new meaning to "Apres moi, le deluge," doesn't it?

[Dog]

Thanks.....how did I miss those threads.

[Mo1]

Due to the great news of Saddam's capture??

Seriously ... there is a lot of good information on that thread

[Peach]

You were working it sounds like. VERY interesting article. Sure wish it would get some press over here.

Anyone have an in with Rush/Fox, etc.?

[EGPWS]

MESSAGE to ALL RATs..

you better cut the crap and find a way to get on the winning side (America's side) or you'll be extinct just like sodom.

evad! your post can be considered aiding and abetting the enemy!

Let them figure it out for themselves for by the time they do, the '04 elections will be far in the past. ; )

[Maelstrom]

You might not believe it, but the only reason the Democrats haven't started a shooting war against America is because they think they're winning the political battles.

[William Tell]

elhombrelibre said: "It would behoove the major media to stop hiding their collective heads in the sand if they wish to enjoy the public's confidence in the future."

The moment when the major media could legitimately modify their behavior and deserve the public's confidence has long passed.

These people are not hiding their heads in the sand, they spend their every waking moment spewing falsehoods designed to hide the truth and promote their socialist program. They are motivated for money to have power, but power above all else. The threat of bankruptcy will not deter them but actual bankruptcy will stop them.

Any newspaper which publishes a story regarding the capture of Hussein and which fails to show a picture of our Commander-in-Chief congratulating and celebrating with the troops deserves the cancellations which such injustice warrants.

[evad]

evad! your post can be considered aiding and abetting the enemy!

yeah...Rush often says the same thing.

Good thing is RATs don't listen so I think I'm safe :)

[prairiebreeze]

Thanks for the ping. Off to read some more, been gone pretty much all day.

Prairie

[The Raven]

ping

[Constitution Day]

WOW!
I had not even heard this; guess it was overshadowed by all the Saddam news yesterday.

CD

[risen_feenix]

I'm pretty sure this story has been discredited already.

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/3741646/

If nothing else, I'd hold up on the rush to judgment.