German trial hears how Iranian agent warned US of impending al-Qaida attack

Guardian ^ | 24 Jan 2004 | Ben Aris

[F14 Pilot]

The United States was warned of impending September 11 terrorist attacks by an Iranian spy, but ignored him, German secret service agents testified yesterday in the trial of an alleged al-Qaida terrorist.

The spy, identified as Hamid Reza Zakeri, tried to warn the CIA after leaving Iran in 2001, but was not believed, two German officers who interviewed him told the Hamburg court.

Zakeri worked in the department of the Iranian secret services responsible for "carrying out terrorist attacks globally", one of the officers said.

Prosecutors called the spy as a surprise witness against a Moroccan man, Abdelghani Mzoudi, who is on trial for being a key aide to three of the September 11 hijackers.

He is said to have handled money, covered for absences by members of the al-Qaida cell based in Hamburg and trained in an Afghan al-Qaida camp himself.

He is charged with 3,066 counts of aiding and abetting murder, one for each of the victims of the New York and Washington suicide attacks.

Mzoudi is one of a clutch of suspected al-Qaida operatives being held around the world.

Iran said for the first time yesterday it was planning to try a dozen suspects who have been detained in the country.

The Bush administration, which has accused Iran of harbouring al-Qaida militants, countered by saying Tehran should send the suspects to their home countries for judgment.

The US has long suspected that the detainees slipped into Iran from neighbouring Afghanistan following the American-led invasion in 2001.

"We want to see action, and the action we want to see is that they turn over those al- Qaida members in their custody to their country of origin," White House spokesman Scott McClellan said.

Western intelligence officials believe that among the Iran-held figures could be an Egyptian, Saif al-Adel, the security chief of Osama bin Laden's network.

A son of Bin Laden and a spokesman for the network chief could also be in Iran, Saudi sources said.

The testimony at the Hamburg trial could heap more embarrassment on the US state department and secret services, which have denied allegations that they were forewarned of the attacks.

The White House and US intelligence agencies have been plagued by accusations of a catastrophic failure since the four planes were hijacked to such devastating effect in 2001.

[F14 Pilot]

9/11 Ping! Iran Ping! War On Terror Ping!

[Pro-Bush]

Bump/Ping!

The United States was warned of impending September 11 terrorist attacks by an Iranian spy, but ignored him, German secret service agents testified yesterday in the trial of an alleged al-Qaida terrorist.

The spy, identified as Hamid Reza Zakeri, tried to warn the CIA after leaving Iran in 2001, but was not believed, two German officers who interviewed him told the Hamburg court.

[I got the rope]

The testimony at the Hamburg trial could heap more embarrassment on the US state department and secret services, which have denied allegations that they were forewarned of the attacks.

The White House and US intelligence agencies have been plagued by accusations of a catastrophic failure since the four planes were hijacked to such devastating effect in 2001.

Wrong! The intellegence agencies admitted that they "heard" chatter, but they hear hundreds of such threats a day. It was impossible to check every single one. Because of this President this type of work is now a priority. Looks like another Bush hit-piece to me.

[F14 Pilot]

I guess Mullahs in Tehran are trying to help the DemocRATs to win the election. How would you think?

[I got the rope]

I don't trust the Europeans or their press. The media has been on a full-court press since the war started. They are full of pacifist parasites. They couldn't fight theirselves out of a wet paper bag much less fight a war. They should be embarassed that their pacifism has empowered our enemies...but they're not. I'm not sure about what the Mullahs are doing. My guess is that they are already in negotiations with us, or we would have sent the 82nd after their ass by now.
We have them surrounded. They know their place now. Threats will not stop us.

[JustPiper]

BumPing!

[endthematrix]

Another thread on the same topic. http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1063425/posts?page=11#11
Plenty of 2001 intel floating around. Remember this was before 9-11 when CIA and FBI had their heads up their a$$!

[windchime]

I agree that it's probably a hit-piece on President Bush. In addition, the quantity and obscureness of the chatter would have the entire nation wrapped in plastic sheeting/duct tape or in a bomb shelter indefinitely.

Since November many here have been following the same sort of warnings on the internet (tip of the iceberg as compared to intelligence services). There are even a couple of FReepers that transliterate the arabic messages. Are the threats real or perpetrated by pranksters? Who knows.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1013726/posts?q=1&&page=1

[baltodog]

They're gonna release a bio agent!!

They're gonna release a chem agent!!

They're gonna blow up ships!!

They gonna use a dirty nuke!!

They'e gonna hijack planes!!

They're gonna take over the intenet!!

They're gonna blow up gasoline trucks!!!

Etc..!!!

Which one would any of us have picked?

[F14 Pilot]

Freedom For Iran Now!

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[blackie]

Freedom for Iran ~ Now!