Iraq: Former PM Reveals Secret Service Data on Birth of Al-Qaeda in Iraq (Great News)

AKI ^

[jmc1969]

Baghdad, 23 May - The number two of the al-Qaeda network, Ayman al-Zawahiri, visited Iraq under a false name in September 1999 to take part in the ninth Popular Islamic Congress, former Iraqi premier Iyad Allawi has revealed to pan-Arab daily al-Hayat. In an interview, Allawi made public information discovered by the Iraqi secret service in the archives of the Saddam Hussein regime, which sheds light on the relationship between Saddam Hussein and the Islamic terrorist network. He also said that both al-Zawahiri and Jordanian militant al-Zarqawi probably entered Iraq in the same period.

"Al-Zawahiri was summoned by Izza Ibrahim Al-Douri – then deputy head of the council of the leadership of the revolution - to take part in the congress, along with some 150 other Islamic figures from 50 Muslim countries," Allawi said.

According to Allawi, important information has been gathered regarding the presence of another key terrorist figure operating in Iraq - the Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

Allawi's remarks come after statements to al-Hayat by King Abdallah II of Jordan over Saddam's refusal to hand over al-Zarqawi to the authorities in Amman.

On this question Allawi said: ''The words of the Jordanian King are correct and important. We have proof of al-Zawahiri's visit to Iraq, but we do not have the precise date or information on al-Zarqawi's entry

In Allawi's view, Saddam's government "sponsored" the birth of al-Qaeda in Iraq, coordinating with other terrorist groups, both Arab and Muslim. "The Iraqi secret services had links to these groups through a person called Faruq Hajizi, later named Iraq's ambassador to Turkey and arrested after the fall of Saddam's regime as he tried to re-enter Iraq. Iraqi secret agents helped terrorists enter the country and directed them to the Ansar al-Islam camps in the Halbija area," he said.

[jmc1969]

This is huge.

[OXENinFLA]

You're silly................Al-Qaeda was never and is not currently in Iraq.

Don't you get the democratic talking points?

[pissant]

This will be in the Washington Post and NY Times tomorrow, right?

[kcvl]

You're silly................Al-Qaeda was never and is not currently in Iraq.

Just ask Chris Matthews. /sarcasm

[eno_]

The Iraqi secret services had links to these groups through a person called Faruq Hajizi, later named Iraq's ambassador to Turkey and arrested after the fall of Saddam's regime as he tried to re-enter Iraq.

The anthrax for the postal attacks in the U.S. probably came from Iraq. It was probably passed (in a fairly small quantity) from Iraqi intelligence to AQ.

[gandalftb]

Bingo, it all fits, good post.

[MizSterious]

Great find.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Bombs bursting!

[TexKat]

Saw this earlier. I am waiting for a more reparable source if there is such a thing.

[kellynla]

Excellent find.

Ya just have to connect the dots, folks.

The only thing I regret is that we didn't go all the way to Baghdad in 1991 and "take out the trash" sooner.

Semper Fi,
Kelly

[Peach]

In Allawi's view, Saddam's government "sponsored" the birth of al-Qaeda in Iraq, coordinating with other terrorist groups, both Arab and Muslim.

I've been beating that drum for 3 years.

[God luvs America]

seriously...let's see how the media handles this....

[TexasGreg]

But ... but ... but ... we've been assured by the Democrats and the UN that Al-Qaeda had no connection to Iraq!

[GarySpFc]

This is the smoking gun, with fingerprints on it.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

They'll say it was then Governor Bush's fault.

[TADSLOS]

Must have been the 9-11 Concept Brief to Saddam.

[SierraWasp]

What is that sorce link of www.adnki.com???

[JaguarXKE]

Move along...nothing to see here.

[Gucho]

Bump - Thank you.

[tobyhill]

Great news but convince the msm of it. Effective right now the msm needs 3 identified sources before they print the story.