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Bin Laden and Iraq (What the Media Said in the 90's)
FrontPage Magazine ^ | July 14, 2003 | Anonymous

Posted on 06/29/2005 1:19:20 PM PDT by Peach

Bin Laden and Iraq FrontPageMagazine.com ^ | July 14, 2003 | Anonymous

Posted on 07/15/2003 8:43:03 PM EDT by Mia T

Bin Laden and Iraq By Anonymous FrontPageMagazine.com | July 14, 2003

I decided to look back to 1999 to see what links there may have been between Saddam and OBL. I found hundreds of articles. Here are condensed summaries of some of the more relevant ones.ÝÝI wonder why no one is talking about these articles and links today.

- - - - -

The Herald (Glasgow, Scotland), December 28, 1999.

Iraq tempts bin Laden to attack West Exclusive. By: Ian Bruce, Geopolitics Editor.

THE world's most wanted man, Osama bin Laden, has been offered sanctuary in Iraq if his worldwide terrorist network succeeds in carrying out a campaign of high-profile attacks on the WestÝ ...

Now we are also facing the prospect of an unholy alliance between bin Laden and Saddam. The implications are terrifying.

"We might be looking at the most wanted man on the FBI's target list gaining access to chemical, biological or even nuclear weapons courtesy of Iraq's clandestine research programmes."

The U.S. intelligence community has been squeezing bin Laden's finances steadily for several years. His personal fortune of anything up to £500m has been whittled down to single figures ...

- - - - -

U.S. Newswire, December 23, 1999.

Terrorism Expert Reveals Why Osama bin Laden has Declared War On America; Available for Comment in Light of Predicted Attacks.

... (author Yossef) Bodansky also reveals the relationship between bin Laden and Saddam Hussein and how the U.S. bombing of Iraq is "strengthening the hands of militant Islamists eager to translate their rage into violence and terrorism."Ý ....

- - - - -

The Observer. December 19, 1999.

Sanctions reviewed in West as Saddam wields sword of Islam

The Iraqi dictator has rejected a UN deal to lift sanctions. The Western blockade, far from toppling the regime, has bolstered it. He's ditched the sunglasses and taken up the Koran to harness the fervour ofÝ fundamentalists.

By: Jason Burke, in Baghdad

... This time last year the U.S. claimed that another delegation had met Osama bin Laden, the alleged terrorist mastermind and tried to woo him to Iraq.

Senior officials claim that the Islamisation programme is an attempt to defuse the threat of Islamic militancy rather than encourage it ...

- - - - -

United Press International. November 3, 1999, Wednesday, BC cycle.

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. government has tried to prevent accused terror suspect Osama bin Laden from fleeing Afghanistan to either Iraq or Chechnya, Michael Sheehan, head of counter-terrorism at the State Department, told a Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee ...

- - - - -

Akron Beacon Journal (Ohio). October 31, 1999. Sunday 1 STAR EDITION.

BIN LADEN SPOTTED AFTER OFFER TO LEAVE By: From Beacon Journal wire services

DATELINE: JALALABAD, AFGHANISTAN:

... The Taliban has since made it known through official channels that the likely destination is Iraq.

A Clinton administration official said bin Laden's request "falls far short" of the UN resolution that the Taliban deliver him for trial....

- - - - -

The Kansas City Star. March 2, 1999, Tuesday.

International terrorism, a conflict without boundaries

By Rich Hood

... He (bin Laden)Ýhas a private fortune ranging from $250 million to $500 million and is said to be cultivating a new alliance with Iraq's Saddam Hussein, who has biological and chemical weapons bin Laden would not hesitate to use. An alliance between bin Laden and Saddam Hussein could be deadly. Both men are united in their hatred for the United States and any country friendly to the United States....

- - - - -

Los Angeles Times. February 23, 1999, Tuesday, Home Edition. SECTION: Metro; Part B; Page 6; Letters Desk. HEADLINE: OSAMA BIN LADEN

Where is Osama bin Laden (Feb. 14)? That should be the U.S.'s main priority. If as rumored he and Saddam Hussein are joining forces, it could pose a threat making Hitler and Mussolini seem like a sideshow....

- - - - -

National Public Radio (NPR) MORNING EDITION (10:00 AM on ET) February 18, 1999.

THOUGH AFGHANISTAN HAS PROVIDED OSAMA BIN LADEN WITH SANCTUARY, IT IS UNCLEAR WHERE HE IS NOW. ANCHORS: BOB EDWARDS REPORTERS: MIKE SHUSTER

... There have also been reports in recent months that bin Laden might have been considering moving his operations to Iraq. Intelligence agencies in several nations are looking into that. According to Vincent Cannistraro, a former chief of CIA counterterrorism operations, a senior Iraqi intelligence official, Farouk Hijazi(ph), sought out bin Laden in December and invited him to come to Iraq.

Mr. VINCENT CANNISTRARO (Former Chief of CIA Counterterrorism Operations): Farouk Hijazi, who was the Iraqi ambassador in Turkey ... known through sources in Afghanistan, members of Osama's entourage let it be known that the meeting had taken place.

SHUSTER: Iraq's contacts with bin Laden go back some years, to at least 1994, when, according to one U.S. government source, Hijazi met him when bin Laden lived in Sudan. According to Cannistraro, Iraq invited bin Laden to live in Baghdad to be nearer to potential targets of terrorist attack in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. There is a wide gap between bin Laden's fundamentalism and Saddam Hussein's secular dictatorship. But some experts believe bin Laden might be tempted to live in Iraq because of his reported desire to obtain chemical or biological weapons. CIA director George Tenet referred to that in recent testimony....

- - - - -

Agence France Presse. February 17, 1999.

Saddam plans to use bin Laden against Kuwait, Saudi: opposition

Iraq's President Saddam Hussein plans to use alleged terrorist Osama bin Laden's network to carry out his threats against Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, an Iraqi opposition figure charged on Wednesday. "If the ... Jaber, a member of the Supreme Council for Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI), said Iraq had "offered to shelter bin Laden under the precondition that he carry out strikes on targets in neighbouring countries."

... Islamic fundamentalist bin Laden, who has gone missing from his base in Afghanistan, would never seek refuge in secular Iraq on ideological grounds. "I think bin Laden would keep quiet or fight to the death rather than seek asylum in Iraq," the London-based dissident, who asked not to be named, told AFP last week.....

- - - - -

Deutsche Presse-Agentur. February 17, 1999, Wednesday, BC Cycle

Opposition group says bin Laden in Iraq

DATELINE: Kuwait City

An Iraqi opposition group claimed in a published report Wednesday that Islamic militant Osama bin Laden is in Iraq from where he plans to launch a campaign of terrorism against Baghdad's Gulf neighbours.

The claim was made by Bayan Jabor, spokesman for the Teheran-based Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (SCIRI).

Bin Laden "recently settled in Iraq at the invitation of Saddam Hussein in exchange for directing strikes against targets in neighbouring countries," Jabor told the Kuwaiti newspaper al-Rai al- Aam ... Taleban leaders in Afghanistan, where he had been living, said they lost track of him. Media reports have speculated he sought refuge in Chechnya, Somalia, Iraq, or with a non-Taliban group in Afghanistan.

Jabor, who was interviewed in Damascus, Syria, said Iraq began extending invitations to bin Laden six months ago, shortly after the United States bombed his suspected terrorist training camps in Afghanistan after linking him with the August 7 bombings of U.S. embassies in Nairobi, Kenya and in Dar-es-Salam, Tanzania.

The United States indicted Bin Laden for the embassy bombings and has offered a five million dollar reward for information leading to his capture. Bin Laden's disappearance has coincided with stepped up threats by Iraq against neighbours Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Turkey for allowing the United States and Britain to use their air bases to carry out air patrols over two "no-fly" zones over northern and southern Iraq ....

- - - - -

Associated Press Worldstream. February 14, 1999.

Taliban leader says whereabouts of bin Laden unknown

... Analysts say bin Laden's options for asylum are limited.

Iraq was considered a possible destination because bin Laden had received an invitation from Iraqi President Saddam Hussein last month. And Somalia was a third possible destination because of its anarchy and violent anti-U.S. historyÝ....

- - - - -

San Jose Mercury News (California).Ý February 14, 1999 Sunday MORNING FINAL EDITION

U.S. WORRIED ABOUT IRAQI, BIN LADEN TIES TERRORIST COULD GAIN EVEN DEADLIER WEAPONS

U.S. intelligence officials are worried that a burgeoning alliance between terrorist leader Osama bin Laden and Iraqi President Saddam Hussein could make the fugitive Saudi's loose-knit organization much more dangerous ...

In addition, the officials said, Palestinian terrorist Abu Nidal is now in Iraq, as is aÝrenowned Palestinian bomb designer, and both could make their expertise available to bin Laden.

"It's clear the Iraqis would like to have bin Laden in Iraq," said Vincent Cannistraro, a former head of counterterrorism operations at the Central Intelligence AgencyÝ ...

Saddam has even offered asylum to bin Laden, who has expressed support for Iraq.

... (in) late December, when bin Laden met a senior Iraqi intelligence official near Qandahar, Afghanistan, there has been increasing evidence that bin Laden and Iraq may have begun cooperating in planning attacks against American and British targets around the world.

Bin Laden, who strikes in the name of Islam, and Saddam, one of the most secular rulers in the Arab world, have little in common except their hatred of the United States ...

More worrisome, the American officials said, are indications that there may be contacts between bin Laden's organization and Iraq's Special Security Organization (SSO), run by Saddam's son Qusay. Both the SSO and the Mukhabarat were involved in a failed 1993 plot to assassinate former President George Bush ...

"The idea that the same people who are hiding Saddam's biological weapons may be meeting with Osama bin Laden is not a happy one," said one American official....

- - - - -

Associated Press Worldstream. February 13, 1999; Saturday 14:32 Eastern Time

Bin Laden said to have left Afghanistan, whereabouts unknown

... It is very unlikely bin Laden could remain in Afghanistan without Taliban officials knowing his whereabouts.

Iraqi President Saddam Hussein has offered asylum to bin Laden, who has expressed support for Iraq.

U.S. officials believe bin Laden masterminded the Aug. 7 bombings of its embassies in Kenya and Tanzania ...

Bin Laden urged devout Muslims to attack U.S. and British interests in retaliation for their joint assault on Iraq.

U.S. officials demanded that the Taliban hand over bin Laden, who has been indicted in a U.S. court on murder charges in connection with the bombings. But the Taliban had refused.

- - - - -

The Bulletin's Frontrunner. January 4, 1999, Monday.

Defiant Saddam Looks To Provoke U.S.

... Time also reported, "For now, the White House will respond to each provocation by counterattacking the offending battery."

Saddam Reaching Out To bin Laden.

Newsweek (1/11, Contreras) reported, "U.S. sources say (Saddam) is reaching out to Islamic terrorists, including some who may be linked to Osama bin Laden." ...

(Osama bin Laden was) calling for all-out war on Americans, using as his main pretext Washington's role in bombing and boycotting Iraq." In a Newsweek interview, bin Laden said that "'any American who pays taxes to hisÝ government," is a legitimate target." Newsweek reported, "The idea of an alliance between Iraq and bin Laden is alarming to the West," although "Saddam may think he's too good for such an association." However, "Now that the United States has made his removal from office a national objective....

- - - - -

The White House Bulletin. Copyright 1999. Bulletin Broadfaxing Network, Inc.

In a Newsweek interview, bin Laden said that "'any American who pays taxes to his government," is a legitimate target." Newsweek reported, "The idea of an alliance between Iraq and bin Laden is alarming to the West," although "Saddam may think he's too good for such an association." However, "Now that the United States has made his removal from office a national objective, he....

- - - - -

United Press International. January 3, 1999, Sunday, BC cycle.

UPI Focus: Bin Laden 'instigated' embassy bombings

... (The Taliban) government in Afghanistan says the Saudi does not have the money to finance projects in the country. Newsweek also reported that Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein has been making new overtures to bin Laden in an attempt to rebuild his intelligence network and to create his own terror network....


TOPICS: Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Government; Miscellaneous; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: aq; binladen; connections; iraq
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1 posted on 06/29/2005 1:19:20 PM PDT by Peach
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To: Peach

wow... good find Peach.

Power Ping.


2 posted on 06/29/2005 1:23:06 PM PDT by Capn TrVth
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To: Peach
OK, but what did Saddam ever do to.....your cat?!!
3 posted on 06/29/2005 1:23:48 PM PDT by randog (What the....?!)
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To: randog

LOL. I'm sorry. I'm spamming, aren't I?


4 posted on 06/29/2005 1:24:46 PM PDT by Peach
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To: Capn TrVth

You're welcome.

The place to bookmark, for those interested, is the last link because it includes all the other links:

Despite what Wesley Clark said last night on FNC, he was pushing an Iraq/AQ connection.
Tape Shows General Wesley Clark linking Iraq and AQ
January 12, 2004. The New York Times.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1056113/posts

The media certainly were pushing Iraq as being connected to AQ and possibly behind 9/11 shortly after September 11, 2001. A compilation of media comments and articles:
November 17, 2003
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/984758/posts

Article details the number of terrorists who have attacked America in the past and taken refuge in Iraq. Loaded with interesting bullet points.
March 14, 2004. Scripps Howard News Service via NewsMax.
http://freerepublic.com/focus/news/1097521/posts?page=1

How the Networks Pretend to Ignore their own Reporting from the 1990's.
June 17, 2004. Media Research Center
http://www.mediaresearch.org/cyberalerts/2004/cyb20040617.asp

Iraq and AQ agree to cooperate. The federal indictment against OBL working in concert with Iraq and Iran is mentioned.
November 1998. The New York Times
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/985906/posts

ABC news reports on the Osama/Saddam connections
January 14, 1999. ABC News
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1229608/posts?page=1

Intercepted call links Saddam to AQ.
February 7, 2002. The Telegraph
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/837605/posts

Families sue Iraq over 9/11. Thousands of 9/11 victims and family members sue Iraq based on evidence that Iraq knew the attacks were coming, approved the attacks, and supported Al Qaeda for a decade. The lawsuit also notes Iraq's involvement in the first WTC attack.
September 5, 2002. CBS.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/09/05/september11/main520874.shtml

Saddam and OBL Make a Pact.
February 10, 2003. The New Yorker.
http://www.newyorker.com/fact/content/?030210fa_fact

List of newspaper articles written in the 90's which mention the world's concern regarding the growing relationship between OBL and Saddam.
July 14, 2003. FrontPage Magazine.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/946809/posts?page=1

That and more here:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1327993/posts


5 posted on 06/29/2005 1:25:28 PM PDT by Peach
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To: Darth Reagan

ping


6 posted on 06/29/2005 1:26:02 PM PDT by marblehead17 (I love it when a pn comes together.)
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To: Peach

Hey Peach...are these included in your original list or do I need to add them to my file? Thanks...you're the greatest!


7 posted on 06/29/2005 1:26:49 PM PDT by ravingnutter
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To: Peach

Bookmarked -- great reference material.


8 posted on 06/29/2005 1:26:54 PM PDT by advance_copy (Stand for life, or nothing at all)
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To: ravingnutter

They are included in my original list. I just thought I'd give a few examples of how people on the left are lying about this matter.


9 posted on 06/29/2005 1:27:28 PM PDT by Peach
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To: Peach

The MSM cannot hide what they say anymore!! No more memory holes for them to hide their hypocracy.


10 posted on 06/29/2005 1:27:51 PM PDT by bubman
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To: Peach

Another excellent blast-from-the-past post. We need to keep these old articles circulating. Throw them right in the rats' faces.


11 posted on 06/29/2005 1:27:58 PM PDT by freeperfromnj
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To: advance_copy

You might want to bookmark this too; it has as many articles about the connections as I've been able to find over the years:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1327993/posts


12 posted on 06/29/2005 1:28:29 PM PDT by Peach
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To: Peach

When the press had their man in power they had no problem investigating the ties between Saddam and Bin Laden. Hypocrites, all of them.


13 posted on 06/29/2005 1:30:07 PM PDT by frogjerk
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To: Peach

Thanks! The evidence is overwhelming. Saddam was in cahoots with the terrorists.


14 posted on 06/29/2005 1:30:58 PM PDT by advance_copy (Stand for life, or nothing at all)
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To: Peach

I know we are not supposed to, and I will not, but I am DYING to post this on some DU "Iraq and 9/11 are not connected" thread.

Oh, man....how fast would that post get edited?


15 posted on 06/29/2005 1:31:03 PM PDT by Personal Responsibility (Register to vote as a Dem! You get to vote in their primaries and it screws up their polling data!)
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To: Peach
Here are some more that were given to me today:

Credit to joesbucks for the following links:

Dozens of links here:

Click here

Just a few of those links include:

The Clinton Justice Department's indictment against OBL in federal court which mentions the terrorist's connections to Iraq. November 4, 1998. The federal indictment:

Click here

Iraq and AQ agree to cooperate. The federal indictment against OBL working in concert with Iraq and Iran is mentioned. November 1998. The New York Times

Click here

Saddam reaching out to OBL January 1, 1999. Newsweek

Click here

ABC news reports on the Osama/Saddam connections January 14, 1999. ABC News

Click here

Western Nightmare: Saddam and OBL versus the World. Iraq recruited OBL. February 6, 1999. The Guardian

Click here

Saddam's Link to OBL February 6, 1999. The Guardian

Click here

Saddam offered asylum to bin Laden February 13, 1999. AP

Click here

And kabar submitted these two little gems showing Bin Laden supported Iraq and its struggle against the US and the West.

1996 Fatwa: "Declaration of War against the Americans Occupying the Land of the Two Holy Places."

1998 Text of Fatwah Urging Jihad Against Americans

The list is getting so large I can't tell if there are duplicates anymore, LOL!

16 posted on 06/29/2005 1:31:29 PM PDT by ravingnutter
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To: Peach

All this information should have been fired at the Left Tuesday night.


17 posted on 06/29/2005 1:33:58 PM PDT by TomasUSMC (FIGHT LIKE WW2, FINISH LIKE WW2. FIGHT LIKE NAM, FINISH LIKE NAM.)
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To: Personal Responsibility

Oh, that would be funny!


18 posted on 06/29/2005 1:34:38 PM PDT by Peach
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To: Personal Responsibility

Just do it!


19 posted on 06/29/2005 1:34:42 PM PDT by frogjerk
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To: frogjerk

I HATE the media. With a passion.


20 posted on 06/29/2005 1:34:59 PM PDT by Peach
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