Niger document forger in pay of France

The American Thinker ^ | 10-25-05 | Clarice Feldman

[Renfield]

Russo Martino, the man behind the forged documents indicating Saddam had purchased uranium from Niger, which Joseph A. Wilson falsely claimed he had seen and warned the Administration about, has come forward and admitted that he did this in the pay of France to undermine the British and American justification for the war in Iraq:

The man, identified by an Italian news agency as Rocco Martino, was the subject of a Telegraph article earlier this month in which he was referred to by his intelligence codename, “Giacomo”.

His admission to investigating magistrates in Rome on Friday apparently confirms suggestions that – by commissioning “Giacomo” to procure and circulate documents – France was responsible for some of the information later used by Britain and the United States to promote the case for war with Iraq.

Italian diplomats have claimed that, by disseminating bogus documents stating that Iraq was trying to buy low-grade “yellowcake” uranium from Niger, France was trying to “set up” Britain and America in the hope that when the mistake was revealed it would undermine the case for war, which it wanted to prevent.

Italian judicial officials confirmed yesterday that Mr Martino had previously been sought for questioning by Rome. Investigating magistrates in the city have opened an inquiry into claims he made previously in the international press that Italy’s secret services had been behind the dissemination of false documents, to bolster the US case for war.

According to Ansa, the Italian news agency, which said privately that it had obtained its information from “judicial and other sources”, Mr Martino was questioned by an investigating magistrate, Franco Ionta, for two hours. Ansa said Mr Martino told the magistrate that Italy’s military intelligence, Sismi, had no role in the procuring or dissemination of the Niger documents.

[Renfield]

This is interesting.

Link referred to above ("admitted", html formatting doesn't come through....) is: http://news.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/09/19/wniger19.xml

[Zeppo]

The Demo/Commies will be greatly saddened... One more reason to boycott France...

[SF Republican]

I smell pepe la pue

[Zeppo]

Link to original article:

Agent behind fake uranium documents worked for France

[nopardons]

Very interesting indeed!

[LesbianThespianGymnasticMidget]

Admitted

[conservativepoet]

Let's see how the MSM handles this story.

[massgopguy]

When will this get posted on DU?

[conservativepoet]

"When will this get posted on DU?"

I seriously doubt it, but if it does make it over there, it will be turned on its head in a way my brain can't fathom.

It hard for me to sneak over there and endure their nonsense. I'm looking forward to a great supper and that just might ruin it for me.

[Proud_USA_Republican]

After we get done with Syria, its time to turn our attention to the fourth member of the axis of evil, France.

[Publius6961]

... by disseminating bogus documents stating that Iraq was trying to buy low-grade “yellowcake” uranium from Niger, France was trying to “set up” Britain and America in the hope that when the mistake was revealed it would undermine the case for war, which it wanted to prevent.

This statement begs the question; why?

Oil for food bucks? Arms contracts? Nuclear Research sales?
Therein lies the real news.

[SGCOS]

I'm so sick of hearing about yellow cake..How about 'Glazed donut uranium?'

[sgtbono2002]

Lets see how the MSM handles this story?

Quite simple. They won't.

[Renfield]

Off the top of my head, I'd say that French jealousy of the U.S. has reached such preposterous heights, that they will do anything to cause mischief to us.

[pissant]

Do we have any congresscritter with enough balls to go after the French over this? Bush should NOT have to be the heavy here. Santorum? Frist? Anyone?????????

[Cicero]

As I recall, he was linked with French intelligence in the earliest stories, but it's interesting that he admits it, and the reasons behind it.

Now the question is whether the French may have acted as cutoffs for rogue operators in the CIA. It's not improbable, since they communicate fairly often and agree on the anti-war agenda.

[nopardons]

And don't forget that Joe Wilson's second wife is French.

[txhurl]

huh......

[pbear8]

Russo Martino AKA Dan Rather

[colorcountry]

Italian diplomats have claimed that, by disseminating bogus documents stating that Iraq was trying to buy low-grade "yellowcake" uranium from Niger, France was trying to "set up" Britain and America in the hope that when the mistake was revealed it would undermine the case for war, which it wanted to prevent.

I think we need to find out all we can about the French operative and second wife of Joseph Wilson....Jacqueline Wilson.