Berlusconi Backs Intelligence Director Accused of Passing Fake Uranium Deal Papers to U.S.

ap.tbo ^ | Oct 30, 2005 | Associated Press

[ncountylee]

ROME (AP) - Premier Silvio Berlusconi on Sunday defended an intelligence official accused of passing forged documents to the United States suggesting that Saddam Hussein had been seeking uranium in Africa, claims that helped justify the case for the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

Nicolo Pollari is the director of the SISMI intelligence agency, and Berlusconi rejected suggestions Pollari should resign as a result of the allegations. He is to be questioned this week by members of a parliamentary commission overseeing secret services.

"I have esteem for Gen. Nicolo Pollari. I have followed his work with trust and I have always appreciated and continue to appreciate what he's doing at SISMI," Berlusconi said in a statement issued as Berlusconi traveled to Washington for a meeting Monday with President Bush.

Berlusconi's office has denied reports last week in the daily La Repubblica that Italy was involved in giving the United States and Britain documents known to be forged that detailed a purported Iraqi deal to buy 500 tons of uranium from Niger.

The United States and Britain used the claim to bolster their case that Saddam Hussein was seeking to develop weapons of mass destruction.

Some of the intelligence supporting the claim that Saddam was seeking uranium in Africa was later deemed unreliable.

The Niger uranium story is at the heart of the CIA leak scandal now roiling the Bush White House.

[DB]

"...claims that helped justify the case for the 2003 invasion of Iraq."

This is simply untrue.

These fake documents were never used by anyone in the US or Britain. British intelligence based their claim on other evidence - before these "documents" were ever "discovered".

These "journalists" keep repeating the lies giving the perception that they are truth. Disgusting.

[DB]

"Some of the intelligence supporting the claim that Saddam was seeking uranium in Africa was later deemed unreliable."

Some?

Only the fake documents this story refers to were deemed useless. British intelligence stands by their report even today. No one has disproved any part of it.

[BoBToMatoE]

Shall we use the MSM's own mantra agains them... "fake but accurate.."

;)

[ClaireSolt]

In my dreams Joe Wilson and the French cooked up this plot which will be disclosed and his goose will be cooked in the same pot as George Galloway.

[Atlantic Friend]

"In my dreams Joe Wilson and the French cooked up this plot which will be disclosed and his goose will be cooked in the same pot as George Galloway."

In your dreams indeed. Read the FR thread about Libyan involvement in the forged papers to see how the whole thing was really cooked up, and by whom.

[ClaireSolt]

Haven't see that.