That OBL and the Taliban are in contact with Iraq and that a group of Taliban and bin Laden group members visited Iraq. That the U.S. has proof the Iraqi government and "bin Laden's group" agreed to cooperate to attack targets inside America.Posted on 03/16/2006 11:11:32 PM PST by Ernest_at_the_Beach
March 16, 2006 — Following are the ABC News Investigative Unit's summaries of four of the nine Iraqi documents from Saddam Hussein's government, which were released by the U.S. government Wednesday.
The documents discuss Osama bin Laden, weapons of mass destruction, al Qaeda and more.
The full documents can be found on the U.S. Army Foreign Military Studies Office Web site: http://fmso.leavenworth.army.mil/products-docex.htm.
Note: Document titles were added by ABC News.
Document dated Sept. 15, 2001
An Iraqi intelligence service document saying that their Afghani informant, who's only identified by a number, told them that the Afghani Consul Ahmed Dahastani claimed the following in front of him:
That OBL and the Taliban are in contact with Iraq and that a group of Taliban and bin Laden group members visited Iraq. That the U.S. has proof the Iraqi government and "bin Laden's group" agreed to cooperate to attack targets inside America.
That in case the Taliban and bin Laden's group turn out to be involved in "these destructive operations," the U.S. may strike Iraq and Afghanistan. That the Afghani consul heard about the issue of Iraq's relationship with "bin Laden's group" while he was in Iran.
At the end, the writer recommends informing "the committee of intentions" about the above-mentioned items. The signature on the document is unclear.
(Editor's Note: The controversial claim that Osama bin Laden was cooperating with Saddam Hussein is an ongoing matter of intense debate. While the assertions contained in this document clearly support the claim, the sourcing is questionable — i.e. an unnamed Afghan "informant" reporting on a conversation with another Afghan "consul." The date of the document — four days after 9/11 — is worth noting but without further corroboration, this document is of limited evidentiary value.)
Documents dated July-August 1999
Correspondence regarding election campaigns in France. This includes a document from the Iraqi intelligence service classified as "secret," ordering the translation of important parts of a 1997 report about campaign financing laws in France. It also includes a document from the foreign minister's office indicating the report was attached. The attached translated report included very detailed information about all the regulations regarding financing of election campaigns in France. Translation was done by someone called "Salam Abdul Karim Mohammed."
(Editor's Note: This is an intriguing document which suggests Saddam Hussein's regime had a strong interest in the mechanics and legalities of financial contributions to French politicians. Several former French politicians are implicated in receiving oil vouchers from Iraq under the U.N. Oil for Food program.)
I love that Editor's Note. Did they really have to add that? Sheesh. It's obvious what side they are on.
March 16, 2006
Unlocking History At Leavenworth
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The documents released by John Negroponte and hosted on a military website at Leavenworth promise to rewrite the long history of Iraq and its place in the war on terror. Just the first few documents have shown links between Saddam's regime and terrorism, including a strong reference to the 9/11 attack by Saddam's own intelligence service. ABC News has begun their own translation of the key documents, as have others in the blogosphere.
Let's start with the document that mentions 9/11, a report from the IIS regarding a conversation with a Taliban official:
Our source in Afghanistan No 11002 (for information about him see attachment 1) provided us with information that that Afghani Consul Ahmad Dahestani (for information about him see attachment 2) told him the following:1. That Osama Bin Laden and the Taliban in Afghanistan are in contact with Iraq and it that previously a group from Taliban and Osama Bin Laden group visited Iraq.
2. That America has proof that the government of Iraq and Osama Bin Laden group have shown cooperation to hit target within America.
3. That in case it is proven the involvement of Osama Bin Laden group and the Taliban in these destructive operations it is possible that American will conduct strikes in Iraq and Afghanistan.
4. That the Afghani Consul heard about the subject of Iraq relation with Osama Bin Laden group during his stay in Iran.
5. In light of this we suggest to write to the Commission of the above information.
Please view… Yours… With regards
Signature:……, Initials : A.M.M, 15/9/2001
Foot note: Immediately send to the Chairman of Commission
Immediately after 9/11, the US suspected that al-Qaeda had masterminded the attacks, confirming it within days. Until the 20th, when Bush made his speech, the government had not clearly and publicly stated its position to the Taliban. However, the IIS reported four days after the fact that the Taliban believed the US had proof of cooperation between Iraq and Osama bin Laden to attack American targets. The Taliban went out of its way to warn Saddam that the US would retaliate against Iraq when we got the proof together. That explicitly shows cooperation between the two governments. Moreover, the same people who sheltered and sponsored Osama bin Laden turned immediately to Saddam after the attacks for coordination on their response. They would have had no reason to do so -- except knowing that Osama and Saddam had a working relationship in fostering terrorist attacks against America.
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See link for more...................
While the "Editor's Note" is very dismissive, you've just gotta know that this is a warning shot from the Administration.
Maybe Bush has seemed confident all along that history would vindicate him because Bush has been confident all along that history would vindicate him.
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Freepers Mentioned................
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***scroll for updates...translations coming in***
If you read nothing else today, make sure to go to this site.
There will be a press conference about the documents today at 1:30pm EST:
TODAY, Thursday, March 16, Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA), Chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, and Congressman Pete Hoekstra (R-MI), Chairman of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, will comment on the release of Iraqi documents, including photos and tapes, that today have been made publicly accessible to the world. Senator Santorum and Congressman Hoekstra have worked aggressively to get the trove of documents seized from the Saddam Hussein and Taliban regimes released so the world can see for itself what those regimes stood for. Both congressional leaders believe that these documents are not only of historical significance but can help remind the world that we are fighting a global war on terror. Senator Santorum and Congressman Hoekstra both offered legislation requiring the release of the captured documents and photos. These documents come from a collection of some 2 million exploitable items captured in post-war Iraq and Afghanistan. The United States has had these documents for four years. They have not been publicly available during this time.
How about an Army of Davids to translate and process the info?
ping
Yup. They're printing it and yet saying "pay no attention to it" at the same time.
Keeping their agenda going requires more contortions than an acrobat in a pretzel factory.
March 16, 2006
In Saddam's Archives
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As Scott noted below, the government has finally begun making available a few of the many thousands of documents captured from Iraqi intelligence during and after the 2003 war. Only a handful are now available on the Foreign Military Studies Office web site, but already there are revelations that strike me as interesting. One document, CMPC-2003-006430, is accompanied by a bland synopsis: "This file contains document relevant to the Mukhabarat or Iraqi Intelligence Service (IIS), it explains the structure of the IIS." The document's contents are more interesting than the synopsis sounds [Note update below. The English portion of the document is a description of the Mukhabarat by the Federation of American Scientists. The Arabic portion apparently hasn't been translated. Hopefully, the Arabic cover sheet and notes will reveal whether the Mukhabarat confirmed the FAS description. Arabic speakers--please send us a translation!]:
Directorate 4. Secret Service. The Secret Service Directorate is located inside the headquarters complex of the Mukhabarat. Its activities take place both in Iraq and abroad, with agents of D4 infiltrated into Iraqi Government departments, the Baath Party, associations, unions and organizations, Iraqi embassies and opposition. ... The Directorate includes a number of offices specializing in the collection against a specific country or region, including offices for Southern Asia, Turkey, Iran, America (North and South), Europe, Arab states, Africa and the former Soviet Union. D4 works in co-ordination with D3, D5, D9, D12, D14, D18.Directorate 8. Technical Affairs. Located in the headquarters complex of the Mukhabarat, the Eight Directorate is responsible for development of materials needed for covert offensive operations. It contains advanced laboratories for testing and production of weapons, poisons, and explosives, as well as facilities for finger printing all Mukhabarat members.
Directorate 9. Secret Operations. The Ninth Directorate is one of the most important directorates in the Mukhabarat. Most of its work is outside Iraq in coordination with other Directorates, focusing on operations of sabotage and assassination.
Office 16. This Office conducts training of agents for clandestine operations abroad. Agents attend a special school near Baghdad which provides language courses and orientation concerning the country to which they will be assigned. The Office also provides training for the operation itself. Special six-week courses in the use of terror techniques are provided at a camp in Radwaniyah.
So Iraqi intelligence conducted "covert offensive operations" involving "poisons" as well as explosives, carried out "sabotage and assassination" outside of Iraq, and trained agents in "the use of terror techniques" abroad. Not bad for a single eight-page document.
Also noting Saddam's interest in French political campaign finance laws. Seems obvious that this was an effort by Saddam to scope out a path for oil-for-food money into French campaigns, which would help ensure a veto on the UN Security Council.
It's gonna get good, this is just barely starting!
cBS will be all over this... LOL
the french should rename their ruling political party to "bribes 'r us".
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Just so nobody misses this:
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Foreign Military Studies Office
Joint Reserve Intelligence Center
Operation Iraqi Freedom Documents
At Fort Leavenworth...
Someone Ping Bill Maher and George Clooney :)
Isn't this the same ABC news that all but danced for joy at Dan rather's forged documents about Bush's TANG attendance during the 04 campaign? Maybe if Bush had released them through a Kinkos they would have added credibility?
These guys are funny.....I read through some of these yesterday.....why doesnt Brian Ross interview me?
Do they really think they are the gatekeepers of information for the country?
I see that the new Media Myth is that Saddam and his cronies were talking about WMDS etc because they thought Israeli Intelligence would over hear, and not attack them thinking there would be retaliation.
Does ABC News focus on the repeated references to the friends of Russia and France helping Saddam out during the UN votes? Those transcripts were posted sometime today.
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Document dated August 2002
A number of correspondences to check rumors that some members of al Qaeda organization have entered Iraq. Three letters say this information cannot be confirmed. The letter on page seven, however, says that information coming from "a trustworthy source" indicates that subjects who are interested in dealing with al Qaeda are in Iraq and have several passports.
The letter seems to be coming from or going to Trebil, a town on the Iraqi-Jordanian border. Follow up on the presence of those subjects is ordered, as well as comparison of their pictures with those of Jordanian subjects living in Iraq. (This may be referring to pictures of Abu Musaab al Zarqawi and another man on pages 4-6) The letter also says tourist areas, including hotels and rented apartments, should be searched.
(Editor's note: This document indicates that the Iraqis were aware of and interested in reports that members of al Qaeda were present in Iraq in 2002. The document does not support allegations that Iraq was colluding with al Qaeda.)
See MM Blog link at post #5 for sketch of Zarqawi.
Anybody have that old picture from just after the invasion with our soldiers holding up a big painted mural of hussein and the burning towers?
See Sowell's book.
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