Iraqis 'planned to poison water supplies'

The Scotsman ^ | April 2, 2003 | JASON BEATTIE

[MadIvan]

JORDAN said yesterday it had uncovered an Iraqi plot to contaminate the water supply of United States troops near the Iraqi border.

Jordanian officials said a number of Iraqis had been arrested in connection with a plot to poison a tank that supplied water to hundreds of US troops from at a base at Khao, close to Jordan’s industrial town of Zarqa.

In recent days, authorities have questioned scores of Jordanians with links to Saddam Hussein’s administration, including activists from the local Baath Party, officials said. Jordanian authorities have also stepped up security around key installations such as power stations and grain silos as they brace for possible acts of sabotage.

Baghdad accused Jordan last week of letting US forces use its territory to launch attacks on Iraq and of preventing food aid trucks from reaching the war-torn country.

Jordan sided with Iraq during the 1991 Gulf war, when US-led forces ejected Iraqi troops from Kuwait after a seven-month occupation. This time, Amman has decided not to support Iraq.

Jordan, which relies heavily on US aid, hosts some allied troops but says they are for purely defensive purposes.

Meanwhile, Britain and the US yesterday announced a new era of unprecedented co-operation between security services to protect themselves from terrorist attack.

Speaking after talks in Washington with Tom Ridge, the US director of homeland security, David Blunkett, the Home Secretary, said a "joint working group" of Home Office and US personnel would be set up to share intelligence, best practice and surveillance techniques.

Britain will stand "shoulder to shoulder" with the US in the fight against international terrorism, he added.

The Home Secretary also gave warning that Britain’s involvement in the Iraq conflict put the country at risk from revenge attacks by terrorist groups.

He said: "All of us know that we have never faced a threat like the one that has developed since the 11 September, 2001, attack. The ways in which the UK and the US are working together ensure not only that we face that threat in a better shape and in a way that allows us to understand that best practice, it means that we as partners - including in the conflict in Iraq - need to become more vigilant and more aware than others across the world believe is necessary for them."

Mr Blunkett said the Home Office and homeland departments would hold joint exercises, including preparations in the event of a simultaneous attack on the US and the UK.

[MadIvan]

This apparently escaped the notice of the American press. I trust this situation will be remedied.

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

Bump!

[TopQuark]

Ivan, in a previous article they said it was Iraqi displomats that attemted to do this. So much for conventions.

[jwalsh07]

Paging Inspector Blix, paging Inspector Blix.