UPDATE Saddam, bin Laden link found [Documts found by Brit&Canadian journos - CIA missed them???]

CBC ^ | Sat Apr 26 22:54:29 2003

[Int]

Saddam, bin Laden link found: Canadian reporter

Last Updated Sat Apr 26 22:54:29 2003

BAGHDAD-- Secret documents uncovered in the bombed headquarters of Iraq's former spy agency show the first clear link between Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden's terrorist network, according to a Canadian journalist.

'It was marked top secret, and of course they went to great lengths to try to mask the contents' – Mitch Potter

Mitch Potter, a foreign correspondent with the Toronto Star, says he discovered the file while digging through what's left of the Mukhabarat intelligence office. The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency had already looked over the rubble and left.

The document, which refers to an al-Qaeda envoy's visit to Iraq in 1998, had bin Laden's name amateurishly covered with liquid whiteout, Potter told CBC Newsworld Saturday night.

"Very gingerly we lifted up all the liquid paper and revealed three times bin Laden's name," he said in a telephone interview from Baghdad.

"It's a top secret file, it was marked top secret, and of course they went to great lengths to try to mask the contents of it.

"We just happened to have a very, very diligent interpreter with us today who went that extra mile and found something that was not meant for our eyes."

Several other Arabic translators have since been shown the document and confirmed that bin Laden's name is on it.

The Star planned to publish Potter's full account of the discovery on Sunday. Another journalist, Inigo Gilmore of London's Sunday Telegraph, was present when the file was found.

The handwritten document describes the al-Qaeda operative's visit to Iraq, according to Potter. It says the purpose was "to gain the knowledge of the message from bin Laden, and to convey to his envoy an oral message from us to bin Laden."

The United States has long alleged a connection between Iraq's former leader and terrorist groups like al-Qaeda. Washington said one of its reasons for using military force to topple Saddam's regime was because he had weapons of mass destruction that could end up in the hands of people like bin Laden. Saddam denied possessing any such weapons, or of having ties with al-Qaeda's Sept. 11 attacks against the U.S..

[DB]

Actually it is better others find them. It makes it much harder to say that the US invented everything.

[konaice]

"The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency had already looked over the rubble and left. "

------
I bet the CIA showed them the paper, or left it there for them.
It gets more believable if found by the press than if the CIA said they found it.

[annyokie]

[Dane]

"The U.S. Central Intelligence Agency had already looked over the rubble and left. "

And CIA also probably has them scanned or copied and sent by satellite to the home office, but what the hey, this is the Canadian Broadcasting Company and they have to get their shots in.

[swheats]

According to Bush last night with Tom Brokaw that there was an Iraqi that gave the tip on the first night to get Saddam. Now if they have that kind of on-the-ground contact I have to believe they had or have all the info leading up to this war that was needed to justify their going in.

There's no way they'd go on just a hunch. I hope so anyways. What's left now is for journalists to find a treasure trove of info for the taking.

[Int]

DB:Actually it is better others find them. It makes it much harder to say that the US invented everything.

konaice:...or left it there for them.

I agree but it would have been even better if the CIA had never entered that office, if you get what I'm saying...

[DB]

True.

Hopefully there are Iraqis that will confirm the files.

[ALOHA RONNIE]

...In an new Time of War...

...In a new Century...

...With an Enemy that is now...

...Just around the corner...

...And up your Street:


.."IS it SAFE?" = HILLARY on Armed Services Committee..

http://www.TheAlamoFILM.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=629

[swheats]

Trust me the CIA and President Bush's administration can't win no matter what decision is made.

[Dane]

I agree but it would have been even better if the CIA had never entered that office, if you get what I'm saying.

Okay, now you are trying to play both sides of the fence. First you infer with your remarks with your words in parenthesis in the title, that the CIA was incompetant, and now you are saying that the CIA should have never entered the office.

Which left wing bias story is it going to be?

[Mr.Clark]

I totally agree with you. To say that there are no chemical weapons or we are going on just a hunch is to suppose that people like Rumsfeld, Bush, Cheney, and Powell are all willing to blatantly lie and just hope for the best. I can't believe that.

[Int]

First you infer with your remarks with your words in parenthesis in the title, that the CIA was incompetant, and now you are saying that the CIA should have never entered the office.

If they did in fact miss the documents; yes I'd definitely say it's an example of incompetency. As for the CIA having entered and search the office, they're doing exactly what they should be doing. I was just wishing the circumstances were better (ideal scenario: 1.US troops surround an office containing top Iraqi officials who walk out with their hands up. 2. NYT journo runs into the office; is confronted by a stash of documents incriminating the Iraqi govt 3. The whole thing is filmed live by Fox news)

[nanomid]

I hope we manufacture all kinds of evidence.

I hope we can manufacture evidence for every commie gov't that exists.

Then wipe'em out.

It'll save more people. But damn, these commie gov'ts make good sweatshops.

[nanomid]

3. The whole thing is filmed live by Fox news)

Hah! The left would sure believe it to manufactured by the right wing, facist, Adolf Bush, mouthpiece dis-News channel Fox.

[Dane]

(ideal scenario: 1.US troops surround an office containing top Iraqi officials who walk out with their hands up. 2. NYT journo runs into the office; is confronted by a stash of documents incriminating the Iraqi govt 3. The whole thing is filmed live by Fox news)

Your ideal scenario has one major flaw, the NYT(New York Times) would burn any incriminating documents about the saddam regime, IMO.

[Mr.Clark]

Yeah, and I wish Saddam would come running out of a cave with a bucket full of anthrax and scream "Osama's in there!"

[swheats]

LOL

[Chad_the_Impaler]

CIA probably obtained many more documents detailing the links. It is not surprising they left a few docs behind.