JUDGE FINDS OSAMA-SADDAM LINK

July 12, 2003 -- WASHINGTON - A federal judge helping to rebuild Iraq's judicial system says he's come up with an intriguing document linking Saddam Hussein to Osama bin Laden.

Federal appellate Judge Gilbert Merritt, who is currently in Iraq, said an Iraqi lawyer brought him documents that included the name of an Iraqi officer in that country's embassy in Pakistan who was described as "responsible for the coordination of activities with the Osama bin Laden group."

On the list was the name of an Iraqi intelligence officer, Abid Al-Karim Muhamed Aswood, who was based in Pakistan and "responsible for the coordination of activities with the Osama bin Laden group."

JMHO: We went into Iraq for a number of reasons, and there were a number of different "SMOKING GUNS" we were searching for. This coordination / alliance / cabal / brotherhood / syndiate / cartel / conspiracy / collusion (Dare I use the phrase "AXIS OF EVIL?) between the Sadaam/Baathist regime and the terrorist organization Al Qaeda constitutes a SMOKING GUN.

The second description was clearly hostile in tone--"henchmen of the regime" and "woe unto them." Analysts weren't sure what to make of the introduction or the list, but suggested Uday Hussein may have simply republished a list of "henchmen" distributed by an Iraqi opposition group without realizing he was publicly linking his father to Osama bin Laden.

There may be a very simple explanation for this phraseology: Saddam and his sons ruled through fear, and this was a warning to the "henchman" of the regime that the hand of Saddam could reach them anywhere if they were to turn traitor in the coming conflict.

The problem with the CIA is that everything has to be spelled out in black and white, all t's crossed and all i's dotted, or it doesn't exist. IOW, their analytical powers are severely hampered by their risk intolerance (not to mention their lack of honest-to-goodness operatives and skilled translators, as opposed to an overabundance of bureaucratic desk jockies, thanks to Congress).

Merritt has now been issued a "gag order" by Bremer.

'Gag' Order Contradicts Value Iraqis Like

Don't know quite what to make of it.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.