http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/946194/posts Niger Intel Accurate (Brits: "no reason at all to change our assessment.")
The Daily Telegraph ^ | 14/07/2003 | Michael Smith
Posted on 07/14/2003 7:05 PM PDT by Pubbie
The French secret service is believed to have refused to allow MI6 to give the Americans "credible" intelligence showing that Iraq was trying to buy uranium ore from Niger, US intelligence sources said yesterday.
MI6 had more than one "different and credible" piece of intelligence to show that Iraq was attempting to buy the ore, known as yellowcake, British officials insisted. But it was given to them by at least one and possibly two intelligence services and, under the rules governing cooperation, it could not be shared with anyone else without the originator's permission.
US intelligence sources believe that the most likely source of the MI6 intelligence was the French secret service, the DGSE. Niger is a former French colony and its uranium mines are run by a French company that comes under the control of the French Atomic Energy Commission.
Out of everything I have read about this story, the thing that bothers me the most is what Jack Straw said about why they wouldn't share the intel with us, his words were "For Good Reasons" (as I explained in private session) we did not share the intel we have with the Americans" that is an eye opening statement about how secure they believe our Intel community is.