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FreeRepublic , LLC PO BOX 9771 FRESNO, CA 93794
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FreeRepublic , LLC PO BOX 9771 FRESNO, CA 93794
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It is in the breaking news sidebar! |
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I came up with another article that reports a similar story:
By Julian Borger in Washington Saturday February 6, 1999 The Guardian
Saddam Hussein's regime has opened talks with Osama bin Laden, bringing closer the threat of a terrorist attack using chemical, biological or nuclear weapons, according to US intelligence sources and Iraqi opposition officials.
The key meeting took place in the Afghan mountains near Kandahar in late December. The Iraqi delegation was led by Farouk Hijazi, Baghdad's ambassador in Turkey and one of Saddam's most powerful secret policemen, who is thought to have offered Bin Laden asylum in Iraq.
Here is a lengthy report by Laurie Mylroie from February 10, 1999 which references a compilation of news reports from that timeframe:
Excerpts:
Vincent Cannistraro, ( former Chief of Counterterrorism Operations for the CIA's Counterterrorism Center, has suggested a very sensible and quite clever explanation for what was going on at al-Shifa--why it turned out to be a pharmaceutical factory; why the US had compelling evidence linking it to VX; and why it can't be found now. When US officials were obliged to defend their decision to attack the al-Shifa plant, after the Aug 20 strike, they revealed an Iraqi link to al-Shifa, as reported, for example, in the NYT Aug 25. US officials also revealed the existence of other sites in Khartoum thought to be associated with Iraq and VX production. Clinton chose al-Shifa as a target, because it was the only VX-related site not near a populated area.
~snip~
A senior Iraqi intelligence official, Farouk Hijazi, newly appointed as Iraq's ambassador to Turkey, did visit Osama bin Ladin in Afghanistan in December, as several of those articles reported. There has been more reporting on bin Ladin and Iraq. All of it included the suggestion that Iraq is coordinating with bin Ladin on CBW terrorism. The Italian paper, Corriere della Sera, reported Feb 1, "Terrorist cells belonging to the network organized by Osama bin Laden . . . are ready to go into action in the countries of the Persian Gulf and Europe. According to a confidential report, the list of targets is ready. It was agreed in Kandahar (Afghanistan) 21 December by Osama himself and Farouk Hijazi. .
~snip~
The New York Post, Feb 1, reported, "Saddam Hussein-battered, humiliated and increasingly isolated-plans to resort to terrorism in revenge for US airstrikes against his country. . . US officials say the CIA has received 'credible and reliable' intelligence reports that Saddam is forging alliances with some of the Middle East's most bloodthirsty terrorists-including Osama Bin Ladin and Abu Nidal-as part of an apparently new campaign to strike American targets and possibly destablise Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. . . . US officials are concerned about the possibility that Saddam could not only help with funding and logistics for Bin Ladin's far-flung network, . . . but he could also help the group acquire chemical and biological weapons."
~snip~
Bin Laden reportedly leaves Afghanistan, whereabouts unknown
February 13, 1999
Iraqi President Saddam Hussein has offered asylum to bin Laden, who openly supports Iraq against the Western powers.
(As I've been on the computer looking these articles up I've heard some references on tv about how George W. Bush made up a relationship between bin Laden and Iraq out of whole cloth. Can't we even get the record clear that at the very least it was widely suspected years ago?)
(As I've been on the computer looking these articles up I've heard some references on tv about how George W. Bush made up a relationship between bin Laden and Iraq out of whole cloth. Can't we even get the record clear that at the very least it was widely suspected years ago?)
Afghanistan: Bin Laden's Whereabouts Unknown
February 17, 1999
Excerpt:
Unconfirmed reports, however, say bin Laden could be heading for Iraq, Yemen, or Pakistan, where he has extensive contacts. Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein offered bin Laden asylum last month.
