Hijacker 'Given Anthrax Flask By Iraqi Agent'

The Times (UK) ^ | 10-27-2001 | Daniel McGrory

[blam]

SATURDAY OCTOBER 27 2001

Hijacker 'given anthrax flask by Iraqi agent'

BY DANIEL MCGRORY

INTELLIGENCE agents from Prague to Swansea are uncovering a trail of clues that point to President Saddam Hussein of Iraq having a hand in al-Qaeda’s terrorist missions. Iraqi ministers have spent the week protesting Baghdad’s innocence to the United Nations, but will not say why some of its diplomats who met Mohammed Atta, one of the suspected September 11 hijackers, disappeared from their European posts after that date.

Nor will Baghdad explain why Saddam’s agents were spotted at various times this year with Atta in Germany, Spain, Italy and the Czech Republic.

Many in the Pentagon are sure Saddam helped to orchestrate the simultaneous hijackings and the anthrax attacks, but President Bush and Tony Blair have yet to be convinced. To get proof of the Baghdad connection, senior officials in the Bush Administration even sent a former CIA director to Britain on a covert mission.

Intelligence officers in Washington have deliberately leaked the testimony of an Iraqi defector hiding in Turkey who said that Saddam set up a terrorist training school on the outskirts of Istanbul to practice hijacking a Boeing passenger aircraft. The CIA says that it is assessing the claims.

Meanwhile, a special FBI team sent to Europe to uncover al-Qaeda cells say that they are studying a report from Prague that anthrax spores were given to Atta during his last meeting in Prague in April with Ahmed Khalil Ibrahim Samir al-Ani, the Iraqi consul. “If it can be shown that Atta was given a flask of anthrax,” a Western intelligence official said, “then the link will have been made with Osama bin Laden and with Iraq.”

What is known is that Atta made at least four visits to the Czech Republic to see Mr al-Ani. Czech intelligence officers who saw them embrace at Ruzyne Airport admit that they had no idea who the man greeting Saddam’s envoy was. When they were followed to the headquarters of Radio Free Europe the suspicion was that they may have been plotting to bomb it.

Yesterday the German newspaper Bild suggested a more sinister motive for their meetings. The claim, according to Israeli security sources, is that Atta was handed a vacuum flask of anthrax by his Iraqi contact. From Prague, it is believed Atta flew to Newark. From New Jersey, letters laced with anthrax were sent to broadcasters and politicians in New York, Washington and Florida. Czech officials have been to Washington to reveal all they know, but they can’t question the Iraqi envoy because Mr al-Ani was deported from Prague in April for “activities incompatible with his status as a diplomat”.

Stanislav Gross, the Czech Interior Minister, confirmed yesterday a meeting in Prague between Atta and Mr al-Ani just weeks before the envoy was expelled.

US scientists believe the anthrax spores sent to Tom Daschle, the Senate Majority Leader, had been treated with a sophisticated chemical additive only three countries can manufacture: Russia, America and possibly Iraq.

Former UN weapons inspectors suggest that Saddam could have helped bin Laden to get nuclear material. Critics of the Pentagon’s view say that Iraq would not share its nuclear secrets, but might watch for others trying to buy on the black market.

(Go to the Times site for the rest of the article)

[jwalsh07]

Why do you suppose there have not been any cases of inhalation anthrax in New York?? I wonder if they have the same coating as Dascholes anthrax.

I can't understand why the anthrax in DC is so much more prolific than the stuff sent to New York. Its gnawing at me.

[aristeides]

Strange, because there has been inhalation anthrax in Florida. By the way, any word about that intern with the Basque name that checked into the hospital for anthrax testing. Last I heard, he had checked into the hospital for anthrax testing, and had pneumonia symptoms. Sure sounds like pulmonary anthrax. But, since then, for the past couple of weeks, I've heard nothing about him. Has his story been embargoed?

[republicandiva]

This is going to be...interesting.

Yep, it's that "interesting" part that worries me...

[TrappedInLiberalHell]

Maybe Atta was given two vials. One was a known quantity, well tested, but didn't readily aerosolize. The other was newer, experimental, the result of a refined, but largely untested, aerosolization coating. Atta was told to use the known quantity on the media types, to be sure the word got out and panic would spread readily. The experimental strain, he was given license to 'have some fun' with, so he sent it to government figures.

Just my theory, worth as much as it took to type it. We may never know the full truth about these attacks. Those who carried them out may well be dead now. Or, they will take the truth to their graves even if caught.

[6ppc]

I think refermech is right! Spooning it from a container while stuffing envelopes would avoid stirring it up.

[6ppc]

they may just be buying time to figure out a strategy.

I think the strategy is in place. They are still moving the pieces around.

[blam]

"We're experiencing the fog of war, psyops 24/7."

Yup. I'm beginning to think we've been set up with the , "they're tougher than we thought," comment. Maybe all this Afghanistan 'stuff' is just cover for preparations for Iraq?

[jwalsh07]

Its a good theory, primary in my mind also. The only other thing I came up with is that they screwed up and spilt some liquid on part of it. But the geography argues against that since NY seems to get the low test and DC the high test.

[jwalsh07]

The 71 year old fella in Florida whipped its ass. He is home with his wife. I heard him on the radio today urging his countrymen, thats us, to be calm. It was touch and go for a while but he seems OK.:-}

[aristeides]

Glad to hear that about Blanco. He had a good doctor.

[TrappedInLiberalHell]

The problem with a long-term strategy like this is that, the longer it takes until the 'big event', the greater the risk that it will be thwarted. That's why it is amazing that the hijackers were able to pull off what they did on September 11th. So many things could have interfered with their plans, but did not.

If this is true asymmetric warfare, there may not be any one 'big event' coming. Just an escalation in the little pinprick events that cause chaos. A logical next step might be for anthrax to make it to the west coast. Maybe a high school. Some demographic that so far has felt insulated from these events.

I'd almost rather there be another big event. It's easier for Americans to wrap their minds around the mangled WTC. Anthrax is more subtle, and invisible. We might be getting 'death from a thousand cuts', rather than a nuclear bomb.

It's hard not to feel like a sitting duck right now. I just hope to heck my faith in this administration is well-placed.

[arete]

"Something very fishy is going on."

Yeah, this whole thing is starting to stink to high heaven. I now hear that we again "accidentally" bombed the Red Cross. Hummm. Either we have no plan at all on how to defeat the Taliban, or we are executing a sure fire diabolical plan that will surprise all of us when it becomes clear.

Richard W.

[colorado tanker]

You ask a very good question, for which I sure don't have the answer. My instincts are that the spread of this stuff has a lot to do with how the mail is physically handled, how much is it squeezed or blown or sucked by automated sorting machinery, how is it opened, what kind of ventilation is in the building, how much if any was the mail exposed to weather?? I just don't know if there are multiple sources of this stuff or if handling, distance, weather and ventilation account for the dispirite impact. As in so many cases, I wish we had "journalists" with a little native curiosity and instinct for the five dubbyas who would ask some of these questions, but we don't; most of them are TV airheads, woodsteins or disguised editorial writers.

[habs4ever]

You've been working this angle for sometime, and now you think Saddam has notified the WH that he has enough anthrax and agents in place to kill hundreds of thousands.Well, following deterrent theory, he still gets wiped out, regardless of him killing a small city off.This insurance policy isn't much of one, as if it is place,and this is what is being telegraphed, you can bet that all aliens will be deported, and all Muslims will be interned, and nukes will be used on Iraq.Not much of a deal, from Saddam's point of view.Perhaps, you better unwind a bit.There is no equivalance of equal threats to make his "loaded gun" such a viable threat as you presume.

[eno_]

What I like is that Freepers had this one figured out about 30 seconds after someone posted that Atta had met with Iraqi spies (weeks ago now?). Occams razor. Iraq was ALWAYS the odds-on favorite.

All the baloney in the meanwhile was misdirection. Saddam is going to get it in the pants for sure.

[d4now]

I was really hoping your were wrong....for all the right reasons, of course.

[masadaman]

To the tune of that old standard, "Bye Bye Blackbird," Pack up all your cares and woe, Here I go, havin' fun, Bye Bye Bagdad. etc. etc.

[republicandiva]

I just hope to heck my faith in this administration is well-placed.

That thought has crossed my mind as well, but then I remember, IT COULD BE ALGORE AND LIEBERMAN RUNNING THIS WAR! I can't imagine a scarier thought!

[6ppc]

You could be right, but I keep looking at how much firepower we have over there and how little of it is being used. I can't help but think they are working on something dramatic.

I'm also concerned about this weekend. A lot of people are going to be in Phoenix.

[jwalsh07]

I think it may argue that they simply don't hav every much anthrax in country. The letters were mailed by the same guy but one contained high test and one low test. I think they screwed some of it up. Got some of it wet which clumped it and limited aerosolization and chos to send the good stuff to DC for maximum effect.

2AD?