Iraq: Former PM Reveals Secret Service Data on Birth of Al-Qaeda in Iraq (Great News)

AKI ^

[jmc1969]

Baghdad, 23 May - The number two of the al-Qaeda network, Ayman al-Zawahiri, visited Iraq under a false name in September 1999 to take part in the ninth Popular Islamic Congress, former Iraqi premier Iyad Allawi has revealed to pan-Arab daily al-Hayat. In an interview, Allawi made public information discovered by the Iraqi secret service in the archives of the Saddam Hussein regime, which sheds light on the relationship between Saddam Hussein and the Islamic terrorist network. He also said that both al-Zawahiri and Jordanian militant al-Zarqawi probably entered Iraq in the same period.

"Al-Zawahiri was summoned by Izza Ibrahim Al-Douri – then deputy head of the council of the leadership of the revolution - to take part in the congress, along with some 150 other Islamic figures from 50 Muslim countries," Allawi said.

According to Allawi, important information has been gathered regarding the presence of another key terrorist figure operating in Iraq - the Jordanian militant Abu Musab al-Zarqawi.

Allawi's remarks come after statements to al-Hayat by King Abdallah II of Jordan over Saddam's refusal to hand over al-Zarqawi to the authorities in Amman.

On this question Allawi said: ''The words of the Jordanian King are correct and important. We have proof of al-Zawahiri's visit to Iraq, but we do not have the precise date or information on al-Zarqawi's entry

In Allawi's view, Saddam's government "sponsored" the birth of al-Qaeda in Iraq, coordinating with other terrorist groups, both Arab and Muslim. "The Iraqi secret services had links to these groups through a person called Faruq Hajizi, later named Iraq's ambassador to Turkey and arrested after the fall of Saddam's regime as he tried to re-enter Iraq. Iraqi secret agents helped terrorists enter the country and directed them to the Ansar al-Islam camps in the Halbija area," he said.

[jmc1969]

I don't expect it to be on the liberal media, but I expect the real media like Fox to at least pick it up.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

The London-based al-Hayat quoted former Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, a prominent member in the National Assembly, as saying that al-Qaida's second-in-command, Ayman al-Zawahri, visited Iraq under a fake identity in 1999 on the sidelines of the ninth Popular Islamic Conference held under the chairmanship of former Iraqi Vice President Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Allawi was quoted Monday by Saudi daily newspaper al-Hayat as saying that Zarqawi, a Jordanian whose real name is Ayman Zawahiri

Now I am confused.....

[Southack]

Boom!

[jmc1969]

UPI mistranslated the article in their second link, don't worry about it.

[nutmeg]

ping!

Interesting article, but I don't know how reputable this source is (adnki.com).

Please FReepmail me if you want on or off my ‘miscellaneous’ ping list.

[jmc1969]

The Washington Times now has an article on it.

---

The London-based al-Hayat quoted former Iraqi Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, a prominent member in the National Assembly, as saying that al-Qaida's second-in-command, Ayman al-Zawahri, visited Iraq under a fake identity in 1999 on the sidelines of the ninth Popular Islamic Conference held under the chairmanship of former Iraqi Vice President Izzat Ibrahim al-Douri.

Allawi told the Saudi-financed daily that Egyptian-born Zawahri and Jordanian-born Abu Musab al-Zarqawi entered the country around the same time and started work to establish terror cells. He added the Islamic conference was just a "cover for holding secret parallel meetings involving Islamists who have terrorist cells around the world," insisting that Zarqawi was tasked with establishing cells.

Allawi claimed the Iraqi intelligence services under the former regime of Saddam Hussein had links with these moves through a man named Farouk Hijazi, whom he said was later appointed ambassador in Turkey, but was arrested after the collapse of Saddam's regime "while he was trying sneak back into Iraq." The Iraqi legislator warned that Zarqawi's organization has "huge financial capabilities, which should not be ignored because this group is a threat to the entire region, not only in Iraq."

Allawi also said he had information verifying the Jordanian-born suspect, believed to be responsible for the kidnapping and execution of hostages, as well as suicide attacks, had terror cells in Syria, but without the knowledge of the authorities there.

http://washingtontimes.com/upi-breaking/20050523-074126-3575r.htm

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

So this is what the original says?

Allawi told the Saudi-financed daily that Egyptian-born Zawahri and Jordanian-born Abu Musab al-Zarqawi entered the country around the same time and started work to establish terror cells.

[SuziQ]

This will be in the Washington Post and NY Times tomorrow, right?

Oh sure! Front page, above the fold, but ONLY if they can figure out a way to spin it as a negative for the President.

[xJones]

What is AKI? Yeah, I went though the link but it looks like an Arabic or Iranian website with English and Italian translations. Do we believe them?

[Southack]

The Washington Times is picking up the story. Rush will have it tomorrow. Fox News by Wednesday. NY Post by Thursday. Then the Wall Street Journal will pick it up after performing twice the verifications of everyone else, and at that point, the dam breaks on the news embargo by the liberal news media on this subject.

[DocRock]

bumped and book marked

[jmc1969]

We still can't tell exactly what was said without a transcript. I think all the articles are trying to paraphrase in English an interview given in Arabic.

[Peach]

How VERY excellent. Thank you so much for that ping.

[DocRock]

You all might want to take a look at this and ping your lists. This looks big!

[Victoria Delsoul]

In Allawi's view, Saddam's government "sponsored" the birth of al-Qaeda in Iraq, coordinating with other terrorist groups, both Arab and Muslim. "The Iraqi secret services had links to these groups through a person called Faruq Hajizi, later named Iraq's ambassador to Turkey and arrested after the fall of Saddam's regime as he tried to re-enter Iraq. Iraqi secret agents helped terrorists enter the country and directed them to the Ansar al-Islam camps in the Halbija area," he said.

Wow, is there any way to confirm this? How reliable is this source?

Pretty interesting, indeed.

[blam]

Excellent news.

[jmc1969]

The Washington Times has also translated the same article.

http://washingtontimes.com/upi-breaking/20050523-074126-3575r.htm

[nutmeg]

Thank you, jmc1969!

Victoria... I see jmc1969 has pinged you to #58.

[Victoria Delsoul]

This is great! Thanks for link.