Link between Saddam and New York attack: US claims

irish independent ^ | 6/5/02

[knak]

US security services are investigating possible new links between Iraq and the September 11 attacks. They have identified a new candidate as being the possible mastermind of the atrocity.

He was named as Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, a Kuwaiti-born member of Osama bin Laden's al-Qa'ida organisation and a blood relative of Ramzi Yousef, the key figure behind the first attempt to blow up the World Trade Centre in 1993.

The officials said they believed he was at large somewhere in the border region between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Mohammed had previously been implicated in the thwarted attempt by Yousef and others to blow up 12 airliners above the Pacific Ocean in 1995 and there were suspicions that he was involved in the bombings of the US embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998.

However, it had not been known for sure that he was involved with al-Qa'ida, let alone at such a high level.

Some hawks in the Bush administration anxious to launch a military invasion of Iraq believe that Yousef is in fact an Iraqi agent and that the man ultimately responsible for many of the terror plots of the past decade is Saddam Hussein.

The new information, suggesting that Mohammed was deeply involved in both the operational and financial planning of the September 11 attacks, came largely from captured al-Qa'ida members including Abu Zubeida, one of Osama bin Laden's closest lieutenants. ( Independent News Service)

[Alberta's Child]

If I weren't so humble (OK -- stop laughing), I would have nominated myself for Quote of the Week for this item I posted a while back:

"If the U.S. government thinks Saddam Hussein is truly a threat to this country, then why has he still been the leader of that third-rate country for twice as long as it took the U.S. to win World War II?"

[Victoria Delsoul]

Yep, you have a point. :-)

But I haven't read your posts, lol.

[Alberta's Child]

But I haven't read your posts.

I know. I should have known better -- Great minds think alike. LOL.

[Victoria Delsoul]

That's for sure, hehehe. You're learning. :-)

[FreeReign]

How do we know he gassed Kurds or any of the other things he's been accused of doing?

After the amount demonizaton of Hussein who simply asked the U.S. if we would mind him stopping the Kuwaites from slant drilling into his oil fields (to which the U.S. said no)

You give Husssein every benifit of the doubt but not the U.S.. Your above two statements from two of your posts on this thread shows that you are biased -- not objective.

In your judgement you believe the -- US said we don't mind if you invade Kuwait -- story. Yet you question the -- Gas the Kurds -- story.

[FreeReign]

"If the U.S. government thinks Saddam Hussein is truly a threat to this country, then why has he still been the leader of that third-rate country for twice as long as it took the U.S. to win World War II?"

Because of;

-A Wimpy Bush Sr.
-Bill Clinton
-Nuclear blackmail

[Ordinary_American]

The Ames strain, which is allegedly the strain used in the mailings, originated from livestock in Texas. It was isolated by American scientists and was delivered to USAMRIID at Fort Detrick in 1980. It was subsequently distributed to a number of other laboratories on a rather restricted basis. Samples could have been taken from any of these laboratories and processed elsewhere. So, we really don't know the source of the processed spores contained in the mailings. Use of a strain of American origin, however obtained, would provide the necessary cover for a foreign government or entity trying to keep its involvement secret.

[TrappedInLiberalHell]

I discovered that the bible code in a certain configuration produces the intersection of the words 'BRAT', 'IS', 'RESPONSIBLE', 'FOR', 'THE', 'WORLDTRADECENTER', and 'ATTACK'. I also found a completely different intersection of those same words with the word 'NOT' as well.

What did you know and when did you know it? The public demands to know!

[Alberta's Child]

I'd say those are three interesting reasons. I'd also say they are highly speculative at best, unless you know something about Iraq that would put my characterization of it as a "third-rate power" in doubt.

[droberts]

I don't necessarily believe any of it (pro or con U.S./Hussein). I have no idea what the truth is and I would submit that is the case with most others here too. I am playing the devil's advocate to all the "let's bomb the bastards" rhetoric that seems to be current group think.

Case in point, are you in favor of letting loose on all those that the U.S. Government would designate as 'sponsors of terrorism'. If so, why? Based upon what evidence? How do you know the source of that evidence is one of integrity?

I'm all in favor of defending ourselves against a repeat of 9-11, I just don't want to see us manipulated into accepting a police state or the waste of more U.S. (and allies') lives persuing some oil baron's agenda.

[Aleksandar Vojvoda]

He was named as Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, a Kuwaiti-born member of Osama bin Laden's al-Qa'ida organisation

This trails dead as a doornail.When are the neo-cons gonna quit with this ruse?

Some hawks in the Bush administration anxious to launch a military invasion of Iraq believe that Yousef is in fact an Iraqi agent and that the man ultimately responsible for many of the terror plots of the past decade is Saddam Hussein.

Blah,blah,blah,when are we gonna stand up to the neo-cons and tell them to shut their traps?I 'aint sending my son to war on behalf of Israel.Let Israel bomb Iraq if they want to,let's bring the troops home.

[The Great Satan]

Have you finished off all those baked beans you stockpiled for the Y2K catastrophe?

Jethro Tull: FR's quintessential empty-headed bloviator.

[Jethro Tull]

#72: Ah,,,,I see you've resorted to a personal attack.

So typical of a Pubbie incapable of debate....

[finnman69]

The RATS must be provy to something in the intelligence committee as they are now going to be in favor of ousting Saddam. What bit of news did they get concerning Iraq's involvement with 9/11.

[The Great Satan]

A personal attack? Because I pointed out that your predictions have proved ludicrously off-the-mark in the past? Of course, in your tiny mind, track records don't count for anything. In fact, it's just not fair that Laurie Mylroie accurately predicted 9-11 and the associated intelligence debacle back in 1995, while poor old Jethro's predictions of Y2K chaos in 1999 proved every bit as delusional as they sounded at the time. It's just not fair that some people are intelligent and educated and rational and diligent and honorable and some people are, well, ignorant Buchananista trash. Isn't that right, Jethro?

[Chad Fairbanks]

ROTL... ;0)

[Illbay]

Now THAT was a "personal attack."