Armitage says key al Qaida man in Baghdad

WASHINGTON, Jan. 30 (UPI) -- The al Qaida operative who orchestrated the murder of a U.S. diplomat in Amman, Jordan, last October is residing in Baghdad, Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage told a Senate panel Thursday.

"I'll say that it's clear that al Qaida is harbored, to some extent, in Iraq, that there is a presence in Iraq," Armitage told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He then referred to "a recent assassination of our diplomat in Amman, Mr. Foley, that was apparently orchestrated by an al Qaida member who's resident in Baghdad."

Laurence Foley was in Jordan with the U.S. Agency for International Development.

The information presented by Armitage clashes with recent statements from the Jordanian authorities regarding the whereabouts of Foley's murderers. After arresting most of the men, the Jordanians in December said the ringleader of the cell that orchestrated the assassination attempt was also wanted by the authorities in Iraq and was currently residing in northern Iraq, a section of the country under air protection from the United States and the United Kingdom and ruled by two Kurdish parties.

Although Armitage did not name the al Qaida member, it has been reported that he is Fadel Nazzal al-Khalayleh, also known as Abu Mussab al-Zarqawi. This -- according to U.S. officials -- is the individual President Bush said last December had sought and received medical treatment in Baghdad last year. But, some have said that he has since left Iraq's capital.

Armitage said that the fact that the man who ordered Foley's murder is in Baghdad would be part of the Bush administration's case to the United Nations next week linking al Qaida to Iraq. "This will be part of the information that Secretary Powell is going to impart in some more detail. They're busy back home right now trying to declassify as much as possible to give him a pretty full case."

On Monday Secretary of State Colin Powell authorized an independent U.S. investigation into Foley's murder. U.S. laws require such panels to be convened six months after U.S. officials are killed or die under unusual circumstances abroad. Leading the panel will be former US ambassador to Jordan Wesley Egan. Copyright © 2001-2003 United Press International

it's more like smoke and mirrors....

like some posted, hopefully the admin will show the real proof, like the pictures. everyone knows we do sattelite, show em.

As to an assassin in BigDag, THAT is reason for several 100,000 or more deaths? Do we attack every nation that has known ALQ folks in it? If this person is there we say hand him over or we reserve the right to come and blow him to bits, if you resist, be resist bigger.

as to Ricin, unproved claim and the stuff can be make in my kitchen. If it came from Norther Iraq, blast em. From what i've read it's like the wild west up there will little to no control by BigDad but a new bunch of AFghan refugee-Jihadists who Saddam likes cause they get off on killing non-devout-enough Kurds. Once again, we could go in there and wipe the whole criminal gang out of that northern enclave, which is what this WAR started off as, remember?? Taking out AQ....

the war drums are now beating so loud that everyone, including those of us who want to see, yes, proof of WMD plans that can harm AMERICANS (let the Israelis defend themselves with their nukes) in the US all the way from BigDid.

so far we have a compound that can be made all over the world (Ricin), 6, or 12, empty cannistars that had NO chemical residue, and promises that we'll get some proof before missle start bursting in air.

As a side question, can someone explain why, if our CIA/military is so advanced, they cannot assassinate Saddy? Is it cause of Carter/Klinton, or are they just not what we think they are: really good spies? I mean how hard would it be to kill him? Don't we have spies/contacts in Iraq watching and keeping tabs? Surely the Mossad does, can't we demand the info from them???? Is he that clever to escape our American ingenuity? Please say no, and somebody blow the bastard up already, then say "oops, our mistake..."

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