Spain links suspect in 9/11 plot to Baghdad

The Observer (U.K.) ^ | 03/16/03 | David Rose

[Pokey78]

An alleged terrorist accused of helping the 11 September conspirators was invited to a party by the Iraqi ambassador to Spain under his al-Qaeda nom de guerre, according to documents seized by Spanish investigators.

Yusuf Galan, who was photographed being trained at a camp run by Osama bin Laden, is now in jail, awaiting trial in Madrid. The indictment against him, drawn up by investigating judge Baltasar Garzon, claims he was 'directly involved with the preparation and carrying out of the attacks ... by the suicide pilots on 11 September'.

Evidence of Galan's links with Iraqi government officials came to light only recently, as investigators pored through more than 40,000 pages of documents seized in raids at the homes of Galan and seven alleged co-conspirators. The Spanish authorities have supplied copies to lawyers in America, and this week the documents will form part of a dossier to be filed in a federal court in Washington, claiming damages of approximately $100 billion on behalf of more than 2,500 11 September victims.

The lawsuit lists Saddam's government in Iraq as one of its principal defendants, claiming it provided 'material support' to the al-Qaeda terrorists. Under US law, the victims' families do not have to prove active direction or involvement in the details of the 9/11 conspiracy by Iraq, only that Saddam's regime gave al-Qaeda more general assistance in the knowledge that it was planning to attack American targets.

Although some Western intelligence officials have expressed scepticism about an al-Qaeda-Iraq link, in recent months George Tenet, the Director of the CIA, has made increasingly strong statements alleging such a connection. In Congressional testimony last month, he said that Iraq had co-operated with al-Qaeda for 10 years, and that it had trained al-Qaeda members in bombmaking and the use of chemical and biological weapons. In an apparent attempt to refute the sceptics, he said this information 'comes from reliable sources'.

The evidence in support of the 9/11 damages claim cites several examples of this alleged co-operation. They include the terrorist training camp at Salman Pak near Baghdad, where former Iraqi intelligence brigadier Jamal al-Qurairy has said that non-Iraqi Islamic radicals were trained to hijack aircraft using knives.

It also includes a new affirmation by the Czech government that Mohamed Atta, the leader of the 9/11 plotters, met an Iraqi intelligence officer, Ibrahim al-Ani, in Prague in April 2001. Some US officials have suggested this meeting did not happen. But in a signed statement dated 24 February, 2003, Hynek Kmonicek, the Czech ambassador to the UN, says his government 'can confirm that during the stay of Mohamed Atta ... there was contact with Mr al-Ani, who was on 22 April, 2001 expelled from the Czech Republic on the basis of activities not compatible with his diplomatic status [the usual euphemism for spying]'. Garzon's indictment says Galan was part of a cell which organized bank robberies on behalf of al-Qaeda, and which had supported the group around Atta financially and logistically

[EGPWS]

"What did Saddam Hussein ever do to us?"Where am I?, How did I get here?, Can't get there from here..can I?..Susan Sarandon

[cyncooper]

Why isn't this thread 300+ posts by now?

Hey, Kim. Probably because it is Saturday night. I'll be happy to give it a bump.

I am becoming a very big fan of Spain, that is for sure.

[PhilipFreneau]

It's all propaganda so Bush can take Iraq's oil and impose white rule over an Arab country.

I believe the antenna on your tin-foil hat needs adjustment.</P.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the heads up!

[cyncooper]

in recent months George Tenet, the Director of the CIA, has made increasingly strong statements alleging such a connection. In Congressional testimony last month, he said that Iraq had co-operated with al-Qaeda for 10 years, and that it had trained al-Qaeda members in bombmaking and the use of chemical and biological weapons. In an apparent attempt to refute the sceptics, he said this information 'comes from reliable sources'.

And this and other statements from U.S. officials inspired Sen. Tom "Pile of Dung" Harkin to openly mock the administration on the Senate floor as "trying" to draw a link between Iraq and Al Qaeda merely to drum up support for a war. This uttered during the Estrada filibuster.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

So who cares if there was a link. If we don't take out Saddam now, Iraq will become a Wal Mart for terrorists. The lib's best buddy Saddam will even give out anthrax to kids who are mad at their parents for grounding them.

[RGSpincich]

Why isn't this thread 300+ posts by now?

Let's get the word out. Iraq is under a terrorist regime.

Etymology: French régime,

[Eva]

Send a copy of this article to the NY city coucil and ask them if they would like to rescind their resolution against the war in Iraq.

[Sunshine55]

Ole` Bump!

[whadizit]

Thank you, Spain! Maybe someone should point this out to "vaunted" Sec. Council! Nevermind....it's just a waste of time. We know all we need to know to go in and take care of that Baghdad bastard!!

[PhiKapMom]

Thanks for the ping! Guess we can expect CNN to cover this any minute! NOT!

Will bet we find a lot of evidence when we disarm Saddam to connect him to 9/11 and I hope that President Bush shoves it in Chirac's face personally!

[L,TOWM]

Its the weekend Kim...

[wimpycat]

Are you kidding? No matter what you show those people, it won't change their minds. Even when we go into Iraq and uncover everything we say is there, they will insist that we "planted" the evidence.

[Libertina]

The America haters are too busy wiping angry spittle from their foul lips to pause and consider this information. One actually stated today that our President had killed more people than Saddam Hussein. Savage is right... liberalism is a mental illness.

[eddiespaghetti]

I wish I could find that idiot that I was arguing with on FR who stated unequiviably that the Czech government had recanted that a meeting had taken place with Atta. Where the hell is that idiot now???.....

DON'T BLAME THE GUY. HE MIGHT ONLY HAVE GOTTEN HIS INFO FROM THE NY TIMES, WHICH PRINTED THE 'RECANTATION' ON P.1, AND THEN PRINTED A CORRECTED VERSION (A RECANTATION OF THE RECANTATION) DAYS LATER -- ON P. 17 OR SO.

THE "GRAY LADY" HAS BECOME QUITE SENILE OF LATE.

es

[graycamel]

tin foil hat?? I use aluminum. LOL

[graycamel]

Everyone always thinks I'm an idiot anyway. I guess that's why at 37 I'm still working on a BS in biology.

[graycamel]

Our government knows alot more than we'll ever know, or want to know, about the case against Al Qaeda and Iraq.

[graycamel]

Not everyone that has written me has seen the tag line. LOL. Ps, I once as a joke pretended to be a left wing whacko without using a sarcasm tag. You should have seen the hate comments. I never responded either. This wasn't Free Republic, it was another forum.

[graycamel]

try putting this up after such a post:
that would take the fun out of it. LOL.