Meetings point to Iraqi link to attack ringleader

The Australian | October 16, 2001 | Robert Lusetich

[Wallaby]

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Meetings point to Iraqi link to attack ringleader - WAR ON TERROR Robert Lusetich  * Los Angeles correspondent The Australian October 16, 2001, Tuesday BY tracing the movements of Mohammed Atta, the apparent ringleader of the September 11 suicide hijackers, US investigators are becoming convinced all roads lead to Baghdad. "It's a statement of the bleeding obvious," said Australian Richard Butler, former chief of the UN arms control inspectors in Iraq. "Saddam has not pretended to be a neutral party."     Although there is no direct evidence linking Saddam Hussein's Iraq with the fanatical holy war preached by Osama bin Laden, whose al-Qa'ida organisation is the prime suspect in the unprecedented terrorist assault on the US, the circumstantial evidence is growing.     "It's a statement of the bleeding obvious," said Australian Richard Butler, former chief of the UN arms control inspectors in Iraq. "Saddam has not pretended to be a neutral party."     Hussein was the only Arab leader not to condemn the attacks on New York and Washington and, significantly, a newspaper owned by one of his sons yesterday published a glowing portrait of bin Laden as a hero of the Arab world.     What has US investigators intrigued is the meetings held in Prague between Atta and members of the Iraqi General Intelligence Directorate, whom US spycatchers sketch as Hussein's KGB.     Czech intelligence agents have confirmed there were up to four meetings from June 2000, between Atta and, initially, Ahm Khalil Ibahim Samir al-Ami, an Iraqi consul who was quietly expelled from the central European republic in April for activities "incompatible with his diplomatic status", a euphemism for espionage.

Although the other Iraqi agents Atta met have not been identified, Newsweek magazine quotes US sources as saying one of the men was Farouk Hijazi, Iraq's ambassador to Turkey and a former brigadier-general in the GID. Hijazi in 1998 travelled to Afghanistan as Hussein's envoy and is believed to have met bin Laden.     Hussein reportedly was impressed with bin Laden's co-ordinated bombing of two US embassies in Africa -- Kenya and Tanzania, which left 224 dead -- and was eager to join forces with al-Qa'ida.     Atta was in Europe in January and July, spending most of his time in Spain, apparently meeting with an Algerian terrorist cell during both visits. However, he went to Switzerland in July and investigators believe he may have visited Prague again which -- before the fall of the Iron Curtain -- had a friendly relationship with Iraq and has long been the centre of Iraqi spying in Europe.     In 1998, Prague's Radio Free Europe, a non-profit service that promotes democracy and is funded by the US Congress, began broadcasting into Iran and Iraq. The broadcasts infuriated Hussein, who called the expansion an act of US aggression.     Czech agents were watching Iraq's officers because they suspected a terrorist attack on the building, which once housed the parliament.     In that same year, Arab intelligence agents informed the CIA that Hussein had joined forces with bin Laden in a war against the US, Newsweek magazine reported.     The anti-Hussein Iraqi National Congress, based in Washington, said yesterday it had information that six years ago Iraq's GID devised a plan to use fuel-laden commercial aeroplanes as weapons of mass destruction against the US.     There appears to be an official reluctance within the Bush administration to publicly challenge Iraq but behind the scenes a number of prominent players are convinced Hussein minimally helped the terrorists with difficult-to-procure items, such as false passports, and could have even planned the attack.

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Not for commercial use. Solely to be used for the educational purposes of research and open discussion.

IRAQ DID NOT REPLACE HIJAZI Ozgur Eksi, Ankara - Turkish Daily News Turkish Daily News May 30, 2002 Are US claims over Hijazi false?    Hijazi is ambassador to Tunisia  Hijazi reportedly met bin Laden, the main suspect in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, in 1998 in Kandahar, a region in southeastern Afghanistan where bin Laden had training camps.    Iraqi Ambassador Farouk Yayha al- Hijazi who left Turkey on Nov. 30, 2001 has still not been replaced. According to sources close to Iraq, they are not considering appointing an ambassador, but Hijazi has been selected as ambassador to Tunisia. It is also speculated that the Iraqi foreign ministry has not overcome it's internal problems.    The Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri came to office on May. 22, 2001 and since than has worked without an undersecretary. The ministry had three posts for an undersecretary and none of them are occupied now. Hijazi left Turkey before U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell's visit to Turkey.    What were the claims?

Hijazi reportedly met bin Laden, the main suspect in the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, in 1998 in Kandahar, a region in southeastern Afghanistan where bin Laden had training camps. Iraq has denied any meeting took place. The alleged meeting is the second suspected link between Iraqi intelligence and those implicated in the attacks. Mohammed Atta, one of the hijackers of a plane that slammed into the World Trade Center, is said to have met in April with an Iraqi intelligence agent in the Czech capital Prague. It was largely speculated at that time that Hijazi met Atta, in Prague in December 1998.    Hijazi denied his departure from Turkey was in connection with allegations that he was involved in contacts between Atta. "These (allegations) are baseless. I was recalled to my country after the normal period of time," al-Hijazi was quoted as saying. "I am returning because my time of duty has ended. I want to stress that my return has nothing to with anything else." When asked about press reports tying him to Atta, al-Hijazi said: "We definitely do not have any such ties within Turkey or outside."    Iraq has denied any contacts with Atta and Saudi-born militant Osama bin Laden, accused with his al Qaeda network of masterminding the attacks on the United States that killed nearly 4,000 people. Turkish investors at that time have trembled on fears U.S.-led attacks on Afghanistan would spread to neighboring Iraq, which refuses to allow the return of U.N. weapons inspectors.    Hijazi worked for the Iraqi National Insurance Company until 1970, according to a former colleague at the insurance company who did not wish to be identified further. Hijazi was widely believed to have joined Iraqi intelligence at that time, the colleague said. Hijazi was appointed to Turkey as ambassador three years ago.    And now    Ambassador Francis X. Taylor, Coordinator for Counterterrorism, declared "Patterns of Global Terrorism 2001" Annual Report in Washington, DC on May 21, 2002 and stated that the investigation on the claim is still going on. Taylor answering claims about Iraqi - Atta links said "As of now, that has not been confirmed."

[bonfire]

Let's wait and see. I'm hoping Bush speech today was a "signal" of some sort. but hope diminishing......

[thinden]

what could deter GWB from playing any exposure cards that he has? Why must there continue to be the pretense that this is a purely preemptive war?

the deck is generally sealed with "national security" for some reason???

[Victoria Delsoul]

Hussein reportedly was impressed with bin Laden's co-ordinated bombing of two US embassies in Africa -- Kenya and Tanzania, which left 224 dead -- and was eager to join forces with al-Qa'ida.

More evidence against Saddam. Thanks Wallaby.

Bookmarked.