Definitive Proof of an Iraq-Al Queda Link

[Spiffor]

If I understand correctly, these "sentational" data shows that Al-Qaeda operatives have approached Saddam's regime.

Wow, that's absolutely flabbergasting

Let me sum it up : a terrorist organization, whose fundamentals is the hate of the US and religious fanaticism happens to enter in contact with a regime that hates the US and shares the same religion (depite being laical). Do we have any information on whether these contacts had any result ? Do we have any information on whether Iraq gave any money/weapons/harboring to Al-Qaeda people ? AFAIU, no.

What we see is that Al Qaeda took contact with the Iraqi intelligence in 1998, shortly after the embassy attacks, at the point Al Qaeda was in clear expansion. To afford such an expansion, Al Qaeda had to find active support from Muslim countries, or at least some tolerance from them. To do this, they have contacted these countries. I'm pretty much sure all Arabic countries + Pakistan + Sudan have been contacted, as well as some smaller Central Asia countries, and African tinpot dictatorships.

That they entered in contact with these countries doesn't mean anything. Otherwise, half of Asia and a good chunk of Africa should be bombed because of their "objective links with Al Qaeda"

I'll continue to think the Bushies blatantly lie about this topic until I see solid proof that Saddam's regime has helped the terrorist organization with money, weapons and protection. And by "solid", I mean proofs that are acknowledged by something more trustworthy than the US and its coalition of bootlickers.

This "sentational" document doesn't prove anything, and is just used as some cheap sensationalism by the Telegraph.

[Dauphin]

The Telegraph also broke the Galloway story. I think we need to wonder where and how they are getting all their wonderful information from. Oh right, totally burnt out buildings.

I want some more developed stories rather than circulation boosting pieces.

[Drake Tungsten]

Wow, this article got some people's panties in a bunch.

[Bereta_Eder]

daily telegraph is a crap newspaper. as is most of the brit press.

need to learn another language presto and red other press.

[orange]

Did this strike anyone else as just a little too convenient?

The Telegraph found the file on bin Laden inside a folder lying in the rubble of one of the rooms of the destroyed intelligence HQ. There are three pages, stapled together; two are on paper headed with the insignia and lettering of the Mukhabarat.

[GePap]

Lets condence the report to the basic facts:

In march 1998, Iraqi agents approached Al Qaeda and then had a meeting. The Iraqis think it went werll and talk about inviting Osama, then........NOTHING.

Did a second meeeting ever occur? Did any sort of relation crop up? Any evidence that Iraq ever gave any material or intelligence support to Al Qaeda?

The argument pre-war was that Iraq would give WMD's to Al Qaeda to use vs the US: does this paper imrpove this basic argument in any real way? I say, no.

Look at the article itself: other storieds this reporter, who somehow is being left alone to search the burned and looted headquarters of the secret police without, well, supervision (seems weird) has broken a bunch of stories, or so we are told: how many of them have been picked up by other sources and investigate further? How many? The Blair-Russia piece, the German piece also mentioned? (hell, it didn;t even make it to Poly, that one!) If I remember, back in 2001 Czech intelligeence told us Atta met with Iraqi agents in Prague: what happeend to that report?

So let me put it as simply as possible. The report is suspect, but even if we assume everythign in it is true, it tells us nothing about Iraq and Al Qaeda as of 9/11 2001 and beyond. That is the last i will say on this.

[Drake Tungsten]

Did this strike anyone else as just a little too convenient?

I sweet-talked my way into dreaded intelligence HQ
(Filed: 27/04/2003)

Inigo Gilmore describes how he gained access to documents in the complex that most Iraqis under Saddam were desperate to avoid.

The documents which provide the first proof of direct links between Osama bin Laden and the regime of Saddam Hussein were hidden deep inside a building which for decades was one of the most feared places in Iraq.

During Saddam's time, few civilians dared even glance at the imposing headquarters of the Mukbaharat - the feared intelligence service - as they drove past in case they were hauled in and questioned.

For me, however, the difficulty was sweet-talking the American soldiers from the 3rd Infantry division who now manage the bombed-out premises. Soldiers were slumbering on a tank turret as I attempted to play the innocent. "Just wanted to take a little look around," I told the burly lieutenant who challenged me at the gates.

My request was considered for a few moments - as were the bona fides of Amir, my interpreter, who had wearily trawled around various government buildings with me all week. As the soldiers idly fingered their trigger-guards, our hearts pounded in the sweltering heat: then the lieutenant waved us through.

"It's like a dream," said Amir. "I never imagined I would see inside this forbidden place in my life." Once inside the sprawling complex, with its hedges, sculptures and verdant gardens, we walked straight ahead towards a big bombed-out building, gutted by fire and looted a few days earlier.

Behind it, we found another six-storey concrete building that had been pulverised and was dangerously decrepit.

It was impossible to get through the main entrance but we were able to clamber through a hole at the side where a door had once been. The stairs were covered with rubble, the walls cracked and crumbling.

Crunching broken glass underfoot, we made our way gingerly up the stairs, fearing that the building might collapse at any moment. Moving quickly around the first floor we entered what we believed to be an accounting office for Iraqi intelligence. Rifling through the box folders we found one or two that appeared to be interesting.

The labels were often unclear, but Amir believed that one file related to money paid to guests of the intelligence service. (The contents of the documents were later verified by another interpreter in Baghdad, and in London by an Arabic speaking Whitehall official.) We stuffed some papers into a bag and headed out before we were discovered.

Back at the hotel as we searched through the papers something caught the eye: in three places on one page names had been covered with correcting fluid. We scraped it away with a razor blade. Beneath it appeared a name few had dared believe would ever be linked directly to the regime of Saddam: bin Laden, the world's most wanted man.

Amir grinned and said simply: "Thanks be to God."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/04/27/walq227.xml

[Apocalypse]

ALONG WITH THE 500, 000 CASUALTIES (by Zylka)

Whoa whoa whoa folks, let's back this up a bit and avoid a more complicated debate than necessary:

daily telegraph is a crap newspaper. as is most of the brit press.

need to learn another language presto and red other press.

I'm still rather astonished at the raw irony and furthered political embarrassment for the inept Greeks this multi-faceted literary gem provides. Please gather around Paiktis and share like disdain if your face saving views so permit!

[orange]

is it possible that the man made a typo? Jeez...the guy is Greek and he speaks near perfect English...

...how good is your Greek?

[Apocalypse]

Another response from Zylka....

Originally posted by orange
is it possible that the man made a typo? Jeez...the guy is Greek and he speaks near perfect English...

...how good is your Greek?

He made more than a few typos. That horrendous grammar coupled with boasting of learning a new language to "red good press" has me in a fit of hysteria. Now of course I'd let even that combination of uneducated drivel go if I didn't already think he should shut the **** up for a while after being kicked in the nuts for the 500, 000 figure.

To answer your question, I don't speak worthless, dying languages (What an Anglo jerkface!)

[Spiffor]

I guess you must speak perfect Mandarin or Arabic then

[Apocalypse]

More response from Zylka

Ok guys, let me walk you through the basic facts you seem to have persistent trouble with here:

A - I'm not the one bragging of poor bilingual "skill" in trying to discredit an event contrary to personal belief. My English press reds pretty well, after all HAHAHAHAHA
B - Mandarin and Arabic are as well absolutely useless and ultimately dying. Try English or Spanish, unless you think there's actually business available in the former dirt pits within your lifetime (Edit by Apoc: I actually almost signed up to take Arabic in college, but I decided on Japanese)

I can't hold your limp wrist, idiot coddling hands through these things all the time (especially when banned)

So from Mingapulco, g'night!

[Giancarlo]

Goodness Apocalypse, you turned into a real annoyance.

[Apocalypse]

Originally posted by Fez
Goodness Apocalypse, you turned into a real annoyance.

I didn't write any of that though...I'm just quoting a source.

And I seem to remember back a few months ago when you mentioned something about not wanting to fight with me.

[Giancarlo]

You at one point were kinda charming I must admit.. but now... you attack a poor greek guy over one minor typo... yikes.