From the Guardian's Julian Borger today:
guardian.co.uk
"An intelligence source in Washington said the CIA confirmed its long-held suspicions when it discovered that a piece of information from an electronic communications intercept by the National Security Agency had ended up in Iranian hands. The information was so sensitive that its circulation had been restricted to a handful of officials. "This was 'sensitive compartmented information' - SCI - and it was tracked right back to the Iranians through Aras Habib," the intelligence source said.
Hmm. And this, later on: "An intelligence source in Washington said the FBI investigation into the affair would begin with Mr Chalabi's 'handlers' in the Pentagon."Whole piece here. Still processing. There's something to this electronic intercept story. But the proof of the chain of custody leading to Aras Habib Karim just hasn't been explained or reported out yet that I've seen.
warandpiece.com
What really is Ahmad Chalabi thought to have done with Iran? One too many friendly conversations too far? A meeting unreported? Passing off a bit of US operational intelligence that the Iranians likely already had? That's not what I'm being told. It was suggested to me today to revisit the allegations in the CBS 60 Minutes piece from May 21, 2004. I was told that gets at the real line that Chalabi is believed to have crossed, between a guy who has a relationship of convenience with neighboring Iran, to a guy who is working for the bad guys. Here is that CBS transcript:
DAN RATHER, anchor: Now a follow-up to a story first reported on this broadcast last night that Ahmad Chalabi, a member of the US-appointed Governing Council in Iraq and a former favorite of the Bush administration, is suspected of passing US secrets to Iran. "60 Minutes" correspondent Lesley Stahl broke this story and she's back tonight with new details. Lesley.LESLEY STAHL reporting:Dan, senior intelligence officials were stressing today that the information Ahmad Chalabi is alleged to have passed on to Iran is so seriously sensitive, that the result of full disclosure would be highly damaging to US security. Because of that, we are not reporting the details of what exactly Chalabi is said to have compromised at the request of US officials at the highest levels. The information involves secrets that were held by only a handful of very senior intelligence officials. Meanwhile, we have been told that grave concerns about the true nature of Chalabi's relationship with Iran started after the US obtained, quote, "undeniable intelligence" that Chalabi met with a senior Iranian intelligence officer, a, quote, "nefarious figure from the dark side of the regime, an individual with a direct hand in covert operations against the United States."
Chalabi never reported this meeting to anyone in the US government, including his friends and sponsors.
So two important points here: US intelligence officials are telling CBS that there is "undeniable" evidence that:1) Chalabi himself has been having unreported meetings with
2) A senior Iranian intelligence official "with a direct hand in covert operations against the United States." In other words, someone who plans operations to kill Americans. A terror master, some might say.
It's hard to see how anyone could interpret that as benign in any way.
And I am again told today that Wolfowitz et al do not find it benign and believe this is gravely serious.
warandpiece.com |
