Sam,
All I can say is that in the documents we discovered AFTER Saddam was overthrown (and long after Feith's controversial report came out), we found documented evidence that IN 1993 Saddam had ordered Iraqi intelligence to seek out terrorist groups, to include Egytian Islamic Jihad (EIJ) (Ayman Zawahiri's group that merged with Bin Ladin to form Al Qaida in 1994), for the EXPRESS PURPOSE of attacking American citizens and interests.
cnsnews.com
cnsnews.com
Then look at Page 14 and 15 (PDF for english translation at upper right) and it will detail the plans DISCUSSED AFTER Saddam's original order to bring a member of EIJ to Baghdad.
I suggest reading the other links (and their english translations).
So yes.., "technically" speaking, Saddam did not cooperate with Al Qai'da in 1993 because Al Qai'da didn't technically exist until several years later. But he was VERY MUCH INVOLVED in seeking to cooperate with Islamic fanatics (who later founded Al Qai'da) to attack the US.
Furthermore, while true that Zarqawi was not part of Al Qai'da prior to Saddam's overthrow, Zarqawi was EVERY BIT a Jihadist as Bin Ladin was. Just because the two leaders were rivals, does not mean they didn't cooperate. Zarqawi's primary focus was on overthrowing the Hashimites in Jordan, as also attacking the Israelis, while Bin Ladin focused on directly attacking the US. Zarqawi's training camp in Herat, Afghanistan was FUNDED by Bin Ladin, and Al Qai'da's current military commander Sa'if Al-Adl
en.wikipedia.org
billroggio.com
Saif al-Adel is widely believed to be the nom de guerre of former Egyptian Army Colonel Muhamad Ibrahim Makkawi (Special Forces), who fought in Afghanistan with the mujahedeen against the Soviet Union. He is purported to have been involved with the Black Hawk Down battle in Somalia, which resulted in the deaths of 18 US servicemen, the 1998 embassy attacks in Kenyan and Tanzania, the training of several of the 9-11 hijackers, and the Riyadh bombing in 2003. After the death of Mohammed Atef, al-Adel is believed to have taken on some of the Atef's responsibilities in al-Qaeda. He is believed to be the third ranking member in the organization.
Here's some additional information on the Zarqawi/Saif Al-Adl connection:
Before the invasion of Afghanistan, Zarqawi was the leader of an Islamic militant group loosely affiliated with al-Qaeda. When Zarqawi first met bin Laden it was loathing at the first sight as bin Laden distrusted and disliked Zarqawi immediately.[55] In an interview on Al-Majd TV, former al-Qaeda member Walid Khan, who was in Afghanistan fighting alongside Zarqawi's group explained that from the day al-Zarqawi's group arrived, there were disagreements, differences of opinion with bin Laden on a number of issues and positions.[56] Bin Laden also suspected that many of Zarqawi's group members were Jordanian intelligence, disliked Zarqawi's swagger and the green tattoos on his left hand, which he reportedly considered un-Islamic and found Zarqawi hatred of Shiites divisive ).[55] Saif al-Adel, now bin Laden's military chief, was an Egyptian who attempted to overthrow the Egyptian government saw merit in Zarqawi's overall objective of overthrowing the Jordanian monarchy. He intervened and smoothed the relations between Zarqawi and Al Qaeda leadership.[55] It was agreed that Zarqawi will be given $5,000 U.S. dollars to start up his training camp outside the Afghan city of Herat, near the Iranian border. Zarqawi's camp would be as far away as he could be from bin Laden as Saif al-Adel was appointed as the middle man.[55]
en.wikipedia.org
Zarqawi's group continued to received funding from Osama bin Laden but pursued "a largely distinct, if occasionally overlapping agenda," according to The Washington Post.[57] Counterterrorism experts told the Washington Post that while Zarqawi accepted al-Qaeda's financial help to set up a training camp in Afghanistan he ran it independently and while bin Laden was planning September 11, Zarqawi was busy developing a plot to topple the Jordanian monarchy and attack Israel.[58]
Now, please recall that Saddam ordered his intelligence service to use Arab forces to attack US forces in Somalia in 1993 (page 1 I linked to above). And recall this was before Al Qai'da officially became an organization, but NONETHELESS Saddam sought to use Jihadist forces to attack Americans in Somalia.
I know the rest of the article goes on to assert that Zarqawi was not in league with Saddam, but with Iran instead, and I fully believe this to be true as well, since Saif Al-Adl was "arrested" in May, 2003 by Iran. But the fact can not be discounted that Al-Adl was the primary liason between Zarqawi and Bin Ladin, and it states that Zarqawi was fully briefed by Bin Ladin AFTER 9/11. And we cannot ignore the role that Al-Adl played in funding and supporting Zarqawi in creating his training camp.
So having been the recipient of such a briefing, it's VERY difficult to assert that Zarqawi wasn't a close confident of Al Qai'da. The only difference is that his targeted effort was focused on the Jordanians at the time, something that DIRECTLY BENEFITTED Saddam's goals to destabilize Jordan.
I was privy to some of the interrogations of Tarik Azziz, while I was working in Iraq. And it may be "true" that Saddam avoided any "direct" cooperation with Al Qai'da for fear of the US finding out and being provoked to use it as an excuse to attack him. But he CERTAINLY permitted them to take sanctuary in Iraq. And the manner in which questions were addressed to Azzis, it's clear he could "honestly" answer than Iraq did not cooperate with Al Qai'da to conduct operations.
But it's also true that post-war documents we captured CLEARLY indicate that the IIS office in Syria had a "relationship" with Bin Ladin (although not clearly defined) See Page 68 of the following Senate report:
fas.org
So, in sum, while it's probably accurate to assert their was no "official" partnership between Saddam and Al Qai'da, the fact remains that Saddam saw Al Qai'da as an effective organization to attack US interests and I remain convinced he was very supportive in assisting Bin Ladin SO LONG AS there was no direct linkage to Iraq.
Thus, Saddam WAS a supporter of terrorism, and specifically terrorism committed against the US and Saudi Arabia, as well as Jordan.
But he wasn't stupid enough to form any official alliance, knowing that upon discovery of such a linkage, the US would have a provocation to directly overthrow him.
But you have to decide for yourself.
However, the linkage between Iran and Al Qai'da is pretty clear. Although apparently it has been reported that Bin Ladin's son, Sa'ad, has been released by Iran, there is no further information that I'm aware of regarding what happend to Saif Al-Adl after he was "arrested" by Iran. So far is known, he was released and his current whereabouts are unknown.
fbi.gov
Hawk |
