Newsmax: CIA Bombshell: Saddam Financed Lead 9/11 Hijacker

[trapper914]

In a startling about face for U.S. intelligence officials, a bombshell memo released by the Senate Intelligence Committee late Friday draws a direct link between Saddam Hussein and the 9/11 attacks, citing evidence that Iraqi intelligence bankrolled lead 9/11 hijacker Mohamed Atta in the months leading up to the worst terrorist attack ever on U.S. soil.

The previously secret 16 page memo, prepared by the CIA and other U.S. intelligence agencies, says Atta met as many as four times in Prague with Iraqi intelligence agent Ahmed al Ani prior to the 9/11 attacks.

Sorry for the Newsmax link.

It goes on to say Ani ordered funds be given to Atta.

Is this the same Prague meeting that has been debunked in the past?

[patdem]

1. No link...and where are those WMD??? the same CIA/Intellegence?

[0007]

29. .......our leaders will get to the truth!

[Media_Lies_Daily]

42. Don't blame the CIA on this one...look toward the DoD's OSP....

...you know, the separate intelligence group Rummy wanted to form because the CIA wasn't playing the NeoCons' game.

[papau]

45. Newsmax lies - a con - TNR published 6/3/02 GOP plant - it's refuted

FROM June 3 2002
http://www.tnr.com/
The New Republic Online: Memogate
... Agency learned that some Senate Intelligence Committee staffers faulted the CIA for failing to grasp the significance of an April 2001 meeting in Prague between 9/11 ringleader Mohammed Atta and Iraqi intelligence officer Ahmed al-Ani, the CIA suggested that the meeting probably never occurred. (Had ...
http://www.tnr.com/doc.mhtml?i=20020603&s=miniter060302



Meanwhile the real from the past news is forgotten by US Media:

General Malmud of the ISI (Pakistani CIA) when the 911 attacks occurred is with the HOUSE's Cong. Peter Johnston Goss (R)
15th Cong. District, Florida, - and the GOP at that point knows that General Malmud wired $100,000 to Mohammed Atta.

[Whoa_Nelly]

2. Link

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2003/11/15/111243.shtml

...and WTF??? Is this the edited version of the "secret" papers on 9/11? Is this made up tripe so Chimp's visit to UK and meeting with Blair will now be honored and cheered? Is this a Rove BS report/leak?

[hang a left]

4. What a bunch of bullshit! This has already been debunked.

[cthrumatrix]

3. honest ...he did..he did. Maybe that's why they don't want to show

any of the shrub daily briefings....lol. Sadam may have communicated "all ready to go" ..... now wouldn't that rain on shrubs parade.

All this info. is BS. This is no truth anymore...it' spin and lies.

[eileen_d]

5. "a startling about face" - well, yeah

Three words: No Credibility Whatsoever. (Goes for Newsmax and whoever cooked up this memo)

[leesa]

6. Funny. When we already know that the financer was from Pakistan

and that he was meeting with US officials the day before 9-11.

[jenk]

7. let's wait for theo the other networks to pick it up

newsmax is anything but newsworthy

conservative tabloid

[trapper914]

12. True

The only reason I look there was due to the Drudge (not much better) headline with the Weekly Standard link which didn't work. Wanted to find out what kind of right wing drivel I was going to have to combat on Monday.

[jenk]

18. well, maybe it's down because drudge is in the process of pulling it

but knowing him, it'll be front and center with a siren

and then he'll pull it, but it'll be too late....

[htuttle]

8. Pakistan ISI Lt-Gen Mahmud Ahmad was already busted for funding Atta

India came out with proof that Ahmad directed that $100,000 be wired to Mohomed Atta in the US. He was forced to retire shortly thereafter.

This is the widely discredited Prague meeting story that they are trying to get to hunt again. Ain't gonna work.

[mhr]

9. Propaganda, Pure and Simple

If true it makes Bush, Rummy, Condi, et. al. liars as they swore up and down that there was no link between Saddam and 9/11 in early September.

You can't have it both ways.

Also, consider the source. NewsMax is a known purveyor of right wing pablum.

[chaumont58]

10. Only reporting is on Scaife.net

I ran a google search to see if who and how many are reporting this. All I came up with were links to Scaife financed sites. More views of the parallel universe.

[Cocoa]

11. Newsmax reads like it's written for morons

or children. Who would believe a crap story like that?

[leQ]

21. and didn't the chimp himself state there was no connection?

n/t

[Beaker]

41. well, isn't it?

nt

[janx]

52. That's because it's written BY morons:

Usually, "Carl Limbacher and the Newsmax staff."

[9215]

53. No, for mass consumption, uh,.....er

are we being redundant here? :evilgrin:

[Fixated]

13. .....

So Bush was lying when he said they had found no tie to al Qaeda?

[tishaLA]

14. A friend of mine sent this to me from Weekly Standard too

cut and pasted the whole article though, so I don't have the link. It's a LONG article in the Standard, which of course is a bullshit publication, but this is obviously the new tactic the pugs are using to get around the CIA memo that was leaked to the Phila Inquirer this week: maybe we are losing in Iraq, but Bin Laden was involved, or whatever their logic is.

Anyhow, if you can see the Standard piece--and you probably should--I'd like to have it debunked. I'm too tired to do the work myself.

[tishaLA]

16. Here's part of the Standard Piece.

OSAMA BIN LADEN and Saddam Hussein had an operational relationship from the early 1990s to 2003 that involved training in explosives and weapons of mass destruction, logistical support for terrorist attacks, al Qaeda training camps and safe haven in Iraq, and Iraqi financial support for al Qaeda--perhaps even for Mohamed Atta--according to a top secret U.S. government memorandum obtained by THE WEEKLY STANDARD.

The memo, dated October 27, 2003, was sent from Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Douglas J. Feith to Senators Pat Roberts and Jay Rockefeller, the chairman and vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee. It was written in response to a request from the committee as part of its investigation into prewar intelligence claims made by the administration. Intelligence reporting included in the 16-page memo comes from a variety of domestic and foreign agencies, including the FBI, the Defense Intelligence Agency, the Central Intelligence Agency, and the National Security Agency. Much of the evidence is detailed, conclusive, and corroborated by multiple sources. Some of it is new information obtained in custodial interviews with high-level al Qaeda terrorists and Iraqi officials, and some of it is more than a decade old. The picture that emerges is one of a history of collaboration between two of America's most determined and dangerous enemies.

According to the memo--which lays out the intelligence in 50 numbered points--Iraq-al Qaeda contacts began in 1990 and continued through mid-March 2003, days before the Iraq War began. Most of the numbered passages contain straight, fact-based intelligence reporting, which in some cases includes an evaluation of the credibility of the source. This reporting is often followed by commentary and analysis.

The relationship began shortly before the first Gulf War. According to reporting in the memo, bin Laden sent "emissaries to Jordan in 1990 to meet with Iraqi government officials." At some unspecified point in 1991, according to a CIA analysis, "Iraq sought Sudan's assistance to establish links to al Qaeda." The outreach went in both directions. According to 1993 CIA reporting cited in the memo, "bin Laden wanted to expand his organization's capabilities through ties with Iraq."



Sorry, again, that the link isn't working.

[htuttle]

19. Oh, jeez. More Feith-based intelligence

Douglas Feith's tall tales have been completely discredited. He shouldn't even be drawing a government paycheck anymore.

[Cocoa]

28. seriously

no joke, this kind of stuff should be fireable.

[Cocoa]

23. Feith

'nuff said.

[annxburns]

37. The Weekly Standard and Newsmax?

... Please, The Weekly Standard is edited by Bill Kristol, the genius who started the Project for the New American Century. Newsmax is right wing central. This is the neo-cons propping up Dick Cheney because people are starting to ask questions. This 16 page memo has all the debunked, cherry picked intelligence that was referred to in Newsweek. Because it is packaged in a new way doesn't mean it's any more credible.

But expect Hannity, Newsmax and Limbaugh to wave it as proof and use it to obscure the real questions about why we went to war ...

[WilliamPitt]

55. Ding ding ding! Feith = Office of Special Plans

= Ahmad Chalabi = zero credibility.

[jamesinca]

58. yep!!!

They have been trying to make this connection since '02 to sell the war. Why do they need to sell the war with such lies, because they have no other reason that will justify it. The words of Paul Wolfowitz this summer in the Vanity Faire interview are ringing truer than ever. They settled on WMD because it is what would sell the war. It did not sell so they are going back to plan B.

[trapper914]

22. Fox broke it down some

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,103163,00.html

Their deadly collaboration — which may have included the bombing of the USS Cole (search) and the 9/11 attacks — is revealed in a 16-page memo to the Senate Intelligence Committee (search) that cites reports from a variety of domestic and foreign spy agencies compiled by multiple sources, The Weekly Standard (search) reports.

Saddam's willingness to help bin Laden plot against Americans began in 1990, shortly before the first Gulf War, and continued through last March, the eve of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, says the Oct. 27 memo sent by Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Douglas Feith.



Ahh...it came from Doug Feith's office, presented as "evidence" for the Senate Intelligence Committee. CIA will, no doubt, shoot major holes in this.

[Cush]

27. Lol

it's not even a FOX Story, it's from the NY POST

[DemNoir]

15. See DU LBN fior the latest neocon propaganda

Anyone who posts garbage like this should really be ashamed. Should links to newsmax even be allowed?

[trapper914]

25. Ashamed?

Hardly. I realize what Newsmax is. At the same time, right wing spin doctors will be all over this. I thought I'd give my DU brethren a heads up. Sorry if I offended you.

[SouthernDaisy]

64. I understand your motivation

for posting it. Don't we need to be aware of the latest shit the wingers are going to throw at us, people???!!!!!

Dang, get off trapper's case here. He doesn't believe this crap; he only gave us a warning and stated it as such.

Elections aren't won with facts in this country as often as they're won with labels.

In order to fight the propaganda, we have to know what it is!

Find every winger email addy that you can and start trying to enlightening them. There are some people moving to the fence, believe it or not, and we need to help them "come into the light"! LOL!

[0007]

17. By God! this is big.......

This is what Cheney has been telling us, 'eh? This is what FOX News and the two outlets have been trying for months to tip off the American people.

A straight shooter & a real visionary is running this country
God Bless America

[RedEarth]

20. BS......I don't believe anything from newsmax...nt

[shirlden]

24. This is SOP for the Repigs

Put out a story they know to be false when they need a diversion and then just let it make the rounds. Months from now someone may say, "Oh, no, that story didn't come from us. Clinton did it"

Bet the Freepers are just slobbering all over this one......

:argh:

[Warren Stuart]

26. So I say to myself, hmmmm

What could they possibly need a diversion for? This is a red herring the size of Moby Dick, they can't go to the well too many times with this, so it must be important.

Then I click on another thread that discusses how this meeting between Bush and Blair couldn't have come at a worse time for either one of them and I say AHA!

When you can't count on Laci or Kobe to pull your sorry butt out of the fire you can always rely on bogus 9/11 bullcrap to give your side something to talk about.

This ran a front page headline in the NY Post, imagine, the city where thousands lost their lives, and a major newspaper is lying about the cause of the tragedy.

If this report is not true, than this proves that these people are pathetic, dishonorable scum.

[Cush]

30. Nothing on 'CNN Live at Noon'

[Patriot_Spear]

31. Bullshit.

It's a different goddam guy- lying newsmax POS.

[Nlighten1]

32. Bush himself said that Saddam didn't have anything to do with 9/11

Is he lying again?

[Patriot_Spear]

34. So who's the liar here- Newsmax or Rice, Rumsfeld and Bush*?

Ha-ha, trick question- they're all LIARS!!


Bush http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20030917/pl_afp/us_iraq_whouse&cid=1521&ncid=1473

WASHINGTON - President Bush (news - web sites) said Wednesday there was no evidence that Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) was involved in the terrorist attacks of Sept.

Rumsfeld http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030916/ap_on_re_mi_ea/rumsfeld_iraq&cid=540&ncid=1480

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said Tuesday he had no reason to believe that Iraq 's Saddam Hussein had a hand in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States.

Rice http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20030917/pl_nm/iraq_usa_rice_dc&cid=615&ncid=1480

WASHINGTON - U.S. national security adviser Condoleezza Rice said on Tuesday the Bush administration had never accused Saddam Hussein of directing the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

39. Who stands most to gain by "proving" such a connection?

[MrPrax]

33. So after capturing Iraq...

they managed to find 'incriminating' top secret Iraqis Intelligence implicating Galloway in record time, but they are still trotting out the "prague' thing...
They must think we are really stupid...

[Instant Karma]

36. Throw it against the wall until it sticks seems to be the strategy

It has worked well with the American people so far.

[xultar]

35. So now I guess they are going to say I told you there was a link between

Saddam and Bin Laden and 9/11...

But you said that you said that there was never a link

Well I was lying when I said that I didn't say that there was a link cuz ther is a link...

So, you want me to believe you now when you didn't want me to believe you in the beginning when you were saying there was no link

[Media_Lies_Daily]

38. What a crock of major crap!! If this memo had been brought forward...

...anytime after 9/11 and prior to Afghanistan, we wouldn't have the controversy about the alleged Saddam-Al Qaeda connection.

Additionally, there was NO Prague meeting...that has been debunked quite some time ago.

Planted evidence, and a very amateurish plant at that.

If anyone believes this is true, they need to seek help immediately to have that major "gullible-bone" removed.

[underpants]

40. Hmmmm using the Intel Committe for partisan purposes?

I thought that was a treasonous offense. I could have sworn I heard that somewhere.

[MaineDem]

43. If this was true do you really think...

that it would be "leaked" on a Friday? Hell, Georgie Boy would be shouting it from the Rose Garden in time for the 6PM news.

[underpants]

46. 6:02 Brit Hume time

You are right this is just a run up the flag poll to see if anyone will salute, much like the Rockefeller memo from Senate Intelligence.

[54anickel]

44. Here's a twisted thought...If, as some DUers have said, the spooks

are going to turn on Shrub, perhaps the mis-admin is going on an offensive here in a lame attempt to totally discredit the CIA.....
:crazy:

[papau]

47. Using a 6/03/02 New Republic article - WOW desperate GOP -eh?

:-)

[54anickel]

50. Huh? 6/03/02 article...please explain.

No dig intended on your reply, I am always learning things here on DU. Could you elaborate?

[Oilwellian]

49. You're on the right track

Perhaps this perpetrated lie will turn the focus back (with the help of the CIA) to who really financed Atta. I'm sure the Senate Intelligence Committee report also stipulates the FBI's findings that Atta was indeed given $100,000 dollars by Pakistan's ISI chief General Ahmed just weeks before 9/11. The question is, why did the Bush administration just let this guy quietly resign instead of having him arrested and charged for financing terrorism? Let's find out who the DC officials were that General Ahmed met with on 9/11, and what exactly were the meetings about while General Ahmed was getting a delicious firsthand view of the chaos his compadres wreaked on that day.

The FBI files also verify Atta was in Florida at the same time this presumed meeting in Prague occurred.

I suspect promoting this lie is an indication of the heat coming down on the Bush administration and this is a pre-emptive attempt to keep the water muddied. We really should thank them for keeping this issue alive. :D

[Devils Advocate NZ]

48. This ia either a MAJOR security breach... or a COMPLETE lie!

From what I've read on this thread, the LEAKED (who said anything about "no more leaks"???) memo contains direct references to sources of information, a MAJOR security breach!

Most of the numbered passages contain straight, fact-based intelligence reporting, which in some cases includes an evaluation of the credibility of the source. This reporting is often followed by commentary and analysis.

Remember all the times we have been told we aren't allowed to know the evidence because it might compromise "sources and methods"? Well what exactly is this memo doing?

So this is either as bad a security breach as the naming of a CIA agent, or it is nothing but lies.

[BuckeFushe]

51. THESE SCUM HAVE ZERO CREDITIBILITY, WASTE OF SPACE

n/t

[lefty_mcduff]

54. Total Horse Pucky

The Boy King would have been screaming this at every opportunity - we wouldn't have seen all the himming and hawwing that went along with the invasion. This was the factor that would have GUARANTEED public support on the invasion of Iraq, yet some cubicle in the CIA sits on this unitl now?!!!! Whatever.

[Dr Fate]

56. Newsmax propably gets a cut of the missing $4billion...

...I'll bet Rove funds them and other RW organs through proxies...

[Hoppin_Mad]

57. Saddam took babies from incubators and left them to die !

No lie is too incredible for the Neocon SCUM

[Skittles]

59. BULLSHIT BULLSHIT BULLSHIT

they SO f***ing DESPERATE

[jonoboy]

60. follow the links and they get to the real lie: "Hillary did it "

[Snellius]

61. We've been through this one.

Atta was in Florida getting a traffic ticket when he was supposed to be in Plaque.
http://www.casi.org.uk/discuss/2002/msg00593.html

Havel denies it.
http://www.intellnet.org/news/2002/10/21/12792-1.DTL

Rumsfeld and Bush have already denied any connection.

Powell didn't include it in his UN presentation.

This "memo" seems tailored for rightwing consumption only. The Republicans on the Intelligence Committee - before they shut down - decided to "leak" this misinfo knowing that they or their propaganda outlets will never investigate it.

[rhino91063]

62. Can you say SCAPEGOAT

Mr Feith, who this memo is being attributed to, is being set up to be the bush thug's fall guy.

http://www.tompaine.com/feature2.cfm/ID/9390

"What's gonna happen with Feith"?

That, in a nutshell, is the question of the month for the Washington cogniscenti who are trying to figure out whether a major shift in the Bush administration's unilateralist and ultra-hawkish foreign policy is or is not underway.

The reference is to Douglas Feith, the administration's rather obscure but nonetheless strategically placed undersecretary of defense for policy, who reports directly to the deputy secretary, Paul Wolfowitz, and Pentagon chief Donald Rumsfeld.

If the administration is looking for a scapegoat for the situation it faces in Iraq, Feith is the most likely candidate both because of his relative obscurity compared to other administration hawks and the fact that, of virtually all of them, his ideas—particularly on the Middle East—may be the most radical.

A protegé of Richard Perle, the former chairman of Rumsfeld's Defense Policy Board (DPB) who stands at the center of the neo-conservative foreign-policy network in Washington, Feith has long opposed territorial compromise by Israel. He was an outspoken foe of the Oslo process and even the Camp David peace agreement mediated by former President Jimmy Carter between Egypt and Israel. His former law partner, L. Marc Zell, is a spokesman for the Jewish settlers' movement in the occupied West Bank.

But, more to the point, virtually everything that has gone wrong in Iraq—especially those matters that Congress is either investigating or is poised to investigate—is linked directly to his office. "All roads lead to Feith," noted one knowledgeable administration official this week.

<SNIP>

[VolcanoJen]

63. Not LBN... locking.

This story has surfaced on the DU Boards more than a few times before. It's been debunked, and it has yet to be picked up as a story by the mainstream media.

Also, the original post that started this thread does not contain a link (although another poster supplied it later in the thread).

Please feel free to begin a new discussion about this topic in the General Discussion or Foreign Affairs: 9/11, Military Affairs and Terrorism Forum.

Thanks!
VolcanoJen
DU Moderator