Syria and Iran aiding militants, Iraq says...

[cantwealljustgetalong]

Intelligence officers claim evidence of infiltration

Michael Howard in Kirkuk
Friday February 20, 2004
The Guardian

Senior Iraqi intelligence officers believe an Islamic militant group which has claimed responsibility for two suicide bombings in Irbil and a spate of deadly attacks in Baghdad, Falluja and Mosul is receiving significant help from Syria and Iran.

The officers, who have been tracking the activities of domestic and foreign jihadists in northern Iraq, claim that members of Jaish Ansar al-Sunna (the army of the supporters of the sayings of the prophet) have been "given shelter by Syrian and Iranian security agencies and have been able to enter Iraq with ease".

The group is suspected of training suicide bombers and deploying them against US forces in Iraq and Iraqis considered to be collaborating with the US-led authorities.

...

An intelligence officer in the northern city of Kirkuk said: "We have arrested a number of foreign Arabs that we believe may be connected to the global terror network.

"They all seemed to have Iranian or Syrian visas in their passports. A number of them told us they had received assistance in those countries."

...

"If they believe they can play with the security of Iraq, they are playing with fire. It's very dangerous."

...


http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1152096,00.html

[Kagemusha]

1. This is an easy conclusion for US intelligence to believe.

Which is why they are believing it...

[0007]

2. This news is raising many questions with this poster.

The name "Hoshyar Zebari" is used as if to say this information is true.

And yet the word "may" occurs when arresting Arabs connected with the global terror network.

Does it appears that the plan is to eliminate the Sunni Arab?

[teryang]

3. It is a classic pattern

An infidel invades the heart of the Islamic world and then Islamic fighters from various sects, aiming to prove their bona fides, come to drive the invader out in whatever way they can. Of course to our establishments perception, it is "international terrorism." Nothing more need be said about it. The one vague expression explains all and explains nothing. The historic dimension of the struggle is lost in bureaucratic pretense of liberal democracy. Do they really expect the neighboring states to do nothing with a massive squatting foreign army in their region?

Listened at length to Bremer's press conference on Cspan. He puts a civil face on an explosive situation. "Sovereignty" will be passed (on June 30) but the coalition authority (the military force) isn't going anywhere. The embassy will be the biggest in the world.

The Shites hope to get what they want with patience. Traditionally they haven't had a ruling say in Bagdad. I hope they are organizing for a fight or they will be victimized again.

[ScrewyRabbit]

4. Don't you think "significant help" is coming out of Saudi Arabia

too? Funny we don't hear that country's name being mentioned at the same time...