US leak of Zarqawi letter riles Israelis

The Sunday Times ^ | April 9 2006

[jmc1969]

Israeli military intelligence officials have accused President George W Bush’s administration of undermining their attempts to infiltrate Al-Qaeda’s operations in Iraq by revealing the contents of a secret letter written by Osama Bin Laden’s second-in-command.

Israel passed the letter — in which Ayman al-Zawahiri outlined his Middle East strategy to Abu Musab al- Zarqawi, the Al-Qaeda leader in Iraq — to Washington last October on condition of strict anonymity.

Israeli officials were dismayed, however, when John Negroponte, the US director of national intelligence, made it available in both English and its original Arabic on his office web site.

Israeli intelligence sources said officials who had worked on “Operation Tiramisu” inside Iraq took emergency steps to protect their sources, but it was not clear how successful they had been in averting the damage to their intelligence network.

They said Bush’s indiscretion had undone months of painstaking effort.

[InterceptPoint]

Not good news. But it was fun reading about Zarqawi's problems.

[Dog]

Could the Israelis have a mole inside AQ in Iraq......hmmmmmm.

[monkeywrench]

So many traitors within and without...

[Dog]

Interesting none the less...consider the possibilities..

[adam_az]

this could also be coordinated disinfo to draw aq into the open.

[Shermy]

"Could the Israelis have a mole inside AQ in Iraq.."

Not anymore..

[Dog]

I don't know Shermy....but my money is on the Israelis thinking their way out of the box they were put in.

[iPod Shuffle]

I like that idea... have AQ conduct bloody purges within its own ranks based on the planted story that there's a spy within its organization.

[Dog]

Exactly..

[Shermy]

Certainly I can't verify this story as true but it is similar to the Czech Atta story when the Bush Admin. released information passed on by the Czechs who did not want it released.

I think the Brits have the same concern, like their refusal to turn over the African uranium evidence. They fear a mole or a leaker leaking for domestic p.r. or spin control. American government give up secrets for quickie brownie points in the press? I'd believe it.

[okie01]

I like that idea... have AQ conduct bloody purges within its own ranks based on the planted story that there's a spy within its organization

And not just any spy. An Israeli spy!

[Dog]

I googled Tiramisu....its a dessert.

[darkwing104]

If it was legit the Israelis would be better off saying nothing. Possible disinformation on their part to create suspicion within AQ-Iraq.

[adam_az]

"I like that idea... have AQ conduct bloody purges within its own ranks based on the planted story that there's a spy within its organization."

what better way to sow dissent?

[Shermy]

Of course it could be from a British Intelligence mole inside Iranian Intelligence who "intercepted" this letter while it travelled through Iran...\


Etc. etc. LOL!

[Tigen]

Could it have been a way to catch the mole of our own or a demrat?

[OldFriend]

Hard to know if the media is correct on this or simply causing trouble for Israel.

[SevenMinusOne]

have AQ conduct bloody purges within its own ranks based on the planted story that there's a spy within its organization.

Correct -

[Txsleuth]

I find it odd that an Administration that has had documents, letters, videos in their possession for a long time, that would get them off the hook about lying about WMDS..and Saddam's relationship with bin Ladin..

Would then turn aroung and leak information that had been given them with the admonition NOT to reveal it.

Why would they do THAT for PR "brownie points"...when they have been begged to release their own pile of "brownie points"???