Posted on 08/26/2003 9:37:12 PM PDT by joesnuffy
OPERATION: IRAQI FREEDOM CIA: Saudi Arabia funds Sunni insurgency Post-war U.S. death toll surpasses that during conflict
Posted: August 26, 2003 5:36 p.m. Eastern
© 2003 WorldNetDaily.com
The Central Intelligence Agency has fingered Saudi Arabia as the leading financier of the Sunni insurgency claiming American lives in Iraq daily.
A CIA report which cites the activities of major Islamic insurgency groups in the country and their state sponsors was disclosed by Kurdish sources in Iraq to the London-based Al Hayat daily, according to a translation by Middle East Newsline.
Al Hayat reported U.S. intelligence officials assert Iran, Saudi Arabia and Syria have contributed insurgents and funding to a range of groups, including al-Qaida and Hezbollah.
The paper, which is owned by members of the Saudi royal family, said this marks the first time the kingdom was specifically identified as a supporter of the Sunni insurgency in Iraq. Last week, Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage said Islamic insurgents have infiltrated Iraq from Saudi Arabia, but cleared the royal family of involvement.
WorldNetDaily reported more than 1,000 trained and highly disciplined al-Qaida operatives have entered Iraq over the last three months. Financed by deposed Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and Gulf Arab princes, they're establishing cells and joining attacks on U.S. military forces. U.S. and Kurdish forces have captured some in northern Iraq, but most have found safe haven in what's called the Sunni Triangle.
Military commanders last week sounded alarm over the influx of "foreign fighters" into Iraq through Syria and demanded Syrian officials take action to block them.
"We held talks with the Syrians in this regard, we hope to see better cooperation," Paul Bremer, the U.S. civilian administrator of Iraq, told Al Hayat.
Bremer said the fighters carry "travel documents from a variety of countries" and were being aided by Iran's intelligence and Revolutionary Guards.
"This is irresponsible conduct and runs counter to Iraq's interests. We believe that a free Iraq must not be subject to any interference by its neighbors," the paper quoted Bremer as saying.
Investigators still have yet to determine whether the suicide bombing at the United Nations headquarters last week was the work of these foreign fighters or Saddam Hussein loyalists. Bremer speculated the attack could even have been a joint effort.
WorldNetDaily reported a statement posted on the Internet purportedly from al-Qaida claimed responsibility and asserted operatives targeted the U.N. because it is "against Islam" and is a "branch of the American State Department."
The authenticity of the claim has not been verified.
Meanwhile the Pentagon said today more U.S. troops have died in the aftermath of the war in Iraq than during the actual war. According to officials, 139 soldiers have died since President Bush declared major combat operations over on May 1. Sixty-two deaths were attributed to hostile fire and another 77 due to non-hostile circumstances such as vehicle crashes.
The total number of U.S. deaths since the start of the war is 277.
Previous articles:
Al-Qaida trickle into Iraq becomes flood
'Al-Qaida' claims U.N. bombing in Iraq
Blast rocks U.N. mission in Baghdad
Wouldn't be prudent, don'tcha know?
You mark my words, there is something big coming.
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