Hijacker 'Given Anthrax Flask By Iraqi Agent'

The Times (UK) ^ | 10-27-2001 | Daniel McGrory

[blam]

SATURDAY OCTOBER 27 2001

Hijacker 'given anthrax flask by Iraqi agent'

BY DANIEL MCGRORY

INTELLIGENCE agents from Prague to Swansea are uncovering a trail of clues that point to President Saddam Hussein of Iraq having a hand in al-Qaeda’s terrorist missions. Iraqi ministers have spent the week protesting Baghdad’s innocence to the United Nations, but will not say why some of its diplomats who met Mohammed Atta, one of the suspected September 11 hijackers, disappeared from their European posts after that date.

Nor will Baghdad explain why Saddam’s agents were spotted at various times this year with Atta in Germany, Spain, Italy and the Czech Republic.

Many in the Pentagon are sure Saddam helped to orchestrate the simultaneous hijackings and the anthrax attacks, but President Bush and Tony Blair have yet to be convinced. To get proof of the Baghdad connection, senior officials in the Bush Administration even sent a former CIA director to Britain on a covert mission.

Intelligence officers in Washington have deliberately leaked the testimony of an Iraqi defector hiding in Turkey who said that Saddam set up a terrorist training school on the outskirts of Istanbul to practice hijacking a Boeing passenger aircraft. The CIA says that it is assessing the claims.

Meanwhile, a special FBI team sent to Europe to uncover al-Qaeda cells say that they are studying a report from Prague that anthrax spores were given to Atta during his last meeting in Prague in April with Ahmed Khalil Ibrahim Samir al-Ani, the Iraqi consul. “If it can be shown that Atta was given a flask of anthrax,” a Western intelligence official said, “then the link will have been made with Osama bin Laden and with Iraq.”

What is known is that Atta made at least four visits to the Czech Republic to see Mr al-Ani. Czech intelligence officers who saw them embrace at Ruzyne Airport admit that they had no idea who the man greeting Saddam’s envoy was. When they were followed to the headquarters of Radio Free Europe the suspicion was that they may have been plotting to bomb it.

Yesterday the German newspaper Bild suggested a more sinister motive for their meetings. The claim, according to Israeli security sources, is that Atta was handed a vacuum flask of anthrax by his Iraqi contact. From Prague, it is believed Atta flew to Newark. From New Jersey, letters laced with anthrax were sent to broadcasters and politicians in New York, Washington and Florida. Czech officials have been to Washington to reveal all they know, but they can’t question the Iraqi envoy because Mr al-Ani was deported from Prague in April for “activities incompatible with his status as a diplomat”.

Stanislav Gross, the Czech Interior Minister, confirmed yesterday a meeting in Prague between Atta and Mr al-Ani just weeks before the envoy was expelled.

US scientists believe the anthrax spores sent to Tom Daschle, the Senate Majority Leader, had been treated with a sophisticated chemical additive only three countries can manufacture: Russia, America and possibly Iraq.

Former UN weapons inspectors suggest that Saddam could have helped bin Laden to get nuclear material. Critics of the Pentagon’s view say that Iraq would not share its nuclear secrets, but might watch for others trying to buy on the black market.

(Go to the Times site for the rest of the article)

[rwfromkansas]

bump

[Pharmboy]

They are beginning to prepare us for Bahgdad Day. I hope it comes soon.

[mjk19]

Another post stated that ABC News reported the coating used in the Anthrax attack on Senator Daschle is known to be only used by Iraq. What the hell is going on!!! Some earlier articles stated the anthrax is from the US. While the Bush admin is denying any links with Saddam. Something very fishy is going on.

[blam]

"Something very fishy is going on."

....and I guess we're 'cutting bait'?

[mjk19]

Thanks for the clarification. Lets get the 82nd and 101st ready to drop into Baghdad to pay Saddam a house call.

[Rocko]

Bump.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Gonna get ugly if this is true!

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[clintonh8r]

More and more evidence is pointing to Saddam for the events of 9/11 as well as the anthrax. Now the question is, will 43 do what 41 didn't?

[mjk19]

I have to wonder if Saddam is really that stupid to give anthrax to terrorists that can be traced back to him. Saddam is a cruel sadistic dictator but he has to be smart to rule Iraq for so long.

[Aquinasfan]

They are beginning to prepare us for Bahgdad Day. I hope it comes soon.

Me too. But I am so concerned about the reaction of the Muslim world. Not.

[IncPen]

Another post stated that ABC News reported the coating used in the Anthrax attack on Senator Daschle is known to be only used by Iraq. What the hell is going on!!! Some earlier articles stated the anthrax is from the US. While the Bush admin is denying any links with Saddam. Something very fishy is going on.

Anthrax, of the variety used in the attacks, has a chcmical footprint.

Vatieties can be attributed to lines developed in the US or Russia, for instance.

Academic labs frequently devlop strains of bacteria for testing, as in the case of Anthrax, whose behaviors are known.

The strains may have been developed in the US (one theory was an University Lab in Iowa) and then refined in Iraq.

[blam]

"Now the question is, will 43 do what 41 didn't?"

Probably not. I'm not sure we have the resources anymore. Besides, it looks like we're losing heart in Afghanistan. I don't like McCain but I think his article in the WSJ was right on.

[VeritatisSplendor]

Don't depend on idiot reporters to make careful scientific distinctions for you. Here's the facts:

The strain of anthrax used originally came from the U.S.A., but that was DECADES ago. All this means is that they didn't culture it from their own camel wool, they got it from a lab which got it from a lab which got it from a lab which .... which got it from a lab in the U.S. The word "strain" refers to the biological type of anthrax; different strains can be distinguished by their DNA as well as by their clinical effects.

The physical properties of the anthrax found in Daschle's office apparently point to a process, that was applied to anthrax spores of the abovementioned strain, to make the anthrax spread through the air more easily. At least three countries, the US, USSR, and Iraq, are known to have such a process, but the three countries developed their anthrax-weaponizing processes independently and the engineering details differ.

The latest reports are that further examination of the anthrax powder found in Daschle's office point to the Iraqi version of the weaponizing process rather than the other two known techniques.

I hope this clears things up.

[Dog Gone]

This looks more and more like the smoking gun that will be the reason to take out Saddam. Not that there was any question that we had to, anyway.

This despicable tyrant is making WMD for offensive purposes. There is no defensive purpose for making bio-weapons.

[Aquinasfan]

Saddam is a cruel sadistic dictator but he has to be smart to rule Iraq for so long.

I think you answered your own question: sadistic. He takes pleasure from evil. I don't think he can bear the thought of going to his grave without battling the "Great Satan" one more time. The guy just can't help himself.

[Clinton's a rapist]

I have to wonder if Saddam is really that stupid to give anthrax to terrorists that can be traced back to him.

You still don't get it. He wants the anthrax to be traced back to him. Otherwise, the threat to use it has no deterrence value whatsoever.

[Clinton's a rapist]

Now the question is, will 43 do what 41 didn't?

The bigger question for each of us, personally, is what will Saddam do if he does it?

[mjk19]

Thanks. That was a great clarification. How hard is it to process the anthrax with this particular coating? Can someone in a say a college level lab do this?

[clintonh8r]

I tend to agree. We're paying way too much attention to Muslim "sensitivities" instead of kicking ass all over that part of the world. And yes, I can't stand McCain either, but his op-ed was pretty much on the money. W needs to "get busy", right NOW!

[clintonh8r]

Nothing. He'll be dead.

[Pharmboy]

They hate us anyway (same reason most folks hate the Yankees and used to hate the Cowboys--"We're number one!"). Ef 'em. We'll all celebrate "Raghead Vaporization Day."

[Clinton's a rapist]

But his agents here won't be.

[aruanan]

Some earlier articles stated the anthrax is from the US. While the Bush admin is denying any links with Saddam. Something very fishy is going on.

You're confusing two different things. One has to do with the origin of the strain of the bacillus. The other is the type of preparation it has undergone for use. The strain could have come from the US years and years ago. The special coating is a type devised by Iraq. Maybe at this point the Bush Administration doesn't want to have to deal with (in public) the ramifications of everything many people have good reason to believe to be true. Although I'm sure they're taking everything into consideration, the public process is a matter of dealing with one thing at a time. 1. Usama bin Laden (aka Made in Anus Lab) and Afghanistan. 2. Saddam and Iraq.

[bvw]

Consistent with theory by Freeper refermech that he posted yesterday morning:

It sounds like it is all coming out of the same container. As you get closer and closer to the bottom the product becomes finer and finer just like a box of cereal. Mystery solved!!

[mjk19]

Thanks once again. The reason I asked was I saw on PBS Frontline about the Algerian terrorist who attempted to blow up LAX and was caught at the US-Canadian border. They were able to produce a powerful bomb with materials you can buy at stores and they stole some other ingredients pretty easily at a fertilizer factory. Then they mixed everthing together at a motel room in Vancouver. I was wondering if such rudimentary technology is needed to produce and weaponize anthrax.

[vrwc54]

Bump Saddam...off

[aristeides]

There is no defensive purpose for making bio-weapons.

Not to defend Saddam, but actually there is such a defensive purpose. It's to serve as a deterrent against others' using those weapons against you. That's why we developed them ourselves until Nixon's presidency.

[republicandiva]

This looks more and more like the smoking gun that will be the reason to take out Saddam.

What worries me about this scenario is I've heard Saddam's two sons are worse than he is, and have already made threatening statements if anything happens to "dad". And undoubtedly there is a whole army of this ilk waiting in the wings to take over should something happen to the sons. We'll have to exterminate the whole bunch - that might not be easy.

This may be why the Bush Administation is hesitant to link Saddam to the attacks...they may just be buying time to figure out a strategy. And given the obvious ramifications, I think they want to be as certain as possible of Saddam's connections.

[aristeides]

Meanwhile, a special FBI team sent to Europe to uncover al-Qaeda cells say that they are studying a report from Prague that anthrax spores were given to Atta during his last meeting in Prague in April with Ahmed Khalil Ibrahim Samir al-Ani, the Iraqi consul. “If it can be shown that Atta was given a flask of anthrax,” a Western intelligence official said, “then the link will have been made with Osama bin Laden and with Iraq.”

So Atta was in Prague in April. And so far we have only heard about trips of his to Spain in January and July. Was he traveling on a false passport?

[aristeides]

Nor will Baghdad explain why Saddam’s agents were spotted at various times this year with Atta in Germany, Spain, Italy and the Czech Republic.

And I haven't heard until now about Atta's being in Germany or Italy this year, or of Iraqi agents meeting him in Spain. I wonder when these things happened.

I have also read about Atta being in Switzerland some time this year (and possibly buying a knife.) I wonder when he was there.

[aristeides]

FYI.

[republicandiva]

The bigger question for each of us, personally, is what will Saddam do if he does it?

His sons have already threatened to nuke Israel if anything happens to dad.

[Clinton's a rapist]

I'm not worried about that. He won't have any sons. They'll be dead too. My big concern is his sleepers here: you know, the ones with the anthrax.

This is going to be...interesting.

[colorado tanker]

Hmmm. The Saudis have fingered Saddam. Now the Brits. Now the anthrax coating is type-Iraqi. We have five carrier groups in the Arabian Sea, but there aren't enough targets in Talibanstan to keep them busy. What is it Drudge says, "developing hard"??

[dpa5923]

They are beginning to prepare us for Bahgdad Day. I hope it comes soon.

I kinda think that the source of the Anthrax is known, but it's not being released so we (the American people) don't demand a change in priority of targets (Iraq vice Taliban) until the Taliban is kaput. I swear I don't wear a tin foil hat and ussually frown on conspiracies, but I agree we are being preped for a new phase, but the total picture won't be clear until we (the government) is ready to let us (the people) know and we (the military) is ready to go.

[6ppc]

They are beginning to prepare us for Bahgdad Day. I hope it comes soon.

I'm starting to think the same way. We're experiencing the fog of war, psyops 24/7.

[aristeides]

Iran -- Rafsanjani, no less -- has also (implicitly) fingered Saddam.

[jwalsh07]

Why do you suppose there have not been any cases of inhalation anthrax in New York?? I wonder if they have the same coating as Dascholes anthrax.

I can't understand why the anthrax in DC is so much more prolific than the stuff sent to New York. Its gnawing at me.

[aristeides]

Strange, because there has been inhalation anthrax in Florida. By the way, any word about that intern with the Basque name that checked into the hospital for anthrax testing. Last I heard, he had checked into the hospital for anthrax testing, and had pneumonia symptoms. Sure sounds like pulmonary anthrax. But, since then, for the past couple of weeks, I've heard nothing about him. Has his story been embargoed?

[republicandiva]

This is going to be...interesting.

Yep, it's that "interesting" part that worries me...

[TrappedInLiberalHell]

Maybe Atta was given two vials. One was a known quantity, well tested, but didn't readily aerosolize. The other was newer, experimental, the result of a refined, but largely untested, aerosolization coating. Atta was told to use the known quantity on the media types, to be sure the word got out and panic would spread readily. The experimental strain, he was given license to 'have some fun' with, so he sent it to government figures.

Just my theory, worth as much as it took to type it. We may never know the full truth about these attacks. Those who carried them out may well be dead now. Or, they will take the truth to their graves even if caught.

[6ppc]

I think refermech is right! Spooning it from a container while stuffing envelopes would avoid stirring it up.

[6ppc]

they may just be buying time to figure out a strategy.

I think the strategy is in place. They are still moving the pieces around.

[blam]

"We're experiencing the fog of war, psyops 24/7."

Yup. I'm beginning to think we've been set up with the , "they're tougher than we thought," comment. Maybe all this Afghanistan 'stuff' is just cover for preparations for Iraq?

[jwalsh07]

Its a good theory, primary in my mind also. The only other thing I came up with is that they screwed up and spilt some liquid on part of it. But the geography argues against that since NY seems to get the low test and DC the high test.

[jwalsh07]

The 71 year old fella in Florida whipped its ass. He is home with his wife. I heard him on the radio today urging his countrymen, thats us, to be calm. It was touch and go for a while but he seems OK.:-}

[aristeides]

Glad to hear that about Blanco. He had a good doctor.