Germany: BND Story Screws Schroeder

News 24 ^ | 1 Feb 03 | News 24

[pepsionice]

Iraq has mobile labs

Berlin - Germany's secret service has information that Iraq is developing weapons in mobile laboratories disguised as ordinary goods vehicles, a magazine said on Saturday.

Focus weekly said opposition MPs were urging the government to publish the information or at least make it available to fellow members on the United Nations Security Council who may be required to vote soon on possible military action against Iraq.

Focus said Germany's BND intelligence service informed members of the parliamentary commission on foreign affairs about the mobile laboratories in November. Some parts for the laboratories came from suppliers in Germany, the BND said.

Committee member Andreas Schockenhoff, deputy spokesperson on foreign affairs for the opposition Christian Democratic Union, confirmed that the BND had briefed the committee, but said he could not give details as members were sworn to secrecy.

But he added: "If there is relevant information for the weapons inspectors then the government should inform the public and Germany's partners."

Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder strongly opposes war and a deep rift has opened up between Germany, which has a temporary Security Council seat, and permanent member the United States.

The United States accuses Iraq of amassing weapons of mass destruction and is already sending troops to the Gulf in readiness for war. Schroeder says UN inspectors must be allowed to complete their search for weapons before the Security Council makes a final assessment.

The BND had also told German MPs that Baghdad had bought some components of the mobile laboratories from Germany, Focus reported. Iraq had also been inquiring in Germany about equipment for possible use in missiles.

No one at the BND was available for comment on Saturday.

A German businessman was sentenced to five years and three months in prison on Friday for exporting weapons material to Iraq in 1999 in circumvention of a United Nations embargo.

The court in southwestern Mannheim said 59-year-old defendant Bernd Schompeter and co-defendant Willi Ribbeck were guilty of exporting drilling equipment to Iraq that can be used to make artillery gun barrels. Ribbeck was given a suspended sentence.

[pepsionice]

While almost 10 days old, and the government still refuses to acknowledge that the report exists...they haven't denied it either. It will stain their reputation badly if Iraq has the weapons and they use them. I think Schroeder either has been paid off or else is totally desperate to hide German involvement. In either case, the country loses its international image.

[dixiechick2000]

I think both Germany and France are sitting on intel that would prove Saddam needs killin'.

But, maybe that's just me...

[syriacus]

Saddam is like melanoma.

Here are some things people can say about a case of melanoma.

• "It's just a mole or a sore that will do no harm. Forget about it."
  
• "Let's just keep an eye on it. If it gets real bad we'll perform surgery."
  
• "The biopsy shows a problem, but let's just keep doing biopsies."
  
• "We think it's benign, but we don't want to remove it because it will definitely spread (like a malignancy) and do greater harm."
  
• "Let's prep the patient and do the surgery."

[McGavin999]

You add this report together with the report about the Smallpox virus and the fact that Germany has been stockpiling smallpox vaccine and you get a pretty ugly picture. I think there are a number of Germans who have just about had it with Schoeder destroying Germany and are letting the cat out of the bag.

[Mike Darancette]

I'd sure like to see a US paper pick this story up. Would prove that Powell is right.

[Colonel_Flagg]

But he added: "If there is relevant information for the weapons inspectors then the government should inform the public and Germany's partners."

Sorry for them, but Germany seems to have made it abundantly clear that it's "partner" is France.

And France doesn't care.

[Stefan Stackhouse]

The BND probably discovered this bit of intelligence when they happened to rummage through the "Iraq" file drawer in the German customs office, and started reading some of the bills of lading, invoices, manifests, and other various paperwork.

[witnesstothefall]

I believe Blix was referring to the Germans and the French this week when he asked "states" to come forward with info they "may" have regarding Sadaam's WMD.

The Axis Part Deux powers are playing high stakes poker but have no chips. The truth will out.

[twntaipan]

stain their reputation

Actually, the best thing to do to shut the peacenik Euroweenies up is to just attack--Saddam has no choice but to use his WMD and when he does all pretense of anti-war rhetoric will just go away.

[cartoonistx]

Germany & France are acting like mafia accountants. They know where the bodies are buried and "whodunit" but they are afraid they'll be "fingered" as accomplices by the "Feds" or "rubbed out" for being "snitches" by the other members of the "mob" living within their walls.

[SunTzuWu]

...Focus said Germany's BND intelligence service informed members of the parliamentary commission on foreign affairs about the mobile laboratories in November.

November? Why... that was 4 months ago. Guess Schroeder has been caught telling the big lie. No more soup for you..NEXT!

[Mike Darancette]

If this can be proved to be true then Powell should stand up in front of the UN-Security Council and say point blank, "Can the Delegations from Germany and France deny that they have knowledge of Iraqi mobile weapons labs?"

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Oh boy, the S*** is about to hit the fan!

OFFICIAL BUMP(TOPIC)LIST

[tenthirteen]

There is a part in the Willie Wonka movie, early on, when the youngster asks his Grandfather what is the matter with those people and why do they act this way. The Grandfather quickly replies: "because they're idiots, Charlie".

I believe this short exchange in that movie epitomizes France and Germany, the Mongrel and Mutt of Old Europe. Would that they richly deserve this reputation.

[marron]

This is precisely what we have been saying. The very countries that demand more "proof" know very well what Saddam has, because they sold it to him.

[Mo1]

Berlin - Germany's secret service has information that Iraq is developing weapons in mobile laboratories disguised as ordinary goods vehicles, a magazine said on Saturday.

Schroeder has to know this information and he is STILL stalling for more time for Iraq

What the heck .. does he really think he can get away with this

[nopardons]

BTT

[Ben Ficklin]

According to this WND article on the same subject, the information was turned over to the UN weapons inspectors.

[fightinJAG]

There was another article in the German press recently that Schroeder and gang know Saddam has smallpox, but they won't inform the German public.

Question to freepers in Germany: are there any Germans who use the internet for news?

When we lived there, most people had to pay for ISP by the hour and it was outrageous. That discouraged people from surfing and from participating in any forums.