September 15, 2001 -- WASHINGTON - The FBI is uncovering evidence that other Mideast terror groups worked with Osama bin Laden's operatives to orchestrate Tuesday's attacks on America, The Post has learned.
The specter of "a terrorist NATO" launching strikes against America raises the likelihood of President Bush becoming more heavily involved in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict - even launching military strikes in the region.
From a couple of days ago in Ha'aretz For a concerted onslaught on America, one terrorist organization, acting alone, is not enough
By Zvi Bar-El, Ha'aretz Correspondent
One organization alone would find it very difficult to execute a coordinated operation that included not only hijacking of four airliners and crashing them into designated targets, but also gathering all the required intelligence on the airports and airlines, and enlisting the right personnel in the U.S. - if one assumes that the organization would not send foreigners to the United States for fear of their being caught.
Moreover, the attack's organizers smuggled weapons aboard the jetliners, and carried out everything simlutaneously.
A Jordanian official, proposing a formula for sifting those responsible for the attacks in the United States, remarks: "It's worthwhile paying attention to those who flee the accusations, and in what manner."
"The Democratic Front [for the Liberation of Palestine] had palpitations when it first heard the allegations that it was behind the terrorist acts. Its people left no phone uncalled to declare and explain that they no longer carry out those kinds of attacks. Also Hamas is apparently uninvolved, at least those [members of the group] who live in Israel and Jordan," he said.
Working on the assumption that it was an Islamic or Arab group that perpetrated the attack (and not one of the organizations behind the anti-globalization demonstrations), the distinction that must be made, in his view, is between those Islamic organizations with direct arguments with the rulers under which they are operating, and those who have beefs with the United States.
"Extremist Muslim groups in Egypt, Algiera and Tunisia do have an 'agenda' of Islamizing the world and instituting Islamic law, but they must first succeed in surviving in their own countries. Their order of priorities does not include America," the official said.
The second list encompasses "mixed" groups, those who have direct grievances with the United States, or who oppose its unflagging support of Israel. But these, too, must answer first and foremost to the countries in which they live. Hezbollah, the reactionary Palestinian groups and Hamas are examples of such factions.
The most probable culprits are groups who view harming the United States as their raison d'etre, or who view such attacks as a vital means for changing the world order - or at the very least, for ousting America from the Middle East. This list includes Islamic organizations such as those operating in Saudi Arabia who have already struck at U.S. military targets, extemist groups operating in Yemen, Muslim groups who were harmed by American involvement in the Balkans, and what is customarily referred to as the Osama Bin Laden organization.
Osama Bin Laden is not a terror organization, but rather a manufacturer of organizations. He finances some of the training of volunteers from throughout the world who journey to Afghanistan, which had already turned into a school for terrorism before the Taliban seized control. In fact, Saudi multi-millionaire Bin Laden started out in Afghanistan as the United States' partner, funding the Afghani struggle against the Soviet occupation.
In any event, Afghanistan continues to supply training camps for terror organizations, some under Bin Laden's patronage and others who pay their own way in sending their 'campers' to Afghanistan. All who finish the camp training are accorded the designation of "Afghanistan graduates."
If a series of attacks like the Tuesday offensive required dozens of people, then the list of organizations who could have carried it out should be accompanied by a list of nations who are likely to have aided them.
Again, acting on the unproven assumption that Islamic or Arab groups were responsible, there are three nations with the necessary potential to grant such help, in other words, countries with the requisite capability and motivation:
· Afghanistan, which has a diplomatic delegation, and therefore the ability to supply logistical and intelligence support to a group aiming to attack American targets. It also has the motivation to aid such an act against a Christian country who has imposed sanctions against it.
· Iraq, whose motivation needs no explanation, but whose ability to aid such an operation in the United States is doubtful.
· Libya, who may wish to avenge years of sanctions.
It is difficult to view Iran, a Shi'ite Muslim state, cooperating to that degree with the Sunni Muslim Bin Laden.
But in the range of possibilities, a brace of conspiracy theories that have begun to circulate should not be dismissed.
Is it beyond the realm of possibility that Iran and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah might carry out such an attack? Hezbollah, after all, demonstrated its abilities in the Buenos Aires bombing. Could it be that Iraq, acting together with a Palestinian faction, executed the attacks?
The possible number of combinations is infinite, and what appears illogical may not necessarily be incorrect.
Consider this; Pakistan has nuclear weapons. Pakistan is closely involved with Afghanistan and the Taliban (sp?). It isn't hard to believe that Bin Laden could have gotten access to the materials or worse from those connections. With the kind of money Bin Laden has, he could of also possibly bought one (or more) from a poor corrupt Russian official.
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"When people kill us, they should be killed in greater numbers. I believe in killing people who try to hurt you." - BILL CLINTON - George Stephanopoulos book All Too Human.
