Atta may have carried Iraq anthrax to U.S. -report

Reuters | 10/25/01 | Emma Thomasson

[kattracks]

BERLIN, Oct 25 (Reuters) - Security experts in Germany are investigating whether hijack suspect Mohammed Atta carried anthrax spores allegedly obtained from Iraqi agents to the United States, a German newspaper reported on Thursday.

Germany's Bild daily cited unnamed Israeli intelligence sources as saying Atta, who is suspected of flying a plane which crashed into the World Trade Center, received anthrax spores from Iraqi agents during two visits to the Czech Republic.

The mass circulation newspaper cited investigators as saying they suspected Atta, who had lived in the northern German city of Hamburg, carried the spores to New York where customs officials apparently checked his luggage for drugs and not bacteria.

Federal prosecutors leading the investigation into suspects in Germany linked to the September 11 attacks were not immediately available for comment on the report.

A series of mail attacks involving anthrax have killed three people and made nine others ill in the United States since the September 11 assault on U.S. cities.

Czech police confirmed this week that Atta visited Prague twice.

A U.S. source recently told Reuters Atta met an Iraqi intelligence official in Prague in June 2000 and April 2001, but cautioned the meetings were not evidence Iraq was connected to the attacks on New York and Washington.

Iraqi officials denied this week any link to the release of killer anthrax bacteria in the United States and accused Washington of fabricating the anthrax attacks as a pretext to broaden its anti-terrorism campaign to include more countries.

Atta, an Egyptian, lived for much of the 1990s in Hamburg where two of the other suspected pilots in the suicide attacks on the United States were also students.

Germany has issued arrest warrants for three other men for planning and helping carry out the assault. German Interior Minister Otto Schily said on Monday members of Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network may still be in Germany.

The United States has named bin Laden as its chief suspect in the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, which killed 5,400 people.

[johniegrad]

No. Can't possibly be. Gubmint is in the process of divining that it came from a Vast Right Wing Conspiracy cult group.

[Senator Pardek]

...carried the spores to New York where customs officials apparently checked his luggage for drugs and not bacteria.

"Hey Bill, this white powder we found in the hidden compartment tested negative for coke - let 'im go. BTW - I don't feel well - I'm talking the rest of the day off".

[Giddyupgo]

I was just going to say that.

[Zorobabel]

This whole thing is starting to stink of FBI coverup.

[johniegrad]

But I'm sure that we can count on the hard charging investigative journalists of this country to expose it.

[Zorobabel]

Yeah, right. All they know how to do is read press releases.

[everclear]

Actually, intelligence reports show that his real name was Billy Joe Bob Atta.

He was a member of Ryadh's chapter of the West Coast branch of the KKK.

[samtheman]

Iraq made the anthrax. No doubt about it.

[Lady GOP]

They are saying it was made in either Iraq, Russia or here in the US. Wouldnt put it past either of those countries or China either but Russia has a lot of biochemicals.

[wastoute]

If Bush is blaming "Vast Right Wing Conspiracy" knowing it was Iraq, but right now admitting it was Iraq would be "inconvenient" he is no better than B'aalzebubba.

[ninonitti]

All they know how to do is read press releases.

I think they do a good job of cut and pasting them into stories.

[CELTICGAEL (Celt)]

I agree with this article not the always changing government line. I hope the President and the rest of the gov. in the near future tells us (of course as much as they can) the truth about what is going on. I am afraid they will lose the trust of the American people. I am sure doubting some things myself.

[traditionalist]

The scenario doesn't make any sense. First of all, the Iraqi intelligence agents know that whenever they travel to the Czech Republic or any other NATO country that they are then under CIA survailence. Why would they go through the trouble of taking the anthrax to the Czech republic from Iraq in order to make the transaction if they knew the CIA would be watching them there? Would it not make more sense to do the transaction in a country where the CIA could not watch them, like in Iraq itself, or Libya, or in the Sudan, or Afganistan, or any country not on good terms with the US? Am I missing something?p>

[michaelt]

The Iraqi supposedly was a diplomat, so he was in Prague with a cover. And could it be that Atta went to Prague because it would look worse for him if he went to a more anti-American place? And another thing is that it wasn't long ago (well, 10 years) that Prague was in communist hands. The old Eastern bloc types and their supporters would know Prague well.

[traditionalist]

The Iraqi supposedly was a diplomat, so he was in Prague with a cover.

All the more reason why this doesn't make sense. If he's a diplomant, he's got a high profile, which makes it 100% certain the CIA would be watching him. The CIA knew that he was a spy under cover. He'd have to be really stupid to undertake any transaction under such circumstances.

And could it be that Atta went to Prague because it would look worse for him if he went to a more anti-American place?

No, it would be less suspicious if Atta went to an anti-American country because that's where he hangs out 99% of the time. Plus, the CIA can't monitor him as easily in an anti-American place. He might even be able to slip in to such a country without the CIA noticing since the government does not cooperate with the CIA. The CIA knows when a suspected terrorist enters a NATO country like the Czech Republic because the government informs them. The same is not true for countries like Afganistan, Iraq, and Libya.

[cynicom]

Those cursed white trash rednecks did it, everyone knows that. Kooks and loons from the rightwing have been sitting here for years with anthrax in hand waiting for just the right moment. They knew they could blame it on international terrorists and get away with it. Right...

[Jerez]

Who says Bush is blaming the right? This is just dividing the country. It is not his style. If he wanted so much to change the tone in DC, he definitely wants harmony in the heartland. No, it is the media. And the Left. My own father-in-law threw this at me, knowing I am a conservative. My God, have they no decency? Must they blame us for everything, even something as sick as this? There is MORE than enough evidence that Atta went to Prague, got the anthrax, distributed it to others and perhaps even sent out the first shipments himself, then left orders for others to follow after 9-11? Why isn't this scenario -- far more plausible -- being put out there? How would Militia groups get anthrax, being basically defensive? How would they know to send it out before the 9-11 attack? Even if they thought of doing it right afterward, how would they have obtained and processed and targeted the mailings so fast? This story does not hold up to the most basic scrutiny. Why in Hell would Atta get the anthrax and give it to 'a right-wing group in CA?' (read: FR!) The US Media is truly disgusting. I am literally SICK over this story.

[samtheman]

Part of the problem is that some people want to believe it's domestic terrorism. Then they can believe we are not in a state of total war with Islam. Helps them stay in denial. The thought of a total war with a billion people is frightening. I'm frightened by it. But I do believe there is no denying it to be the case. These "right wingers did it" theories have many reasons behind them. The biggest one is abject fear of the Muslim Hordes.

[wastoute]

Bush and all may not want to acknowledge right now that it is Iraq because to do so would mean bombing Iraq, too, and this just may be something they are not ready, or perhaps willing to do just now. There are lots of reasons to just "pretend we don't know". Personally I think it is a bad idea, I am still of a mind to "nuke 'em now".