Stumped on Nuclear Canard, US Shouts "Al Qaeda!!" on Iran
Various | 24.03.2006 01:32 | Anti-militarism | World
From the "How stupid do they think we are?" file: the "Saddam has WMD!!!" guys, unable to successfully give Iran the "Iraq Treatment", switch gears, and trot out their all-purpose go-to guys ...
US turns attention to al-Qaeda in Iran
By Josh Meyer in Washington
March 22, 2006
AMERICAN intelligence officials, already focused on Iran's potential for building nuclear weapons, are struggling to solve a more immediate mystery: the relationship between the Tehran leadership and a contingent of al-Qaeda leaders living in the country.
Some officials, citing highly classified electronic eavesdropping, believe Iran is hosting much of al-Qaeda's remaining brains trust and allowing the senior operatives freedom to communicate and help plan the terrorist network's operations.
They suggest the President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, may be forging an alliance with al-Qaeda operatives as a way to expand Iran's influence or, at least, that he is looking the other way as al-Qaeda leaders in Iran collaborate with their counterparts elsewhere.
"Iran is becoming more and more radicalised and more willing to turn a blind eye to the al-Qaeda presence there," one US counterterrorism official said.
The accusations by US officials about Iranian nuclear ambitions and ties to al-Qaeda echo charges made about Iraq([search]) before the US invasion three years ago.
Those claims have been largely discredited. And in the case of Iran, some intelligence officials and analysts are unconvinced. If anything, they suggest, escalating tensions between Shiites and Sunni Arabs in Iraq would logically cause Iran's Shiite government to crack down on al-Qaeda, whose Sunni leadership has denounced Shiites as infidels.
Ties between Iran and al-Qaeda were detailed by the US's September 11 commission, which said Iran and al-Qaeda had worked together throughout the 1990s, trading secrets, including how to make explosives.
Iranian representatives to the United Nations did not return repeated calls seeking comment. Three months ago Iran declared there were no more al-Qaeda members in the country. US officials reject that claim.
Al-Qaeda operatives and family members have lived in Iran for years, many since late 2001 when they fled the US bombing of Afghanistan. Iranian Government officials have said the al-Qaeda members in their country have been kept under house arrest and that their activities have been monitored.
In Tehran, analysts said US officials were misreading Iran's intentions. The fact Iran had not turned over al-Qaeda suspects to the US should be no surprise given the relations between the two countries, said Nasser Hadian, a political analyst at Tehran University.
Some of the al-Qaeda members have been indicted in the US for attacks, including the 1998 bombings of US embassies in Africa. Among them is Saif al-Adel, thought to be one of the highest-ranking members of al-Qaeda, behind Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahri.
■The UN Security Council's five permanent members and Germany have failed to reach agreement on how to respond to the Iranian nuclear crisis but said they would continue trying to break the impasse.
Russia, backed by China, blocked agreement on a statement aimed at quashing Iran's nuclear ambitions. Both fear that action by the council may prompt Iran to cut contact with the UN's nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Los Angeles Times, Reuters
http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/us-turns-attention-to-alqaeda-in-iran/2006/03/21/1142703358742.html
Of the MOSSAD, the Israeli intelligence service, the SAMS officers say: "Wildcard. Ruthless and cunning. Has capability to target U.S. forces and make it look like a Palestinian/Arab act." [Washington Times September 10, 2001]
Fake Al Qaeda
http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/fakealqaeda.html
By Josh Meyer in Washington
March 22, 2006
AMERICAN intelligence officials, already focused on Iran's potential for building nuclear weapons, are struggling to solve a more immediate mystery: the relationship between the Tehran leadership and a contingent of al-Qaeda leaders living in the country.
Some officials, citing highly classified electronic eavesdropping, believe Iran is hosting much of al-Qaeda's remaining brains trust and allowing the senior operatives freedom to communicate and help plan the terrorist network's operations.
They suggest the President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, may be forging an alliance with al-Qaeda operatives as a way to expand Iran's influence or, at least, that he is looking the other way as al-Qaeda leaders in Iran collaborate with their counterparts elsewhere.
"Iran is becoming more and more radicalised and more willing to turn a blind eye to the al-Qaeda presence there," one US counterterrorism official said.
The accusations by US officials about Iranian nuclear ambitions and ties to al-Qaeda echo charges made about Iraq([search]) before the US invasion three years ago.
Those claims have been largely discredited. And in the case of Iran, some intelligence officials and analysts are unconvinced. If anything, they suggest, escalating tensions between Shiites and Sunni Arabs in Iraq would logically cause Iran's Shiite government to crack down on al-Qaeda, whose Sunni leadership has denounced Shiites as infidels.
Ties between Iran and al-Qaeda were detailed by the US's September 11 commission, which said Iran and al-Qaeda had worked together throughout the 1990s, trading secrets, including how to make explosives.
Iranian representatives to the United Nations did not return repeated calls seeking comment. Three months ago Iran declared there were no more al-Qaeda members in the country. US officials reject that claim.
Al-Qaeda operatives and family members have lived in Iran for years, many since late 2001 when they fled the US bombing of Afghanistan. Iranian Government officials have said the al-Qaeda members in their country have been kept under house arrest and that their activities have been monitored.
In Tehran, analysts said US officials were misreading Iran's intentions. The fact Iran had not turned over al-Qaeda suspects to the US should be no surprise given the relations between the two countries, said Nasser Hadian, a political analyst at Tehran University.
Some of the al-Qaeda members have been indicted in the US for attacks, including the 1998 bombings of US embassies in Africa. Among them is Saif al-Adel, thought to be one of the highest-ranking members of al-Qaeda, behind Osama bin Laden and Ayman al-Zawahri.
■The UN Security Council's five permanent members and Germany have failed to reach agreement on how to respond to the Iranian nuclear crisis but said they would continue trying to break the impasse.
Russia, backed by China, blocked agreement on a statement aimed at quashing Iran's nuclear ambitions. Both fear that action by the council may prompt Iran to cut contact with the UN's nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Los Angeles Times, Reuters
http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/us-turns-attention-to-alqaeda-in-iran/2006/03/21/1142703358742.html Of the MOSSAD, the Israeli intelligence service, the SAMS officers say: "Wildcard. Ruthless and cunning. Has capability to target U.S. forces and make it look like a Palestinian/Arab act." [Washington Times September 10, 2001]
Fake Al Qaeda
http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/fakealqaeda.html
Various