Iraq’s former embassy in Greece added to list of Hussein's international terror outposts
A recent story in the Greek news outlet Ekathimerini, pointed out to Regimeofterror.com by Dr. Laurie Mylroie, reported on previously undisclosed evidence implicating Saddam Hussein’s regime in international terrorism aspirations. The report reveals an incident in which a number of items were secretly removed from Iraq's embassy in Greece during the run up to the invasion of Iraq in 2003. The items removed fit a pattern of behavior but also raise a number of questions.
Ekathimerini reported that it had been made aware of "a joint operation by Greek and US secret service officers in March 2003 (which) led to the seizure of a large cache of explosives from the basement of the Iraqi Embassy in Athens."
The types of explosives reportedly discovered were particularly noteworthy .
"Sources said a raid on the embassy unearthed explosive materials, car bombs, detonators, several guns and dozens of rounds of ammunition. Much of the material was “ready to use” while some was too old to be of any value, according to sources who said all the material was destroyed within a few weeks of discovery."
The presence of car bombs, explosives and the other materials in this instance would indicate that Hussein's Iraq had used it's Greek embassy just as it had used it's embassy's in the Philippines, Jordan, Prague, and Yemen in recent years, as a hub for terrorism. This is to say nothing of Iraq’s planned international terror attacks in London (as reported on page 53 of the Iraqi Perspectives Project) or the attempted bombing attack by Iraqi operatives in Bahrain during the runup to the invasion of Iraq (Senate Intelligence Report: Phase II).
This discovery follows Iraq’s modus operandi of using their embassies and diplomatic privileges as cover for hiding and moving weapons/explosives/equipment abroad for potential terror attacks.
These were not the first time Iraq had dipped its toe in the waters of international terrorism. In 1998, in what some viewed as a possible buildup to war between the U.S. and Iraq, U.S. News and World Report cited intelligence officials saying over 30 teams of terrorists, each team consisting of 2 to 3 men had been dispatched by Baghdad in 1991 and indicated that similar attacks may take place against U.S. interests again in 1998 in the case of a war with the U.S.. (It should also be noted that those in the intelligence community were said to be split during this time period as to whether or not Iraq had already dispatched similar teams of terrorists at this point.) The men, who were disguised as businessmen, used Iraq's diplomatic pouches to move automatic weapons, explosives and timers to embassies around for planned attacks.
Former deputy director of the State Department's counterterrorism office during the Gulf War, Larry Johnson, told U.S. News and World Report in the same piece that car bombs, assassinations and hostage taking were "likely scenarios."
With the discovery of Greece as a front in Iraq’s pre-invasion international terrorism attempts maybe Americans will even one day be made aware of what the other 6 or 7 countries are which U.S. government officials told the Washington Post's Walter Pincus were targeted anti Western bombings by Iraqi Intelligence.
Comments (6)
A good link for you :
KSM's Confession
New questions about the link between Saddam and al Qaeda.
BY EDWARD JAY EPSTEIN
Wall Street Journal, Wednesday, March 21, 2007
http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110009814
Posted by: drzz | March 23, 2007 11:19 AM
Posted on: March 23, 2007 11:19
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Posted by: janna | March 27, 2007 4:50 PM
Posted on: March 27, 2007 16:50
How were explosives seized from an embassy? Was this after the war started? Also, the government said a lot of things about what Saddam had or did regarding terrorism and none of it has turned out to be true. So I'd be skeptical about something from March 2003.
I don't know if you actually read the Senate report you quote...but inside on page 63 it says that Saddam did not support terrorist organizations and in fact captured and executed both Shia and Sunni terrorists. It goes on to further debunk the myth that Saddam was a major terrorist supporter. About the only organization he supported was the Palestinian Liberation Front because Saddam does not like Israel.
You have a whole blog dedicated to the myth that Saddam was a major supporter of terrorism. Perhaps your blog should focus on Saudi Arabia where most of the 9/11 attackers came from. Or maybe Afghanistan since that's where they trained and were protected. I think you're way off base. Besides, Saddam is dead.
Posted by: Tim | March 30, 2007 2:18 AM
Posted on: March 30, 2007 02:18
Tim,
Thanks for taking the time to read and reply.
I read over your comment and agree with some of your points but wanted to note that you've ignored the efforts that the Saudis, Paks and even Syrian/Iranians took serious steps against al Qaeda and produced multiple arrests each after 9-11. These countries all had their governments by al Qaeda, Iraq did not. Coincidence? I think not.
It's also worth noting that after 9-11, Saddam was the only one of the leaders of the countries mentioned who praised 9-11.
It is true that the Senate Intel report says he made one arrest of an al Qaeda member only to later arm and release the guy. Do you think in his total police state he couldn't have nabbed all these guys, including Zarqawi, if he didnt want to? Enemies of his regime were quickly whiped out if he didn't want them there.
Why is any of this important? Because it's history and I am a history teacher and I think it's a subject that deserves attention, as do many others. Why are you afraid of looking into this guy's past?
Did I read the Senate report? Multiple times and posted on it at length, as well as the 9-11 report, Duelfer Report, Iraqi Perspectives Project, all of the State Dept. reports, around 20 books and a few thousand articles on the subject.
Posted by: Mark | March 31, 2007 8:17 PM
Posted on: March 31, 2007 20:17
Tim
Can you really believe that it is a "the myth that Saddam was a major supporter of terrorism"? I guess that if challenged you'll quibble over the meaning of "major". Yes Saudi Arabia is jihad central. But that doesn't mean that we can't talk about other supporters of terrorism as well.
Mark
Excellent site. I'm going to blogroll you and use your material in future posts.
Posted by: Tom the Redhunter | April 1, 2007 7:48 PM
Posted on: April 1, 2007 19:48
Mark,
Good points. I had almost forgotten about al-Zarqawi since he's now dead. He ran a terrorist training camp in northern Iraq.
Out of curiosity, if you're a history professor and you've read so much about the subject - are you doing a research paper, or perhaps a book, on this?
Posted by: Tim | April 10, 2007 4:31 AM
Posted on: April 10, 2007 04:31