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Chalabi raid discussed at NSC, approved by Bremer
EFL; still long though--sorryThree sources confirmed to The New York Sun that the National Security Council for weeks had known about an investigation into the INC from an Iraqi judge and was discussing action against the one-time American ally, INC leader Ahmad Chalabi. âThe executive branch knew about these occurrences,â a White House official told the Sun yesterday. âThis was Bremerâs decision though.â Hereâs an odd part: American soldiers and civilians in unmarked cars circled Mr. Chalabiâs home in the Mansour neighborhood of Baghdad, kicked in the doors, and left with boxes of documents related to the Iraqi Governing Councilâs U.N. oil-forfood program investigation. On the same day, two American intelligence officers visited the home of author and Iraqi human rights leader Kanan Makiya asking about documents from the Baathist archives associated with his Iraq Memory Foundation. After officials from that group explained they were authorized to catalog them, the intelligence officers left without the documents. Meanwhile looks like the intel payments are ending for a different reason... The INC still receives $340,000 a month to assist intelligence collection for the American Army, though the deputy defense secretary, Paul Wolfowitz, said Tuesday these payments would end next month, when Iraq is expected to assume sovereignty. According to State (and apparently CPA), the arrest was because of this:Sabbah Nouri Ibrahim al-Salem told Iraqi investigators that Mr. Chalabiâs organization instructed him to strong-arm bureaucrats and steal government property. On March 24, Iraqi police arrested Mr. al-Salem, the office manager for the Iraqi finance minister, Kamil al-Gailani, on 17 charges including claims that he kidnapped and coerced confessions from bank tellers charged with stealing newly printed Iraqi dinars in January. When he was arrested, he told Iraqi police that he was a friend of Aras Habib Karem, Mr. Chalabiâs intelligence chief, prompting Iraqi authorities to issue a warrant for Mr. Karemâs arrest. A spokesman for Mr. Chalabi, Zaab Sethna, told the Sun Mr. al-Salem was a guard who was not a significant member of the INC. Wait, I donât see the word "Iran" in there. Meanwhile, back on the home front... Richard Perle said, âAs far as I know, the CPA has not arrested a single individual responsible for acts on Americans. And they managed to find the resources to go after the INC. I think this is appalling, a disgrace.â Michael Rubin, who also used to be an adviser to the CPA said, âU.S. troops are in Iraq for security and to search for WMD.They are not there to enforce Bremerâs personal vendettas. Bremer is out of control. Bremer is using U.S. troops for political purposes.â One Bush administration official who is supportive of Mr. Chalabi told the Sun: âI donât know what this is about, but weâve just shot ourselves in the head.â That sort of sums it up, huh? Posted by: someone 2004-05-21 |
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