U.S. intel finds increased cooperation between Iran, Al Qaida
WASHINGTON - The U.S. intelligence community has briefed Congress on
the increasing cooperation between Iran and Al Qaida.
Congressional sources said committee members have been told that
Teheran has sought to use Al Qaida in any Iranian war with the United
States. The sources said Iran has harbored leading Al Qaida operatives
and enabled them to plan major attacks that would be launched upon
Teheran's approval.
Al Qaida spokesman Suleiman Abu Gheith
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Teheran has been seeking a range of terrorist options against the
United States in case it strikes Iran's nuclear weapons facilities," a
congressional source said. "Al Qaida has played a role in these
options, although it's unlikely to be a leading element."
Congressional panels have been told in classified briefings that Iran
has been harboring at least six leading aides of Al Qaida founder Osama
Bin Laden. The aides were identified as three of Bin Laden's sons,
spokesman Suleiman Abu Gheith and operations chief Seif Al Adel. Al
Adel has already detailed his use of Iran as a safe haven.
[On March 29, the United Nations Security Council gave Iran a month to
honor a demand to end uranium enrichment and related activities. The
council decision was reached after the United States dropped its demand
for a two-week deadline for Teheran.]
In 2005, the U.S. intelligence community determined that Iran permitted
Al Qaida to convene high-level strategy meetings. The meetings were
reportedly monitored by Iranian intelligence.
Three Egyptian nationals under Al Adel's command were also believed to
be in Iran. They were identified as Abdullah Mohammed Rajab Masri,
Abdul Aziz Masri and Abu Mohammed Masri.
Al Qaida's chief in Iraq, Abu Mussib Al Zarqawi, has also used Iran as
a safe haven. The congressional sources said Al Zarqawi fled to Iran
several times since 2003 to avoid U.S. manhunts in Iraq.
The U.S. intelligence community also believes that Al Qaida's No. 2,
Ayman Zawahiri, has been consulting with leaders of Iran's Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps. The IRGC, responsible for Teheran's nuclear
weapons and intermediate-range ballistic missile programs, has been
coordinating with Al Qaida, Hamas, Hizbullah, Islamic Jihad and other
groups on the State Department's terrorist list.
"The cooperation is substantial," said Rep. Brad Sherman, ranking
Democrat on the House International Relations subcommittee on terrorism
and nuclear proliferation. "Key operatives of the most successful
terrorist organization in history are spending their time in the No. 1
state sponsor of terrorism. That is of massive concern."
"Some Al Qaida members and those from like-minded extremist groups
continue to use Iran as a safe haven and as a hub to facilitate their
operations," Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns said in November
2005.
Congressional sources said the intelligence assessments were based on
incomplete information. Briefers indicated that the intelligence
community continues to encounter major gaps in information on Iran.
"We don't have any intelligence going on in Iran," a U.S.
counterterrorism official told the Los Angeles Times. "No people on the
ground. It blows me away the lack of intelligence that's out there."
.
|
|
|
Related Articles |
|
|
