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Saddam, Al Qaeda Intricately Linked

(Jerusalem Post) David Rudge - According to Prof. Amatzia Baram, of the University of Haifa's Department of Middle East History, an expert on Iraqi affairs: There is very close ideological affinity and political cooperation between Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda. Saddam Hussein probably knew beforehand about the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington. In 1998 bin Laden issued a religious edict warning against any attacks on Iraq. Recent al Qaeda communiques broadcast via al-Jazeera stated that the attacks against U.S. marines in Kuwait and the French oil tanker off the coast of Yemen were warnings of severe retaliation in the event of an assault on Saddam's regime. These are clear indications of political cooperation. There is a very real possibility, because it has happened in the past, that Saddam Hussein will do his utmost to persuade Palestinian groups, or at least members of his own movement in the Palestinian camp, to carry out a mega-attack against Israel.
2002-10-16 00:00:00
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