Report: Al Qaeda terrorist operatives trained in Iraq to hijack airplanes in months before 9/11 at behest of Saddam Hussein.
It is a report not yet confirmed. I don’t like to put unconfirmed reports on this site, but the media has been burying important facts, and thus I feel this needs extra attention. In particular, it is not well known that Al Qaeda did exist on Iraqi soil prior to the invasion. The Ansar Al-Islam branch of Al Qaeda maintained an open and notorious base in Iraq. Saddam allowed the base to exist on Iraqi territory, thus making Iraq a haven for Al Qaeda.
This report makes allegations beyond that. (*) First reported in the newly free Iraqi press, the report states that Saddam Hussein personally ordered about 100 Al Qaeda operatives trained in terrorist methods in Iraq by Iraqis. The training took place about two months prior to 9/11. At least some operatives were trained in the hijacking of airplanes. At least some left Iraq after their training was complete.
The report does not say when their training was complete. It does not say whether the primary source for the report, an Iraqi, could visually identify any of the nineteen 9/11 hijackers from their photographs. The report could tie Saddam directly to 9/11.
It does say that many of these Al Qaeda operatives stayed in Iraq and fought US and allied forces during the invasion under orders of Saddam Hussein. Therefore, according to this report, there was an additional Saddam–Al Qaeda link prior to Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Finally, the report is unconfirmed. The excerpt of the report translated by MEMRI is full of details, lending the article some credibility. We will have to wait to be sure, however.
Updated 8 March 2004 for clarity.