Bush left out key point this week, Qaeda captives denied Iraq connection

[sabra]

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/09-06-2006/0004427965&EDATE=

Remarks by President Bush on the Global War on Terror


WASHINGTON, Sept. 6

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After he recovered, Zubaydah was defiant and evasive. He declared his
hatred of America. During questioning, he at first disclosed what he
thought was nominal information -- and then stopped all cooperation. Well,
in fact, the "nominal" information he gave us turned out to be quite
important. For example, Zubaydah disclosed Khalid Sheikh Mohammed -- or KSM
-- was the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks, and used the alias "Muktar."
This was a vital piece of the puzzle that helped our intelligence community
pursue KSM. Abu Zubaydah also provided information that helped stop a
terrorist attack being planned for inside the United States -- an attack
about which we had no previous information. Zubaydah told us that al Qaeda
operatives were planning to launch an attack in the U.S., and provided
physical descriptions of the operatives and information on their general
location. Based on the information he provided, the operatives were
detained -- one while traveling to the United States.

We knew that Zubaydah had more information that could save innocent
lives, but he stopped talking. As his questioning proceeded, it became
clear that he had received training on how to resist interrogation. And so
the CIA used an alternative set of procedures. These procedures were
designed to be safe, to comply with our laws, our Constitution, and our
treaty obligations. The Department of Justice reviewed the authorized
methods extensively and determined them to be lawful. I cannot describe the
specific methods used -- I think you understand why -- if I did, it would
help the terrorists learn how to resist questioning, and to keep
information from us that we need to prevent new attacks on our country. But
I can say the procedures were tough, and they were safe, and lawful, and
necessary.

Zubaydah was questioned using these procedures, and soon he began to
provide information on key al Qaeda operatives, including information that
helped us find and capture more of those responsible for the attacks on
September the 11th. For example, Zubaydah identified one of KSM's
accomplices in the 9/11 attacks -- a terrorist named Ramzi bin al Shibh.
The information Zubaydah provided helped lead to the capture of bin al
Shibh. And together these two terrorists provided information that helped
in the planning and execution of the operation that captured Khalid Sheikh
Mohammed.

He did provide information that could have saved lives.... the lives of US soldiers and thousands of Iraqis. But BushCo decided to ignore it.

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/0609-02.htm

Published on Monday, June 9, 2003 by the New York Times
Captives Deny Qaeda Worked With Baghdad
by James Risen

WASHINGTON, June 8 — Two of the highest-ranking leaders of Al Qaeda in American custody have told the C.I.A. in separate interrogations that the terrorist organization did not work jointly with the Iraqi government of Saddam Hussein, according to several intelligence officials.

Abu Zubaydah, a Qaeda planner and recruiter until his capture in March 2002, told his questioners last year that the idea of working with Mr. Hussein's government had been discussed among Qaeda leaders, but that Osama bin Laden had rejected such proposals, according to an official who has read the Central Intelligence Agency's classified report on the interrogation.

In his debriefing, Mr. Zubaydah said Mr. bin Laden had vetoed the idea because he did not want to be beholden to Mr. Hussein, the official said.

Separately, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the Qaeda chief of operations until his capture on March 1 in Pakistan, has also told interrogators that the group did not work with Mr. Hussein, officials said.

The Bush administration has not made these statements public, though it frequently highlighted intelligence reports that supported its assertions of links between Iraq and Al Qaeda as it made its case for war against Iraq.