Rice Expresses Confidence That Iraq, Al-Qaeda Were Connected

By Mike Nartker
Global Security Newswire

WASHINGTON — U.S. national security adviser Condoleezza Rice said yesterday that she “absolutely” believed that there was a link between former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and al-Qaeda prior to Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Appearing on FOX News Sunday, Rice said Hussein’s regime helped to train al-Qaeda operatives in “chemical and perhaps biological warfare.”  Rice also noted the presence of the militant Islamic group Ansar al-Islam, suspected of being connected to al-Qaeda, in northern Iraq prior to the war.  In April, U.S. troops were reported to have found evidence of the group’s efforts to develop biological and chemical weapons after Ansar al-Islam bases in northern Iraq were captured (see GSN, April 2).

There has been increasing skepticism, however, of the alleged links between Iraq and al-Qaeda, which was one of the rationales offered by the Bush administration for the war.  In June, the head of the U.N. Security Council group monitoring sanctions against al-Qaeda and the Taliban said there was no evidence of links between Hussein’s regime and al-Qaeda, according to reports (see GSN, June 27).

“Nothing has come to our notice, reported to us … that would indicate links between al-Qaeda and Iraq.  That doesn’t mean to say it doesn’t exist, but as far as we are concerned, the answer is ‘no’,” Michael Chandler, chairman of the monitoring group, was quoted as saying.

Last month, National Journal reported that some former Bush administration officials also believed the alleged connections between Iraq and al-Qaeda were exaggerated (see GSN, Aug. 8).

“Saddam would have seen al-Qaeda as a threat, and al-Qaeda would have opposed Saddam as the kind of secular government they hated,” Greg Thielmann, former official in the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research, was quoted as saying.

Rice warned yesterday that al-Qaeda might be trying to establish itself in post-Hussein Iraq.

“I think that the evidentiary basis here is not so strong, but we are getting pieces of evidence, certainly, that al-Qaeda is interested in Iraq and may be … trying to operate there,” she said.

Rice’s comments yesterday came in advance of a nationally televised address last night by U.S. President George W. Bush, who called on the U.S. Congress to approve an $87 billion funding request to cover the cost of military and reconstruction operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.  About two-thirds of the request would go toward covering the cost of military and intelligence operations in the two countries over the next year, he said.

In his address, Bush linked the war in Iraq to the overall U.S. war on terrorism.

“The terrorists thrive on the support of tyrants and the resentments of oppressed peoples.  When tyrants fall, and resentment gives way to hope, men and women in every culture reject the ideologies of terror, and turn to the pursuits of peace,” Bush said.  “Everywhere that freedom takes hold, terror will retreat,” he said.

Back to top

WMD Acquisition Is “Top” Al-Qaeda Objective, U.S. Homeland Security Department Warns

The U.S. Homeland Security Department yesterday warned that al-Qaeda has made the acquisition of weapons of mass destruction for future attacks a leading priority (see GSN, Sept. 2).

In an advisory issued yesterday, Homeland Security said that al-Qaeda has so far not conducted a successful attack using weapons of mass destruction.  The department warned, however, that obtaining and using such weapons remains “a top al-Qaeda objective.”

“We believe it [al-Qaeda] continues to research more advanced CBRN [chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear] operations, including production of pathogenic organisms and toxins, as well as, high impact dissemination methods such as contamination of water and food, and aerosolization of an agent in enclosed densely populated space,” the department said.

In its advisory, the department said it was “concerned” about al-Qaeda’s efforts to conduct attacks against the United States, based on a review of information leading up to the second anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.  The department added, however, that there was no specific information on possible attacks.

Homeland Security warned that recent attacks in Saudi Arabia and Iraq suggest that al-Qaeda is interested in conducting attacks against “soft” targets — those with minimal physical protection.  Some reports have mentioned plans involving apartment complexes, gas stations and restaurants, the department advisory says.  It also warns that al-Qaeda operatives may use “novel methods” to conduct suicide bombings, such as disguising male operatives as women to avoid scrutiny.

In addition, the department said al-Qaeda is interested in conducting attacks against U.S. infrastructure targets because “of their potentially significant economic and psychological impacts” (see GSN, Aug. 21).  Such targets include nuclear power plants, chemical facilities, water reservoirs and the U.S. food supply.

The Homeland Security advisory said there is no change anticipated to the U.S. terrorism threat level, which currently stands at yellow, indicating an “elevated” risk (U.S. Homeland Security Department release, Sept. 4).

Homeland Security chose not to raise the terrorism threat level to orange, indicating a “high” risk of attack, because “the intelligence information we have isn't specific enough to do that,” department spokesman Gordon Johndroe said.

Instead, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge told governors and state security officials during a conference call that “they should review and maintain their security procedures,” Johndroe said (Mintz/Goo, Washington Post, Sept. 5).

Meanwhile, the FBI believes that there are a small number of al-Qaeda sympathizers within the United States providing financial and logistical support to the organization, and who could possibly be called upon to conduct attacks, the bureau’s counterterrorism chief, Larry Mefford, said yesterday.

Al-Qaeda’s base of support in the Untied States “is very small, but it certainly exists,” Mefford said.  “Someone could transform rapidly from providing logistical support to a terrorist organization to actually planning an attack, so it’s of great concern to us,” he said (Eric Lichtblau, New York Times, Sept. 5).

Back to top

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Warns Nuclear Plants of Online Virus Threat

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission said Tuesday that it has issued a warning to nuclear power plant operators about threat of possible computer system failures caused by Internet viruses (see GSN, Aug. 15).

The NRC learned of the vulnerability of plant computer networks to Internet viruses in January, when the Microsoft SQL Server worm caused two systems at the closed Davis-Besse nuclear plant in Ohio to be made unavailable for several hours, according to a commission press release.  Public safety was not affected during the incident, the commission said (U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission release, Sept. 2).

Back to top

States and Localities Receive $1.4 Billion to Improve Bioterrorism Preparedness

The U.S. Health and Human Services Department has released $1.4 billion to states, territories and three metropolitan areas to help increase preparedness to respond to terrorism incidents and other emergencies, Secretary Tommy Thompson said yesterday (see GSN, Aug. 21).

The department said $870 million will be issued to help improve public health systems to address biological terrorism and similar emergencies and $498 million will go toward helping states develop surge capacity to deal with mass casualty events (U.S. Health and Human Services Department release, Sept. 2).

According to the Associated Press, Connecticut will receive more than $18 million of the new funds.  Of that amount, $11.9 million will go for bioterrorism response funding and more than $6 million will go toward helping hospitals and health care facilities deal with casualties (Associated Press, Sept. 3).  Wisconsin will receive more than $25 million to improve preparedness for a biological attack and other emergencies (Associated Press II, Sept. 3).

Back to top

Terrorism Intelligence Not Effectively Shared, GAO Says

By David McGlinchey
Global Security Newswire

WASHINGTON — Almost two years after terrorists attacked the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, a broad spectrum of U.S. security officials said that information on terrorist threats is still not being shared effectively, according to a General Accounting Office survey (see GSN, Aug. 14).

“No level of government perceived the process as effective, particularly when sharing information with federal agencies.  Information on threats, methods and techniques of terrorists is not routinely shared; and the information that is shared is not perceived as timely, accurate or relevant,” the report says.

The survey reveals that officials at all levels were dissatisfied with the amount of intelligence they are receiving.  Almost every city surveyed said that they needed information on the movement of known terrorists, but only 15 percent of respondents said that they received this intelligence.

A congressional report issued in July criticized intelligence efforts prior to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, including interagency cooperation and information sharing.  The Homeland Security Department has also been criticized for its color-coded terrorism alert program.  Local officials have said that the alert system does not provide any detailed information to organize effective antiterrorist measures.

The GAO said, however, that the department is working on several initiatives to enhance information sharing.  In a July response to the GAO, a senior homeland security official agreed that keeping state and local agencies informed is a “priority.”

“Not surprisingly, however, after just five months in operation, the department is still formulating internal and external interfaces and protocols on many aspects of the complex issue of information sharing,” wrote Homeland Security Deputy Secretary Gordon England.

According to England, federal officials are in the process of “providing secure telephones to the governors and security clearances to the homeland security advisors in every state.”

In the absence of an effective, national information system, some states and agencies are developing their own ad hoc solutions, according to the report.  California, for example, has established its own statewide antiterrorist information center to disseminate intelligence to local authorities.

Back to top

U.S. Companies Say New Customs Proposal Would Increase Costs, Delays

Cargo companies have complained that a proposal to require advance notification of shipments entering the United States would lead to long delays at U.S. borders and higher costs for consumers, Scripps Howard News Service reported yesterday (see GSN, July 23).

In July, the U.S. Homeland Security Department’s Customs and Border Protection Bureau proposed new regulations that would establish timeframes for transmitting advance information on cargo shipments.  Under the proposal, shipments arriving by truck would have to transmit information 30 to 60 minutes before arriving in the United States, those arriving by train would have to transmit information two hours before arrival and those arriving by air would have to do so four hours before arrival.  Air shipments originating in destinations close to the United States would have to transmit information before takeoff.

Customs and Border Protection, which is set to issue final regulations Oct. 1, has received more than 120 comments on the proposal, according to Scripps Howard.  Many of the comments have complained that the bureau has underestimated the costs of the new regulations.  In addition, the American Trucking Association expressed concern that a bureau automated filing system would not be created by next spring as expected (James Brosnan, Scripps Howard News Service, Sept. 1).

Back to top

About Newswire  |  Contact National Journal  |  Re-Use Guidelines

HOME  |  CONTACT US  |  GET INVOLVED  |  SITE MAP