Monday, June 20, 2005

Al-Qaeda said angry at Sudan for passing data to US

LONDON, June 18, 2005 (Al-Sharq al-Awsat) -- Fundamentalists in London say that the unprecedented attack on the Sudanese government by Ayman al-Zawahri, the number one ally of the leader of Al-Qaida Organization Osama bin Ladin, in his new tape that was broadcast by the Qatari satellite channel Al-Jazeera yesterday (June 17) was due to Khartoum's handing over to Washington of files on Al-Qaida's leaderships.

Ayman al Zawahri

Photo: Ayman al-Zawahri - see further details at Wikipedia.

Hani al-Subaie the director of Al-Maqrizi Research Centre in London told Al-Sharq al-Awsat "Khartoum has turned over files with photographs for most of the leaderships of Al-Qaida and the Egyptian Jihad" who used to live in the Sudanese capital until they broke off and left Sudan in 1995.

He said that most of the fundamentalists who lived in Khartoum used fictitious names or forged passports for security reasons, but the Sudanese government knew their identities by virtue of a special agreement between the security bodies and the leaders of the Islamic groups.

Ayman al-Zawahri, the number two man in Al-Qaida Organization criticized "the American visualization of reforms" and attacked, according to the tape, the Sudanese, Saudi and Egyptian governments according to what the channel cited.

Material provided by the BBC Monitoring service - copy via Sudan Tribune.

Further reading:

June 20, 2005 report by Scott Shane "CIA meeting with Sudan security chief angers some in U.S," New York Times via International Herald Tribune.

June 19, 2005 report by Ken Silverstein "Sudan intelligence chief's visit stirs internal debate in D.C.," Los Angeles Times via Seattle Times.

June 17, 2005 post at Sudan Watch - scroll down for following two reports:

Sudanese intelligence visitor split US officials - A decision by the CIA to fly Sudan's intelligence chief to Washington for secret meetings aimed at cementing cooperation against terrorism triggered such intense opposition within the Bush administration that some officials suggested arresting him here, sources said. See full report via Sudan Tribune by Ken Silverstein, Los Angeles Times, June 17, 2005.

U.S. probes reported Sudan link to terror - U.S. intelligence and security agencies are investigating reports that Sudan's government has renewed its covert support for al Qaeda and other Islamic terrorists, The Washington Times has learned. See full report by Bill Gertz, The Washington Times, June 17, 2005 via World Peace Herald.

May 2, 2005 Sudan Watch post - scroll down to read "CIA supports genocide in Sudan?"

April 29, 2005 Sudan Watch post - scroll down to see "US Report: Sudan Proves Ally in U.S. War on Terrorism" by Ken Silverstein LA Times: despite once harbouring Bin Laden, Khartoum regime has supplied key intelligence, officials say.

Here is an excerpt from a Reuters report on the LA Times piece:

The Times said US government officials had confirmed that the CIA flew the chief of Sudan's intelligence agency to Washington last week for secret meetings, sealing Khartoum's sensitive and previously veiled partnership with the administration.

The newspaper said Sudan had detained al Qaeda suspects for interrogation by US agents, given the FBI evidence seized from raids on homes of suspected terrorists, handed over extremists to Arab intelligence agencies and foiled terrorist attacks against US targets.

The paper cited interviews with American and Sudanese intelligence and government officials.

Sudan has "given us specific information that is ... important, functional and current," said a senior State Department official speaking on condition of anonymity.

The chief of Sudan's Mukhabarat intelligence agency, Maj. Gen. Salah Abdallah Gosh, told the Times: "We have a strong partnership with the CIA. The information we have provided has been very useful to the United States."

Sudanese Foreign Minister Mustafa Osman Ismail acknowledged in an interview that the Mukhabarat already had served as the eyes and ears of the CIA in neighboring countries, including Somalia, a sanctuary for Islamic militants.

September 18, 2001
BBC news
: Who is Osama Bin Laden?

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