[IP] US duped by Iran via Chalabi
...... Forwarded Message .......
From: Benjamin Kuipers <kuipers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: Dave Farber <dave@xxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: Benjamin Kuipers <kuipers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Sat, 22 May 2004 10:14:45 -0500
Subj: US duped by Iran via Chalabi
Sources say U.S. funded arm of Iraqi Congress was used by Iran
http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/ny-uschal223814238may22,0,7556308.story
BY KNUT ROYCE
WASHINGTON BUREAU
May 22, 2004
WASHINGTON - The Defense Intelligence Agency has concluded that a
U.S.-funded arm of Ahmad Chalabi's Iraqi National Congress has been
used for years by Iranian intelligence to pass disinformation to the
United States and to collect highly sensitive American secrets,
according to intelligence sources.
"Iranian intelligence has been manipulating the United States through
Chalabi by furnishing through his Information Collection Program
information to provoke the United States into getting rid of Saddam
Hussein," said an intelligence source Friday who was briefed on the
Defense Intelligence Agency's conclusions, which were based on a
review of thousands of internal documents.
The Information Collection Program also "kept the Iranians informed
about what we were doing" by passing classified U.S. documents and
other sensitive information, he said. The program has received
millions of dollars from the U.S. government over several years.
An administration official confirmed that "highly classified
information had been provided [to the Iranians] through that channel."
The Defense Department this week halted payment of $340,000 a month
to Chalabi's program. Chalabi had long been the favorite of the
Pentagon's civilian leadership. Intelligence sources say Chalabi
himself has passed on sensitive U.S. intelligence to the Iranians.
Patrick Lang, former director of the intelligence agency's Middle
East branch, said he had been told by colleagues in the intelligence
community that Chalabi's U.S.-funded program to provide information
about weapons of mass destruction and insurgents was effectively an
Iranian intelligence operation. "They [the Iranians] knew exactly
what we were up to," he said.
'Sophisticated' operation
He described it as "one of the most sophisticated and successful
intelligence operations in history."
"I'm a spook. I appreciate good work. This was good work," he said.
An intelligence agency spokesman would not discuss questions about
his agency's internal conclusions about the alleged Iranian
operation. But he said some of its information had been helpful to
the United States. "Some of the information was great, especially as
it pertained to arresting high value targets and on force protection
issues," he said. "And some of the information wasn't so great."
At the center of the alleged Iranian intelligence operation,
according to administration officials and intelligence sources, is
Aras Karim Habib, a 47-year-old Shia Kurd who was named in an arrest
warrant issued during a raid on Chalabi's home and offices in Baghdad
Thursday. He eluded arrest.
Karim, who sometimes goes by the last name of Habib, is in charge of
the information collection program.
The intelligence source briefed on the Defense Intelligence Agency's
conclusions said that Karim's "fingerprints are all over it."
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