The Missing Link - According to Instapundit, we now have our smoking gun linking Hussein and Bin Laden.
According to Judge Gilbert Merritt - a lifelong Democrat according to Glenn Reynolds, who apparently clerked for Merritt - an Iraqi informant has provided documentary evidence:
When I began questioning him about the list, how he obtained it and what else it showed, he asked would it be of interest to the Americans to know that Saddam had an ongoing relationship with Osama bin Laden.But why would such a document have been published?I said yes, the Americans have, so far as I am aware, have never been able to prove that relationship, but the president and others have said that they believe it exists. He said, ''Well, judge, there is no doubt it exists, and I will bring you the proof tomorrow.''
So today he brought me the proof, and there is no doubt in my mind that he is right.
The document shows that an Iraqi intelligence officer, Abid Al-Karim Muhamed Aswod, assigned to the Iraq embassy in Pakistan, is ''responsible for the coordination of activities with the Osama bin Laden group.
The only explanation for this strange set of events, according to the Iraqi lawyers, is that Uday, an impulsive and somewhat unbalanced individual, decided to publish this honor roll at a time when the regime was under worldwide verbal attack in the press, especially by us. It would, he thought, make them more loyal and supportive of the regime.Merritt states his background and side in this issue:His father was furious, knowing that it revealed information about his supporters that should remain secret.
It does not prove that they engaged together in any particular act of terror against the United States.As always, we'll see.But it seems to me to be strong proof that the two were in contact and conspiring to perform terrorist acts.
Up until this time, I have been skeptical about these claims. Now I have changed my mind.
Although it seems a safe bet that we won't see it in the NYT, ABC News or the BBC.
(Via Instapundit)
Posted by Mitch at July 11, 2003 12:03 PM