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Niger Document Forgers Named

By Jeralyn, Section War In Iraq
Posted on Sun Apr 09, 2006 at 12:15:27 AM EST
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The Timesonline names the forgers of the documents claiming Saddam was trying to acquire uranium from Niger.

TWO employees of the Niger embassy in Rome were responsible for the forgery of a notorious set of documents used to help justify the Iraq war, an official investigation has allegedly found. According to Nato sources, the investigation has evidence that Niger's consul and its ambassador's personal assistant faked a contract to show Saddam Hussein had bought uranium ore from the impoverished west African country.

....According to the sources, an official investigation believes Adam Maiga Zakariaou, the consul, and Laura Montini, the ambassador's assistant, known as La Signora, forged the papers for money. They allegedly concocted their scheme as reports reached western intelligence agencies, including MI6, that Saddam Hussein had been trying to buy uranium ore, known as yellowcake, from Niger. The agencies had no evidence he had succeeded. The pair are alleged to have copied a real contract to look like an agreement with Iraq under which Niger would supply Saddam with 500 tons of yellowcake.

Josh Marshall is dubious.

There's simply no reason to credit anything an Italian government investigation of this matter reveals. If anything, its findings are probably a good bet to be the exact opposite of what is in fact the case. And the timing of such a release is no doubt in response to indications that at least two US news organizations will release new, damaging revelations about their role in the not-too-distant future.

He updates here.

For background on the Niger forgeries, Eriposte at Left Coaster has it covered.

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    Niger Document Forgers Named | 9 comments (9 topical)
    Re: Niger Document Forgers Named (none / 0) (#1)
    by Al on Sun Apr 09, 2006 at 12:42:39 AM EST
    For money? From whom, and why? I think JM is right, this is highly suspect.

    Re: Niger Document Forgers Named (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Apr 09, 2006 at 04:54:22 AM EST
    Wasn't that the document that PPJ said proved Saddam was triny to get uranium?

    Re: Niger Document Forgers Named (none / 0) (#3)
    by squeaky on Sun Apr 09, 2006 at 08:41:16 AM EST
    Laura Rozen, who along with Josh Marshall has followed this story in great depth, also calls BS. The Italian Elections are today, Interesting timing for this 'breaking' story, considering, as Josh Marshall points out, the same 'breaking story appeared 18 months ago. Gosh, that would be just before our presidential elections. What a coincidence.

    Re: Niger Document Forgers Named (none / 0) (#4)
    by Kitt on Sun Apr 09, 2006 at 02:04:47 PM EST
    In all seriousness, though - wasn't that batted about long ago?

    Re: Niger Document Forgers Named (none / 0) (#5)
    by squeaky on Sun Apr 09, 2006 at 02:25:14 PM EST
    Kitt-
    wasn't that batted about long ago?
    Yes, but the answer as to who forged the docs, who all the schemers were and it exactly how it played out, is still not publicly known.

    Re: Niger Document Forgers Named (none / 0) (#6)
    by Che's Lounge on Sun Apr 09, 2006 at 04:10:26 PM EST
    Bigunit, Jim says it's OK cause others got fooled too. The difference is that Bush was told they were false and ignored it.

    Re: Niger Document Forgers Named (none / 0) (#7)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sun Apr 09, 2006 at 09:31:52 PM EST
    I think Squeaky's right, or at least I agreee if these links are part of what is referenced. Iran-Contra II? Fresh scrutiny on a rogue Pentagon operation. September 2004 ...and this next one takes a few days to follow out the linked sources. August 29, 2004 Ghorbanifar M Ledeen was mentioned several times in many places. Interestingly, So was Steven Hatfill This wasn't some plywood reproduction for training, it was so real, so functional that the FBI checked it for anthrax spores. Don't ask why the Delta Force needed a completely functional mobile lab to "train" in. Or rather someone should ask the question, just not of me. But why, you might ask, would the FBI be checking it for traces of wmd? Because (and this gets "curiouser and curiouser") "[o]fficials familiar with the secret project say that to design an American version of a mobile germ unit, the government turned to Dr. Steven J. Hatfill, then a rising star in the world of biological defense but more recently publicly identified by the Justice Department as 'a person of interest' in the anthrax investigation." A genuine mobile lab run by a suspect in the Anthrax killings -- I'd put my team of reporters on it tomorrow, but they're all on extended leave of absence constructing weather balloons for this site. -------------------- At the root of the Valerie Plame affair is the role of her husband, Ambassador Joseph Wilson, in refuting the baseless claim that Iraq had sought to purchase uranium yellowcake from Niger. This story was buttresses by documents which turned out to be forged. A prime suspect in this regard is Ledeen, and the accusation is made more plausible because the faked documents first surfaced in Rome, where Ledeen possesses extensive contacts. A federal grand jury is probing this matter. Ledeen, like so many Bush officials, is an alumnus of the 1980s George H. W. Bush-Poindexter-Abrams-Oliver North Iran-contra gun-running and drug-running scandal, and appears to have mobilized these networks as part of the post 9-11 assault on Iraq. In December 2001, Ledeen moved to revive the Iran connection, setting up a meeting between two Pentagon civilian neo-cons and Manucher Ghorbanifar, an Iranian arms dealer whom the CIA called a criminal and liar. Three days of meetings in Rome involved Harold Rhode, Larry Franklin, Ghorbanifar, and two unnamed officials of the Iranian regime. After the conquest of Iraq, Rhode was sent to Baghdad as the contact point between the Office of Special Plans and Chalabi. Ghorbanifar, in a Dec. 22, 2003 interview with Newsweek's Mark Hosenball, reported that he maintained contact with Rhode and Franklin "five or six times a week through June 2003, when he had a second meeting with Rhode in Paris. This back channel to the Iranians is now also under intense scrutiny.

    Re: Niger Document Forgers Named (none / 0) (#8)
    by squeaky on Sun Apr 09, 2006 at 09:44:14 PM EST
    Leeden has denied having any role in the producing the forgeries. Unlikely, if you ask me.

    Re: Niger Document Forgers Named (none / 0) (#9)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Mon Apr 10, 2006 at 02:19:41 PM EST
    Well, one must always remember that one begins from the clearly established premise that the President of the United States is lyin' scum.

    Niger Document Forgers Named | 9 comments (9 topical)