Al-Qaida sought U.S.-Iran war (AP) Updated: 2006-06-15 22:59
A blueprint for trying to start a war between the United States and Iran was
among a "huge treasure" of documents found in the hideout of terrorist leader
Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, Iraqi officials said Thursday.
 A Jordanian boy holds a poster with pictures
of Abu-Musab al-Zarqawi, the head of al-Qaida in Iraq who was killed in a
U.S. strike in Iraq, right, and Jordanian lawmaker of the Islamic Action
front Mohammed Abu Fares, left, with the Arabic writing of 'Two faces ,
one coin' during a protest in Amman, Jordan, Thursday, June 15, 2006.
against the visit of four lawmakers last week to the wake of Abu-Musab
al-Zarqawi. The lawmakers of the Islamic Action front were arrested Sunday
and charged by the military prosecutor of causing sectarian strife and
fueling national discord. [Reuters] |
The document, purporting to reflect al-Qaida policy and its cooperation with
groups loyal to ousted President Saddam Hussein, also appear to show that the
insurgency in Iraq was weakening.
The al-Qaida in Iraq document was translated and released by Iraqi National
Security Adviser Mouwafak al-Rubaie. There was no way to independently confirm
the authenticity of the information attributed to al-Qaida.
Although the office of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said the document was
found in al-Zarqawi's hideout following a June 7 airstrike that killed him, U.S.
military spokesman Maj. Gen. William Caldwell said the document had in fact been
found in a previous raid as part of an ongoing three-week operation to track
al-Zarqawi.
"We can verify that this information did come off some kind of computer asset
that was at a safe location," he said. "This was prior to the al-Zarqawi safe
house."
The document also said al-Zarqawi planned to try to destroy the relationship
between the United States and its Shiite allies in Iraq.
While the coalition was continuing to suffer human losses, "time is now
beginning to be of service to the American forces and harmful to the
resistance," the document said.
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