US duped by Iran via Chalabi

[dave () farber net]

...... Forwarded Message .......
From: Eric Rachner <eric () mostly harmless org>
To: dave () farber net
Date: Sun, 23 May 2004 07:17:28 -0700
Subj: RE: [IP] US duped by Iran via Chalabi

Right.  Call it "The Tailor of Baghdad."

...... Forwarded Message .......
From: Benjamin Kuipers <kuipers () cs utexas edu>
To: Dave Farber <dave () farber net>
Cc: Benjamin Kuipers <kuipers () cs utexas edu>
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.


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