The secret files suggest al Qaeda in Iraq had access to chemical weapons as well as stockpiles of munitions left over from Saddam Hussein’s regime. Reports give precise details of where some of these chemical munitions were stored, as well as name the al Qaeda commanders involved.
In June 2006 a report warns not only of an imminent attack, but suggests there had been previous attempts by al Qaeda to deploy chemical weapons against coalition forces.
10th June 2006
Al Qaida in Iraq insurgents plan to attack a forward operating base in Karmah with chemical weapons…The insurgents plan to deploy their chemical weapon using mortars as a delivery system. (Analyst Comments: In Iraq AQI has tried several times to employ chemical weapons against coalition forces).
We do not know what happened with this intelligence or any details of the attempted attacks. The Wikileaks files are low level classified reports, more serious incidents would be classified as top secret.
Confiscated weapons cache -Spc. Daniel Herrera, The US Army/Flickr
Saddam’s stockpiles in al Qaeda hands
Al Qaeda’s access to chemical weapons is documented in reports dating from 2005 to December 2008. And this is not just intelligence officers reporting fears or suspicions: from 2007, the files show hard evidence of US troops unearthing suspected Al Qaeda caches on Iraqi soil.
16th August 2008
CBRN personnel has tested the rounds twice with M8 paper and J CAM. EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal), and chemical recon element assess that the chemical … tested positive for chemical agent. EOD reports 12 x full chemical rounds. 14 x damaged rounds are either leaking or empty. The cache consisted of 26 contaminated rounds and 14 empty 155mm rounds.
In this case the munitions were believed to be left over from Saddam’s regime, but because of the location (significance, can we show this???), it was assessed as a possible Al Qaeda cache providing a ready-made supply of chemical weapons.
Insurgent links with Syria
Not only were fighters coming across the border from Syria to join the insurgency, but on 13th October 2005 a US intelligence report makes a starling claim: chemical weapons were being smuggled across the border.
13th October 2005
As of late September 2005, Al-Qa’ida in Iraq elements allegedly planned to attack Abu Ghurayb prison in early to mid-October using an unspecified number of mortars and car bombs…. AQIZ elements allegedly planned to use 20 “chemical munitions” brought from Syria.
In January 2006 an intelligence source reported that 10 men from Syria, believed to be chemical weapons experts, had entered Iraq. It is unclear whether they were helping Al Qaeda or Hezbollah, an insurgent group with links to Iran.
28th January 2006
The ten are chemical weapons specialists and came to Iraq to support the chemical weapons operations of Hizballah Islam I. (Field comment — The chemical operations of Hizballah Islam I were previously reported as Al Qa’ida Iraq operations, the ten unidentified men are chemical weapons specialists from Syria)…The ten unidentified men were taken to Is’Hagey Iraq, where the unidentified chemicals weapons … are stored. The chemical weapons were brought from Syria to Iraq on 21 January 2006.
There is no indication that these activities were state sanctioned, or any information about the origin or type of munitions to be used. But Syria has been implicated before. In March 2004 Jordanian authorities claimed to have thwarted an Al-Qaeda chemical weapons attack organised in and launched from Syria.(link needed)
Related article: Syrian intelligence agents linked to al Qaeda in Iraq
Chemical weapons supply route from Saudi Arabia
In 2006 the war logs identify another supply chain – this time from Saudi Arabia. On the 29th December 2006 an intelligence cable gives precise details of a chemical weapons supply route across the Saudi border and the proposed targets.
29th December 2006
As of 27 December 2006, three unidentified Bedouins who were alleged Iraq AQI Operatives planned to transport chemical munitions from Al Judayda, Saudi Arabia, to Nugra Al Salman District, a border area in Al Muthanna Province, Iraq …
Subsequently, Iraq AQI operatives planned use the munitions to attack hospitals, outdoor markets, and US military forces in Al Basrah, Al Amarah and An Nasiriyah on or after 15 January 2007.
This case report states that the chemicals had been tested by “a chemist from Eastern Europe who determined that they were active/functional”. It goes on to say that Al Qaeda in Iraq possessed video footage of US military forces handling similar munitions which it planned release after the attacks so as to blame US military personnel.
Emergence of Iranian-made rockets
During the course of the war the insurgents were getting hold of more sophisticated weaponry. The secret files show that by 2007 they had modified rockets brought from Iran.
5th March 2007
AQI insurgency group is planning a rocket attack on several targets in the Baghdad International Zone and a US base in Al Rashdiyah by using Katusha rockets filled with unknown chemicals… these rockets were described as being three meters long and are modified in order to carry the extra weight. (Field Comment – the source was unable to provide the type of chemical and stated that these rockets probably originated from Iran).
In September 2007 the US gathered further intelligence about other planned rocket attacks by the Islamic State of Iraq – a group with close affiliations with Al Qaeda.
20th September 2007
As of late September 2007, Islamic State of Iraq (ISI) militants in Mosul, Iraq were planning an imminent attack on Tall ‘Afar using rockets with Chlorine gas or another chemical compound … The rockets had a range of more than 20 Kilometers, and an impact radius of 50 to 100 square meters. (Comment: the Arabic word “Sarukh” was used to describe the rockets).
It is perhaps ironic that President George Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair reasoned that the US invasion of Iraq was to rid the world from the threat of chemical weapon attacks by Saddam Hussein. Those views have now been shown to be untrue, based on false intelligence.
In fact the secret US files reveal that the US War on Terror not only allowed Al Qaeda to gain a foothold in Iraq with an international network of support, it has effectively delivered remnants of the dictator’s ageing chemical weapons stockpile into their hands, and they clearly intend to use them.
