It seems the Saudis have still more explaining to do. From the UK Financial Times, "Al-Qaeda suspect 'had envoy's passport'"
A Swiss-based businessman accused by the US Treasury of providing financial help to Osama bin Laden and al-Qaeda carried a Saudi diplomatic passport, according to copies of documents contained in a book published today in Paris.The documents include a letter from the US Treasury to the Swiss authorities, which says that al-Qaeda and its leader received financial assistance from the businessman, Ali bin Mussalim, “as of late September 2001”. They also include a copy of Mr bin Mussalim's diplomatic passport.
The disclosures, contained in Al-Qaeda Will Conquer (Al-Qa'ida Vaincra), by the author Guillaume Dasquié, will be uncomfortable reading for the Saudi government, which has disputed any suggestions of official complicity in the attacks of September 11 2001.
The January 2002 letter from George Wolfe, then the US Treasury's deputy general counsel, says Mr bin Mussalim “has been providing indirect investment services for al-Qaeda, investing funds for bin Laden, and making cash deliveries on request to the al-Qaeda organisation”.
The letter links him to the now defunct Bank Al-Taqwa and its founder, Youssef Nada. Both have been named by the US and United Nations as providers of terrorist finance.
The existence of the letter has been previously reported by some news organisations, but Mr bin Mussalim's diplomatic status was not emphasised.
According to the book, Mr bin Mussalim was found dead in his residence in Lausanne last June, a month after reports of the US Treasury letter first emerged....
Other documents cited in the book include a flight manifest of the so-called bin Laden flight, in which members of the bin Laden family were flown out of the US in the days after the September 11 attacks.
The manifest shows 29 people aboard the flight that flew to Le Bourget airport from Boston on September 20, after originating in Los Angeles and then flying to Orlando and Washington Dulles airport. This contradicts the number cited in the report of the 9/11 Commission published last year, which said there were 26 people aboard....
"Mr bin Mussalim was found dead in his residence in Lausanne last June, a month after reports of the US Treasury letter first emerged...."
Possibility #2: Saudis, wishing to eliminate a man whom the Americans might persuade to talk about higher-ups who actively support Al Qaeda.
Possibility #1: Americans, wishing to quickly rid themselves of one more problem, having realized that it would be difficult to extradite him, and that this was simpler.
Possibility #3: a blend of #1 and #2. There are some in the American government, or formerly in the American government, who have a history of being tight with Saudi Arabia. These include C.I.A. agents, former diplomats, and others on the take, directly or indirectly. They might feel that Saudi Arabia, or the House of Al-Saud, did not need any more bad publcity linking it, as it is so obviously linked through many of its members, to Al Qaeda (and of course to the spread of Islam throughout the world through the financing of mosques and madrasas, and Muslim missionaries, a far more effective way to accomplish the same end toward which members of Al Qaeda think they are working). So together they agreed to eliminate this awkward witness who might know more about Americans who had benefited from, and were willing consequently to do favors for, the government of Saudi Arabia.
Take your pick, you readers, or writers, of thrillers.
Good morning all!
Sorry about the bad link to all your Allahisms, but blogging is new to me, so it's taken a couple of tries to get what I want.
Anyway, we have 112 Allahisms available for your pleasure.
Link: http://muslimsandme.blogspot.com/
According to Mahdi Obeidi, author of "The Bomb in My Garden" and high-ranking nuclear scientist for Saddam Hussein, critical items for creating nuclear centrifuges were shipped via diplomatic pouch and transferred through Saudi Arabia. Now we read this story about a terrorist's having a Saudi diplomatic passport.
Isn't it time we had a closer look at what goes on within the guise and under the cover of foreign embassies here on our home soil?
The Saudis talk a good line, but their actions and connections do not support their words.
BillR
F'allahcy The Koran
F'allahcious The Hadiths
WatchfulEye:
The Saudis don't even talk a good line. Except for the most gormless Arabists in the UN, western diplomatic corps and academia, everyone knows what they are and they are literally allowed to get away with murder because of their oil holdings.
Hugh:
What you missed out -- the possibility that it was the Mossad that did the hit, with or without US sanction.
Did anyone else see the picture of Bush hand-in-hand with the Saudi prince? Someone sent me the link below earlier today. Everyone where I work almost cried they were laughing so hard (even the few Americans).
http://www.wonkette.com/politics/white-house/bush-puts-the-squeeze-on-saudi-prince-100952.php
Raise your hands if you're surprised by this article.
Anyone?
Anyone?
I didn't think so.
Saudi Arabia is NOT our friend.
Thanks to Granny Weaterwax we're up to 114 now
Check them all out:
http://muslimsandme.blogspot.com/
Just read Paul Sperry`s book,"Infiltration" and you`ll have the answers to all your questions...
Very well documented,well written and to the point.
Also,Col.David Hunt`s new book "They just don`t get it" exposes Islam for what it is and possible solutions to the problem,as well as possible consequences if problem left unsolved.
The Republican Party is loaded with talented people who put the public interest above their own. George Bush is not one of them. He is an oil-patch mouthpiece.