Ray: Sammi provides a partial translation of a notebook that appears to be from an Iraqi connected with the former SSO. The Center for Non-Proliferation Studies describes the SSO:
"The key unit in the deployment of such weapons is Al-Amn al-Khas (Special Security Organization, referred to as the SSO), which was created during the Iran-Iraq War to serve as a super-secret organization and emerged as the most powerful agency in the security apparatus. It emerged from within al-Amn al-'Amm in 1982 to provide bodyguards to the President after a failed assassination attempt on Saddam.[1] There are an estimated 5,000 members[2] in this organization mostly from Saddam's hometown of Tikrit.[3]"
If authentic, this document helps to establish the role that Syria played with Iraq as an arms provider. A lot of people may not realize this but Syria provided Iraq with many conventional munitions before the Gulf War and after. It is a little easier to accept the "Mission Impossible" sounding plot that Saddam moved remaining WMD to Syria if you realize they were sneaking weapons across the border all the time anyway.
Translator’s notes:
- Document CMPC-2003-000878 is a note book made of 60 pages.
- It is handwritten.
- The FMSO website describes it as information on SSO (Special Security Organization) ISS (Iraqi Secret Service) and assistant to “Chemical Ali”
-Whoever wrote it was close to the ruling circle and could have been an assistant to someone.
-In many pages he is critical of the clan of Saddam and the many people around him who benefited from their positions.
- Like so many documents it includes some pages of basic physics, chemistry, computer science or electricity.
- The notes are written after the removal of Saddam Hussein from power.
-Pages 53-54-55 are hand written in English and it looks as if he wanted to give this information to an American officer as an anonymous source. Apparently he changed his mind because the pages are still in the note book.
Page 34/60
Body armor from Russia:
They were ordered following a request from the Special Republican Guards (13,000) protective vests from Russia. They were delivered to the headquarters of Qusai Saddam Hussein, in total, eight days before the start of the war. Three Russian experts came along. The deal was funded by one of the rich people of Al Kut (180 Kms South of Bagdad). Each one was bought for $250 and sold to Qusai Saddam Hussain for $600 and they were introduced through Syria after being packaged with Swedish made jackets in an effort to not embarrass Syria and fool the US intelligence. The US intelligence was able to uncover the operation.
One of its specifications is that (unclear) (unclear) the American rifle M16A2 with the very high initial velocity and the piercing bullet from only a distance of 5 meters. And from the ammo of the American MG machine gun of medium caliber 7.62 from the same distance.
Page 36-37/60
Translator’s note: He mentions the Russian T72 tank in the republican guards units. Apparently their engines suffered terribly in the desert during the Iraq-Iran war.
On page 37
The commanders of the Republican Guards complained of their inability to move. In 1998 during operation Desert Fox the best brigade was only able to move 6 tanks out of 21 and only for 1,200 meters. The qualities of the new Russian tanks is fire power, movement and armor protection. And SUDDENLY NEW ENGINES APPEARED (translator’s emphasis) that were imported from Russia. Republican guards units were equipped with 70 engines for every operational brigade. The engines were also shipped from Syria. That happened one month before the start of the war.
Page 38/60
The notes explain how Sebaaoui (Saddam’s half brother) escaped to Syria.
Page 39/60
The notes explain how Saddam used the Oil for Food Program to reinforce his status by buying the loyalty of his surroundings.
Page 42-43/60
Emptying Saddam’s palaces from all the riches
When the Anglo-American forces entered one of Saddam’s palaces in Basra everybody remembers this event on TV. The strange thing is that the palace was completely empty save from some chairs, one table and a bed in a room. Where did the furniture go? What about the other palaces especially in Baghdad, (unclear) next to Baiji , Mosul and Al Anbar. Three months before the war the news was coming about trucks loaded with very expensive items (all the world saw faucets made of gold). There was a talk about trucks moving those riches to Syria. Someone who works at Al walid center told me that once he saw 35 private trucks (trailer) that crossed the border to Syria.
Page 44-45/60
The notes explain how Saddam used gifts to buy loyalty.
Page 46-47/60 Saddam’s crocodile pets.
One day in 1998 I was passing (unclear) which is situated at the other side of the Tigris river facing Al Ouja and I passed by one of my friends who is a police officer. When I asked him how he was doing he laughed and said that the most courageous man will not be able to operate the water pump on the river, to irrigate his crops, because 6 crocodiles escaped from Saddam’s palace. At that time I was going to Kirkuk for 2 days and when I came back he told me that there were 6 Africans looking for the crocodiles and they were able to catch them but he was afraid from those crocodiles having laid their eggs on the banks of the river.
When I asked another friend of mine in the Tikrit police force, who was a friend of the driver of First lady Sajida wife of Saddam, about the truth of the crocodiles’ story and why does Saddam own them he said that he enjoys watching them when he is sitting by the side of (unclear) while drinking his luxurious whisky and feeding them meat and live birds. (Translator’s notes: Any kind of alcohol is forbidden in Islam. I mentioned before that during the 80’s Saddam never portrayed himself as a Muslim leader but as an Arab nationalist. In the nineties it was in his interest to ride the Islamic wave. Udaii was a famous womanizer/rapist)
Page 48-49/60
The (unclear) of the Iraqi regime by the embargo of food and medicine.
The Iraqi regime used to always scream that the UN and USA is forbidding him access to medicine. And I have the document which says that 3 Swedish companies with excellent ties to Iraq for more than 30 years are selling very good quality pharmaceutical products to the Iraqi ministry of health. Those companies do not sell drugs to third parties (triangle deals) (in English in original text) made of high ranking Iraqis. Those Iraqis want to buy those drugs from the Swedes and sell them to the Iraqi governments at many times the real price. Those respectable companies refuse those dirty dealings and appeal the Iraqi government to directly deal with it in a clean manner. They refuse to deal with third parties to protect their reputation. (Translator’s notes: Al Jazeera’s favorite coverage from Iraq prior to OIF was to show suffering Iraqi children in hospitals, while doctors would blame the sanctions. The regime used to organize mass funerals for children who died from lack of proper medical treatment. Arab and European TVs were always present.)
Confederate Yankee has news on an al-Qaeda leader taken out
Outside the beltway on open post
"Page 42-43/60
Emptying Saddam’s palaces from all the riches
When the Anglo-American forces entered one of Saddam’s palaces in Basra everybody remembers this event on TV. The strange thing is that the palace was completely empty save from some chairs, one table and a bed in a room. Where did the furniture go? What about the other palaces especially in Baghdad, (unclear) next to Baiji , Mosul and Al Anbar. Three months before the war the news was coming about trucks loaded with very expensive items (all the world saw faucets made of gold). There was a talk about trucks moving those riches to Syria. Someone who works at Al walid center told me that once he saw 35 private trucks (trailer) that crossed the border to Syria."
Remember as well the MSM reports of as much as $12billion in personal Hussein cash being taken away in trucks from Baghdad banks. Somewhere out there on the web are pics of the truckloads of AMERICAN currency that US forces intercepted.
...truckloads...
Posted by: Scott Malensek | Thursday, April 13, 2006 at 09:56 AM