Arafat, Saddam, Hezb'allah & Bin Laden

Emanuel A. Winston, a Middle East analyst & commentator
June 22, 2001

There will soon be a meeting of the G-8 nations in Genoa, Italy. That's not news but, what is news is that Osama Bin Laden has threatened to assassinate the American President George W. Bush when he attend this Conference. (Reuters)

The Italian government, as reported by Reuters News Agency, is considering to host the meeting either at sea or in a military base. The Russians are also concerned because President Vladimir Putin will also be there. So, they have sent a contingent of agents and anti-terrorist personnel. Since Bin Laden has agents all over Europe, dedicated to his Islamic views, the threat is to be taken seriously.

There is one interlocking relationship which Washington should be investigating. That is the Bin Laden-Arafat relationship. There will, no doubt, be an immediate denial by Arabists and the PA (Palestinian Authority). But, take a harder look at Arafat's relationship with Saddam Hussein, Hezb'Allah (controlled by Iran) and from there to Bin Laden. Any friend of Saddam also becomes a friend of Bin Laden. Then there are the proxies of Syria's Assad, the Hezb'Allah who are also grateful to Bin Laden for funding and cross-over linkage to other terrorist groups. U.S. and European Intelligence knows that the family of Terrorism is one loosely connected mechanism which operated both individually and together.

There may be more partners to the bombing of the New York Twin Towers Trade Center than Sheik Obeid Rahman. The names of Yassir Arafat and Osama Bin Laden have floated up but Arafat has friends in the State Department who would not like to see their choice accused of plotting to murder Americans. Recall how America (read: U.S. State Department) protected Arafat when he ordered the killing in Khartoum, Sudan of American Ambassadors Cleo Noel, Jr. and his attache George Moore as well as the French Charges des Affaires, Guy Eid. The National Security Agency has it on tape, but remains silent.

Next week the U.S. Secretary of State Colin L. Powell will again embarrass the American people by meeting with Yassir Arafat as if he wasn't the murderer of Americans. He will again ignore the operational connections to Osama Bin Laden, Saddam Hussein and Iranian-backed Hezb'Allah.

The soft General - now Sec. of State, fits the profile of a State Department apparachnik who will deal with any dictator or war criminal if it meets the requirements of commerce. No pride, no dignity, no ethics - just a vast shadow government ready to sell America for whatever price it will bring. Selling out our Allies to Arab Islamists is merely a step lower than their usual practice. Powell's visit to the region is an invitation for Arafat's terrorists to make an extra effort to pull off a spectacular attack on the Jewish State.

This just in: Attorney Gen. John Ashcroft on CNN explained the indictment of Saudi Hezb'Allah working with Iran officials who blew up the Khobar Towers June 25th at 10 P.M. - the barracks for U.S. Service Personnel - mostly airmen.

19 Americans died and 500 were wounded.

Somehow connected there have been 19 Americans killed in Israel since Arafat signed the Oslo Accords on the White House Lawn with President Clinton as guarantor and Yitzhak Rabin committing Israel to give up Israel's heartland won in war begun by the Arabs.

Attorney General Ashcroft congratulated the Saudis for their cooperation which took care of the phony niceties of diplomacy. The facts speak otherwise. The Saudis dragged their feet and did not allow U.S. Intelligence (FBI) to be present at the interviews of suspects. Apparently, they feared that Iran would be angry at them should the truth of Iran's role in planning and assisting the Saudi Hezb'Allah. Much later, after a great deal of pressure, the Saudis allowed the FBI to participate in the investigation.

So, the Saudis tried to shield the Iranians and we tried to shield the Saudis from their non-cooperation.

I am reminded how Arabists in the U.S. State Department and particularly Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger tried to shield Syria from American anger when the Syrians directed and assisted the blowing up of the Marine Barracks in Lebanon, killing 241 American Marines.

Back to Ashcroft today, June 21st: The Justice Department under Janet Reno (a Clinton appointee) refused to issue warrants for Palestinian terrorists who had been positively identified as killing Jewish Americans in Israel. But, now, Attorney General John Ashcroft stated plainly that the Justice Department would prosecute terrorists. Quoting Ashcroft on CNN June 21st: "Our nation will vigorously fight to bring justice to our citizens here and abroad. We will bring them to account." The U.S. brought indictments against thirteen Saudis and one Lebanese for the conspiracy to use WMD (Weapons of Mass Destruction), bombing resulting in murder

The leaders were the Saudi Hebz'Allah (Islamic Party of God) and the Saudi Military Wing. They began in 1993 when Hezb'Allah extensively investigated targets in Saudi Arabia. In 1995 they focused on the Khobar Towers. They packed a tanker truck with explosives and detonated it at #131 Khobar Towers on June 25th a little before 10 P.M.

The Iranian government supported and supervised. The Saudi Hebz'Allah reported to and were directed by the Iranian government. One individual was not mentioned because he cannot be found. The announcement of the indictments by the Federal Grand Jury in Alexandria, Virginia was made today, before the 5th anniversary of the bombing next Monday - in order not to pass the five years' Statute of Limitation.

Well, let us see if his speech was intended just for the Khobar Tower indictments. If he is a straight shooter and not slaved to politics as was the untrustworthy and unethical Janet Reno, we should see the issuance of indictments and financial rewards for the arrest of perpetrators who killed Americans. While the State Department is committed to protecting Arafat and perhaps people like his lieutenant, Abu Abas who threw Leon Klinghoffer overboard (with his wheelchair) from the Achille Lauro, perhaps Atty. Gen. Ashcroft will right this terrible wrong.

Will President Bush, Secretary of State Colin Powell and the U.S. State Department continue the fabrication that Yassir Arafat is not a war criminal? Will they ignore the partnership of Arafat, Saddam, Bin Laden and the killing of Jews and Americans?

I cannot help but think and remember how most of the German war criminals from World War II were either freed or given a few years in prison. The victims remained denied justice and the conquered Germans who had committed unspeakable crimes against the Jews were allowed to re-build their normal society. The Western Allies who met at Bermuda and Evian agreed NOT to rescue, house or feed the Jews now, once again, stand ready to replay their role in betraying the Jews.

This time it will not be the Germans they assist, instead they seem prepared to stand behind the Arab nations who have pledged vociferously to continue the Genocide not completed by the Germans and Europeans.

Perhaps this time the Jews will not wait for a rescue that will never come. Perhaps this time the Jews will kill their killers despite the opinion of the nations.

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