Evidence of Niger uranium trade 'years before war'

[shockingelk]

http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1087373295039

When thieves stole a steel watch and two bottles of perfume from Niger's embassy on Via Antonio Baiamonti in Rome at the end of December 2000, they left behind many questions about their intentions.

The identity of the thieves has not been established. But one theory is that they planned to steal headed notepaper and official stamps that would allow the forging of documents for the illicit sale of uranium from Niger's vast mines.

... These intelligence officials now say the forged documents appear to have been part of a "scam", and the actual intelligence showing discussion of uranium supply has been ignored.

... The FT has now learnt that three European intelligence services were aware of possible illicit trade in uranium from Niger between 1999 and 2001. Human intelligence gathered in Italy and Africa more than three years before the Iraq war had shown Niger officials referring to possible illicit uranium deals with at least five countries, including Iraq.

[GRClarkesq]

1. More from FT: Intelligence backs claim Iraq tried to buy uranium

By Mark Huband in Rome
Published: June 27 2004 21:56 | Last Updated: June 27 2004 21:56

Illicit sales of uranium from Niger were being negotiated with five states including Iraq at least three years before the US-led invasion, senior European intelligence officials have told the Financial Times.

Intelligence officers learned between 1999 and 2001 that uranium smugglers planned to sell illicitly mined Nigerien uranium ore, or refined ore called yellow cake, to Iran, Libya, China, North Korea and Iraq.

These claims support the assertion made in the British government dossier on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction programme in September 2002 that Iraq had sought to buy uranium from an African country, confirmed later as Niger. George W. Bush, US president, referred to the issue in his State of the Union address in January 2003.

http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1087373295002&p=1012571727085

[TrueAmerican]

3. Looks like they are believing their own lies

It just a big circle.

[Just Me]

6. Add our own "yellow-cake" profiteers into the fold and it gets VERY,...

,...interesting!!!

The ONLY rational reason for this administration to go BACK to certain nuclear "development",...is to create more destructive materials from which they can (and have) profit(ted). For the love of money, the demons of death and destruction,...they are REAL!!! I could hook you up to sites on this FACT,...but, I am too tired of generating proof for those unwilling or unable to find it for themselves.

<on edit - look up Generation IV>

[papau]

2. A theory of "possible" illicit uranium trade plan from theft of perfume?

I'd be LOL if it had not caused such distruction and waste of effort that would have been better spent on Osama.

No wonder Clinton did not go to war.

But the FT feels this needs a rehash?

sigh.....

:-)

[pinto]

4. Advantage, Double Scam. Scam to serve. The crowd falls silent.

This is pointless. When half the world seems to understand that Pakistan sells WMD and the Saudis fund religious fundamentalists with a particularly militant bent, why oh why do we spend our time occupying a marginalized Iraq and in the process developing a. another way station for those militants and b. "good investment opportunities", in the words of that global thinker, Wolfowitz.....aghhhhhh.

[mom cat]

5. but didn't the stationary predate the year 2000? eom

[shockingelk]

8. apparantly, yes

As subsequent media accounts indicated, the evidence contained “crude errors,” such as a “childlike signature” and the use of stationary from a military government in Niger that has been out of power for over a decade.

http://www.house.gov/waxman/text/admin_iraq_march_17_let.htm

[mom cat]

10. Thanks. That is what I thought I remembered.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

7. Excuse me, but isn't this the stuff that Joe Wilson was asked to...

...investigate and he found that the reports were not credible? Isn't this why Valerie Plame, as well as her front company and global network, was publicly exposed?

So, what's all of this about? Will this morph into the now infamous Iraqi WMDs?

[mom cat]

11. Bingo.

[Toucano]

9. It's the old Nigerian yellow-cake related

fragrance and stationary disappearance activity program claim.

Seems really solid. :) I mean, if they had this "real" evidence, they wouldn't have had to make up all the fake evidence they took to the UN now would they?

[mom cat]

12. Thanks for the picture on dim-son showing the REAL yellow cake

evidence!

[struggle4progress]

13. We found hamburger in the gearbox when they first tried to sell us ...

this clunker, so a fresh coat of paint won't fool anybody here.

[The_Casual_Observer]

14. They should put Mort Saul , Jim Garrison and OJ Simpson

on the case.

[saracat]

15. Or maybe it was us

stealing stationary to back up this stupid claim. Sounds like a Dubya story alright.Yeah. Steal the stationary.Thats the ticket.And then it will look like Niger. Too bad they didn't use White House stationary!