Ryan Mauro
Partial Transcript - A Video Interview with
A General in Saddam Fedayeen militia in the late 1980s
Ali Ibrahim al-Tikriti
May 26, 2006
Ali Ibrahim al-Tikriti was a southern regional commander for Saddam
Hussein’s Fedayeen militia in the late 1980s and a personal friend of
the dictator. Units under his command dealt with chemical and
biological weapons. He was known as the “Butcher of Basra” due to his
campaigns and defected shortly before the Gulf War in 1991. The
following is the transcript of General Ali Ibrahim Al-Tikriti’s first
videotaped testimony. We will release videotaped testimony in the near
future.
Salaam Americans. I was formerly known as Iraqi Fedayeen Major
General, Ali Ibrahim Al-Tikriti. I was one of Saddam's chief Generals
dealing with his secret nuclear, chemical, and biological programs. Our
weapons programs were fully operational in the mid-late 1980's where we
used such weapons on numerous occasions against Iranian positions as
well as the infamous attack on Halabjah.
After the Gulf War
our weapons programs were driven deep underground to avoid
international inspections. We composed an idea of using salvaged parts
from Tamuz in the early 90's as well as research we still had filed to
begin construction of a simulation reactor. One of the most critical
components was the gas centrifuges. After numerous attempts to acquire
specially designed high strength aluminum tubes for these centrifuges
we were finally successfully in acquiring these materials in 1999 and
early 2000 from Germany.
As far as the weapons inspections were
concerned we devised very lucrative measures to hide our ongoing
nuclear projects. For instance we were under strict orders to destroy
all materials, memos, and reports pertaining to such projects.
Immediately after completion of the orders, we were also given orders
at random to abandon nuclear facilities and sites where nuclear,
chemical, or biological research was being conducted and to move them
to future facilities that were not known about until the materials were
ready for transport. Many of the workers used for such transport were
immediately purged as to leave few witnesses.
As for foreign
involvement in our programs, much of this can be attributed to the
Russian Federation. Moscow directed many programs around the world,
Iraq being one of them where chemical weapons and scientists were sent
to further develop unconventional munitions. Contingency plans were
developed though, in the event that the host nation was compromised, as
in the case of the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Spetsnaz forces were sent to
retrieve the munitions as well as any materials related to Russian
involvement. These programs were designed to build stronger relations
with countries that were discordant with the west.
For those who
are still skeptical of the unconventional weapons programs in Iraq, I
would offer you to first take a look at Iraq and the obvious uses for
such weapons. As well as Saddam's own insatiable lust of being the
great Arab unifier of the Arab world. What better way to gain control
except through the means of unconventional weapons which are seen by
most as being the end all to western dominance...
Further transcipts of the video interview are forthcoming...
Copyrright, Ryan Mauro, 2006, used with the Author's Permission