Is Iraq Exporting Terror?
Nov. 15, 2005 — -- Iraq's interior minister says he knows of two more strikes planned by al Qaeda in Iraq and that he believes foreign fighters are training in Iraq to carry out terror operations abroad.
Interior Minister Bayan Jabur told ABC News in an exclusive interview that his police forces have developed information that Abu Musab al-Zarqawi's group, al Qaeda in Iraq, plans to carry out terror operations against U.S. citizens or the U.S. Embassy in Yemen and against an unspecified target in Egypt.
"I have knowledge from someone we captured that they are planning to do something in Egypt or also in Yemen against the American people or American Embassy … American targets," he said. Jabur speaks good, but not perfect, English.
Jabur also says he believes al Qaeda in Iraq is training foreigners in Iraq to conduct terror operations abroad. "In my office I have many passports, even French," he said, referring to documents obtained by Iraqi authorities.
"They are French but they are from Arabic region originally Arabic they are entering Iraq -- one from Azerbaijan and one from come from South Africa, many from India from Pakistan," he added. "I don't want to mention all the names of the countries, they are originally Muslims but they are European IDs and they entering Iraq."
Jabur then opened up the safe behind his desk, pulled out a stack of passports and handed them to one of his top commanders who laid them on a table. He said all the passports were marked with a Damascus, Syria, entry stamp but were "captured" in Iraq. He did not say whether the individual associated with the passports had been captured or detained.
Responding to the claim that foreigners are training in Iraq for operations in other countries, U.S. military spokesman Lt. Col. Steve Boylan said, "it would stand to reason that is a possibility and we are here to prevent Iraq from becoming the next training ground for global terrorism."
Jabur also said he has information that Zarqawi had been injured.
"I have knowledge that three months ago he was in (the western city of) Ramadi then he escaped from al-Ramadi after he was injured in Ramadi," he said.
He went on to say that he believes Zarqawi is now either in Iraq's Euphrates River valley or in northern Iraq. He said that even if Zarqawi is killed or captured al Qaeda's operations in Iraq would not end.
Jabur also said that his police force needs to double in size from 111,000 to 250,000 officers before it will be able to secure Iraq.
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