| |
The dangers in Saddam's 'black
files'
By Ian Urbina
When it
comes to file-keeping, the Baathists of Iraq were often
referred to as the "Prussians of the Middle East".
Saddam Hussein's officials kept impeccable and detailed
records on virtually all realms of government and
society. But as looting grips Baghdad and throngs of
civilians rush government buildings to exact retribution
in whatever small way they can, the fate of these
records is an open question. In post-war Iraq, these
documents will prove to be of inestimable value for
determining guilt and meting out justice. But it will
all depend on whether the prized materials have already
been destroyed or disappeared.
Discreet
discussion about the status of Iraqi files began long
before the start of the war. The United Nations was
still in the throes of heated debate back in August of
last year when some in the US intelligence community
anonymously leaked information about Saddam's so-called
"black files". Allegedly, these files contain
indications of covert payments to various African
countries to procure pro-Iraq votes at the UN. The same
sources reported that Morocco in particular was getting
nervous.
Others have said that it is US
indiscretions that are at root in Washington's concern
over the files. These sources point to the incident late
last year when the US representative to the UN had
several thousand pages removed from Iraq's weapons
disclosure report before it was released for general
review. These pages were reportedly removed because they
contained unflattering disclosures about US corporations
and US government agencies that had cooperated with
Baghdad over the years.
Still, no one can be
sure about the whereabouts or status of these nor other
sensitive files. Some present and former US intelligence
officials believe that Saddam began destroying and
removing records long before the Hans Blix's inspectors
ever arrived in the country. When recently asked about
the matter, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld would only
comment on the hope that the most important files might
still be found. "You never know if you will find the
files. We have information that they have been
dispersing their documentation, putting them in private
homes, burying things, and trying to avoid being caught
in that."
At least since late March, before the
bombing began, US Special Forces have been in Baghdad
discretely hunting for key files. US Intelligence
sources in Washington also have reported, off the
record, that they have received assistance from members
within the Iraqi intelligence community.
The
hope with these files is that they will not simply
provide solid evidence of Saddam's weapons of mass
destruction programs but also a full picture of his
alleged ties to international terrorist groups. If a
truth and reconciliation legal apparatus is to be
constituted in the post-war context, these files will
also prove necessary for the sake of detailing the full
scope of Saddam's repressive state machine.
Additionally, US officials are looking for proof
that Russian and French firms may have skirted the UN
weapons embargo of Iraq over the years, possibly by
shipping materiel to third party countries, ultimately
destined for Saddam.
Over the past weeks,
various Mukhabarat (Iraqi secret police) offices have
been hit by US artillery fire. However, US officials
have repeatedly reassured that this does not mean that
the archives in these locations are destroyed. But the
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and US Special Forces
are probably not the only ones on the ground hunting for
the archives. Other countries may have their own people
on the job as well. Last week, a Russian diplomatic
convoy came under US fire as it evacuated Baghdad. One
passenger sustained serious wounds.
Within
Russia there is speculation that the passengers in the
convoy were possibly carrying sensitive records which
Moscow wants to keep out of American hands. The Russian
newspaper Nezavisimaya Gazeta broke the story, reporting
that there was a high-stakes race going on between the
CIA and the SVR (Russian foreign intelligence). "One was
taking out classified Iraqi archives, and the other was
trying to hamper it by force." The newspaper claimed
that Russian intelligence agents had been sent to Iraq
several weeks ago to begin collecting the materials
which could be used in protecting Russian interests in
post-war Iraq. Surely, Moscow is also worried about any
records that implicate them in Saddam's wrongdoings.
Both the US and the Russians maintain differing
explanations of the events. Alexander Vershbow, US
ambassador to Russia, stated that the convoy decided to
change its course at the last minute, which is why it
ended up being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
But one Russian embassy employee, Roman Yudanov,
who was in the convoy, told the press that they deviated
barely at all and only due to obstacles in their
designated path. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister
Alexander Saltanov corroborated this view, "If there was
any change at all in the route, it was unsubstantial."
The fight for Baghdad seems to be over. But
clearly the struggle to plumb the city’s wealth of
information is still an open contest. In the long run,
this race may be one of the most consequential if the US
is going to find evidence of weapons of mass
destruction. This race may also be the deciding factor
in ultimately bringing Saddam and/or henchmen to their
day in court.
Ian Urbina is an editor
at the Middle East
Report and is based at the Middle East Research and
Information Project (MERIP), a foreign policy think
tank.
(©2003 Asia Times Online Co, Ltd. All
rights reserved. Please contact content@atimes.com
for information on our sales and syndication policies.)
|
| |
|
|
 |
|
