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Unofficial baghdad mayor has us ties Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)
http://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20030428-045254-2704rhttp://www.upi.com/view.cfm?StoryID=20030428-045254-2704r
Seized papers hint Baghdad mayor-U.S. link
By P. Mitchell Prothero
From the International Desk
Published 4/28/2003 6:01 PM
BAGHDAD, Iraq, April 28 (UPI) -- A raid of the hotel suite of the self-described mayor of Baghdad by U.S. troops yielded documents that raises the question about how "little" the United States knew about or supported Mohammed Mohsen al-Zubaidi.
A U.S. soldier who participated in the search of al-Zubaidi's headquarters told United Press International that it revealed a cache of documents in addition to satellite phones and other equipment. Some of the papers were military planning and operation documents developed by the U.S. troops.
"It's clear from the possession of these documents that someone within our military or government was supporting these guys at one point," he said, asking UPI not to reveal his identity. "We were really surprised."
UPI was not able to review these documents or confirm the find from an official spokesman. But U.S. Central Command and civilian representatives of the United States have repeatedly denied any support or real knowledge of al-Zubaidi.
"We don't really know much about him except that he's declared himself mayor," said Barbara Bodine, a former ambassador who is now the U.S. administrator for central Iraq under retired Lt. Gen. Jay Garner. "We don't recognize him."
Al-Zubaidi is a senior official in the Iraqi National Congress, an umbrella group of Iraqi opposition led by Ahmad Chalabi and backed by the Defense Department. The Pentagon trained 700 of its members and flew them into Iraq in early April to support U.S. security operations.
Al-Zubaidi spent the past 24 years in exile. A one-time intelligence operative for the INC, Zubaidi drew the ire of U.S. officials when he used his covert connections to enter Baghdad ahead of the INC forces who were working with the Americans. Upon his arrival, he declared himself the interim mayor of the city.
After repeated warnings from the U.S. military not to arm his followers or to interfere with the reconstruction effort, he was detained Sunday by U.S. Special Forces and removed from Baghdad.
Using the top floor of the Sheraton Hotel as a base of operations prior to his arrest, al-Zubaidi gathered a growing entourage of local supporters and former allies in his long fight against Saddam Hussein's government. U.S. troops searched the rooms Sunday and detained one other man, while seizing records, documents and some communications equipment.
One top INC official said that al-Zubaidi had arrived in Baghdad with support from the Central Intelligence Agency.
"When he first went to Baghdad, we were still stuck in the desert with the (U.S.) troops," he said. "And we heard he was taking a key role in restoring order and services. So we called him to inquire as to what authority he had."
The official said that al-Zubaidi assured the INC that he was acting with the blessing of the American government, but further inquiries revealed no relationship between his operation and either the State Department or U.S. Central Command.
"Then we sent some people over (to the hotel) and found that he had three or four CIA-types working with him," the INC official said. "Which makes sense because the INC and CIA have long had a strained relationship."
UPI could not collaborate the account with U.S. sources, though rumors have circulated in Baghdad that the CIA initially supported Zubaidi as an alternative to Chalabi. The CIA has long distrusted Chalabi because of several failed operations and disputes over tactics in dealing with Saddam's regime.
Copyright © 2001-2003 United Press International
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