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Thread ID: 9760 | Posts: 1 | Started: 2003-09-13
2003-09-13 07:59 | User Profile
[url=http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/336472.html]Report: Mossad team visited Iraq for anti-terror efforts[/url] By Haaretz Service
A Mossad delegation visited Baghdad last month in order to coordinate its anti-terrorism efforts with U.S. forces in Iraq, according to a report in the Arab-language Al-Hayat newspaper.
Basing its report on comments made by an anonymous Kurdish official, the newspaper claimed that the delegation held carried out a field tour in the Iraqi capital and aerial tours in a U.S. military helicopter above Mosul, Tikrit and Ramadi.
The official claimed that U.S.-Israeli security coordination in Iraq has been stepped up, in light of reports of the growing influence of Al Qaeda and Ansar Al Islam in the country. Washington and Jerusalem are also mindful of possible security cooperation between Iran and Syria.
While there have been reports that Israeli companies have been invited by the U.S. to do business in Iraq, although this is the first report of Israeli security officials visiting the country. Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu annulled several months ago long-standing regulations prohibiting Israeli companies from trading with Iraq, which is still classified an enemy country.
Iran's spiritual leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei mentioned last week that an Israeli delegation visited Baghdad, without identifying the nature of its mission.