Phil Gingrey: “Well, Iraq planned and sponsored international terrorism in 2002, that is what they did. Throughout the year, the Iraqi…”

“Well, Iraq planned and sponsored international terrorism in 2002, that is what they did. Throughout the year, the Iraqi Intelligence Service, IIS, laid the groundwork for possible attacks against both civilian and military targets in the United States and other Western countries. The IIS reportedly instructed its agents in early 2001 that their main mission was to obtain information about United States and Israeli targets. The IIS also threatened dissidents in the Near East and Europe and stole records and computer files detailing anti-regime activity. In December of 2002, the press claimed Iraq intelligence killed Walid Ibrahim Abbas al-Muhah al-Mayahi, a Shi'ite Iraqi refugee who was living in Lebanon and a member of the Iraqi National Congress. Iraq was a safe haven, a transit point and an operational base for groups and individuals who direct violence against the United States, Israel and other countries. Baghdad overtly assisted two categories of Iraqi-based terrorist organizations, Iranian dissidents devoted to toppling the Iranian Government and a variety of Palestinian groups opposed to peace with Israel.”