1- The honor value is the most sacred in Iraq; it is more important than the value of life itself. We have to mention here the reasons why women do not want to testify about different kinds of violations and abuses after they are released from the occupation prisons. They refused to give their names, photos, voices, even after they are concealed.
"We do not want to go back to prison", this sentence was repeated by four of the female and a dozen male prisoners to whom we talked. In one incident, a female detainee's, [prisoners], testimony of many pages detailed what she personally went through and what she heard of other women prisoners only after we promised not to mention her name.
She and her brother spent 5 months in prison. But the brother refused to give us the papers; he grabbed them and tore them into pieces. "I do not want her to go back there, neither me. I am the only man left in the family, my brother was killed in the Iranian war, my mother is paralyzed, I have two unmarried sisters, I have a wife and children to support." He was furious. Then he showed us a document that he had to sign before he was released. The document says that if he was a Baathist, he would not go back to the party and that he would inform about anyone who contacts him about the party or any other party with similar principles.
The document also demanded that he inform about any one who works in the resistance or has any thing to do with it and that he should not go more than 10 kilometers from his house; otherwise he would not be released. If must inform the occupation authorities about any movement he has to do or if he travels outside Iraq. Of course if the detainee, [prisoner], does not comply with any of these points, he will be arrested again.
2- Female and male detainees, [prisoners], are unwilling to talk openly about sexual harassment for reasons connected to the concept of the honor value in Iraqi society and family. A woman, or a man, would prefer to die rather than jeopardize the family reputation. For a woman to be sexually abused is a shame on the family.
A woman I met in Rusafa prison complex in Baghdad refused to talk to me. She was spending her days fasting, reading Quran, and praying. She began to cry. Then she said if my family knows about what happened to me, they would slaughter me. She was in her sixties. We realized later that many Iraqi militia personnel had raped her. She gave us a letter to her family. She said "I do not mind being killed, but first I want to tell the whole world what the aggressors and the occupiers did to me and clean my shame in my own way."
3- Many prisoners lost confidence in the media, fact-finding groups, and human rights organizations. The prisoners think that these outsiders work for the American intelligence. One prisoner said I will not talk unless I am outside IraqÉ.then I will say every thing.
4- Some prisoners do not find any benefit in publishing their testimonies. They find it political or media trading. They believe that nothing can return their dignity, or to put things right in Iraq again, after all the violations of the military occupation. One of the people we met whose female relative was just released said, "She does not want to talk and I do not want her to talk. What are you going to do to Iraq, how are you going to help. She is not important after we lost Iraq, let her disappear or die." An Amnesty International representative was with us in that meeting. She accompanied us while we were looking for another female prisoner who was recently released. We were going from on house to another; she was hiding, and we found out later that she was hiding her children in a relative's houses for fear of being hurt.
Testimonies
International Occupation Watch Center had already visited Rusapha prison on December 19, 2003. There were 13 women whom the American authorities call security inmates, a description given to political prisoners arrested for information of being either Baathist, have some relationship to the resistance, or having weapons in his house. Many times an informer's motives could be personal or to get the reward from the American authorities. One prisoner told the investigator that 99% of the informers are liars; they are simply after rewards. The investigator replied we know that, it is among the hundred that we find one whom we want. When the prisoner asked but what about the 99 innocents, the officer replied, "This is the game."
Reasons of arrests for the 13 women were:
1-political or religious belief, mainly Baathist or Islamist, as in Falloja for example
2-confused accusations:
a- funding the resistance
b- resistance
c- anti-occupation meetings
d- family links with officials in the past regime--mothers, daughters, or any relation with either ex-Baathists or resistance wanted by the occupation authorities.
Arresting women as hostages and putting pressure on the men by using their women are violations of the highest value, the honor value, in Iraqi society. For the occupying troops, women and their intelligence became a means and of violation, contrary to Bush's discourse to the international community that America occupied Iraq to liberate Iraqi women as part of its mission.
In his electoral campaign Bush confirmed his attitude of opposing any discrimination against women - for example, that beating a pregnant woman is considered a violation to the woman's and the fetus' rights as well. According to eyewitnesses in Abu Graib there were women who gave birth to children inside the occupation prisons.
They were arrested while they were pregnant. A woman who was arrested on the out skirts of Kerkook has just given a birth to a baby 18 days previously and was breastfeeding him. The American soldier threw the baby to his grandmother, and arrested the mother while milk was running on her clothes.
3-malicious informers: a woman was arrested for example because her schizophrenic sister informed against her, her husband and son. Under Occupation, a monthly newspaper published by OWC in January reported on these 13 women in Rusapha prison. OWC could not enter any other prison, especially Abu Graib, because the occupation authorities did not allow OWC or any other human rights or legal organization to ask about any male or female prisoners who have no right to give power of attorney to any lawyer. No one what ever his nationality can legally proceed with these cases. This is what the American colonel who was responsible for the American prisons in Iraq, Chuck Rayan, told OWC in December 2003.
Some women prisoners were released, but the occupation authorities continued to arrest women. In fact it increased in Abu Graib. Arrests took place in villagers in Falloja area, house raids continued, women of all ages were arrested. A male prisoner told us that he saw with his own eyes a very old woman, over 80, using a stick to walk in Abu Graib. OWC interviewed and documented a girl of 12 who was arrested with her two sisters (19, 21) and her mother (over 50) in the airport prison in December.
OWC met 5 women and many male prisoners; many refused to talk openly. Some talked on condition of anonymity. They demanded that details like the date and place of arrest or release not be mentioned for fear of being recognized by the occupying authorities.
Witness A said she is willing to testify openly outside Iraq; she was willing to talk to us too. A was arrested for 5 months. One day in Sept. 2003 American armored vehicles, tanks, and hummers surrounded her neighborhood, closed the street, and raided her house. Tens of heavily armed soldiers, as if in a big battle, entered the house.
They did not reply when I asked what they wanted. They gathered the women in one place and took the men away. They asked me about my name. When I gave it the translator grabbed my hand and said this is a political target. Other soldiers were searching the house. They took my books, my Phd thesis, my CDs, and my computer. They told me that they are going to take me with them for few hours to ask some questions. A very quick investigation they said. They arrested one of my relatives, and one of our neighbors who was a diplomat just because he was from the same province. I realized that they were arresting me for my tribe, not for any thing else.
The raid and arrest happened after I gave an interview to a foreign newspaper, where I talked about the right of any Iraqi to join any NGO even if it was working under Saddam. I suspect that my arrest has something to do with this interview. They took me to (...) in the north of Baghdad, in an area which is still under construction. They made it their office. It was almost sunset. My eyes were tied. I entered a place which I realized later was an unfinished house.
They put me in a room which they called (the cave). The window was closed with bricks and the door with metal plates. I tried to find out about the room with my hands. There were three iron beds without mattresses. I sat on one of them. I heard something in the room. I was terrified. I thought it was a snake. Something bit my foot. It hurt. I realized that it was a rat. I pulled my feet and sat legs crossed on the bed. It was not easy with all the springs. I began to read lines of Quran. I was worried about my paralyzed mother and my sisters. But I was most worried for my relative.
After a long time I asked where the investigation is. I thought they were honest when they said that it would not take more than an hour. I asked about any official in the facility. A voice answered, 'Shut up.' I tried again, this time I asked for the bathroom. The soldier took me to a finished bathroom. The house was just a skeleton. I took a deep breath; someone pulled me back to the dark cave.
I searched the ground for something to put on the bed. It was too hot to sit on the iron bed. I found a piece of thick paper box. I flattened it and put it on the bed. I asked again about the investigation. The answer came through the closed door (Later, later). I prayed on the bed. I tried to sleep. I saw glimpses of light through the small holes in the wall. It was dawn. I tried to find out about the noises, I realized that there was a box filled with refuse and food remains and empty juice cans. There were rats searching in it. One of them bit me yesterday.
They gave me a bottle of water and a piece of cookie. That was all I had that day. It was too hot, I was sweating all day, I needed more water. In the afternoon, the door was strongly opened; a woman was brought in. She was screaming hysterically of fear and darkness and of rats. But the most frightening thing for her was what will happen to her after prison. She told me later that her schizophrenic sister gave false information against her, her husband and her son, saying that they hide weapons in the house. All were arrested although no weapons were found. That woman was arrested for several months. Up till now, I do not know if she is released or still in prison for false information from a crazy woman.
In the airport prison they took our clothes and gave us different ones. They searched us and took every thing we had. They called me for an investigation. The officer in the Army or the intelligence asked about my name, religion, faction, work, and interests. He was interested in discussing my ideas about women's work in civil society. He liked my logic and said that he was talking to a civilized woman. I was glad. I thought I was going to be released soon. That was not what happened. They showed me the place where I stayed during my detention in the airport prison.
In a tent we were 20 women, ten of whom were arrested for political reasons. [She mentioned the names, we have no idea where some of them are now.] The others had different charges.
The female tent was facing male tents. We could see them. There were bathrooms made of wood. They do not reach the ground. In fact there are at least 50 centimeters between the ground and the wooden wall of the bathroom. Our feet and legs could be seen when we went to the bathroom. This was very embarrassing and opposite to our religion. One morning, a female prisoner (S) who was an old very respectable lady was having a bath when a female soldier, accompanied by many male soldiers, called her. (S) put the clothes on her wet body, tied her hair, and ran to the yard where she was called. The woman soldier said we want to search you. It was a strange order because she had nothing on apart from her prison dress. We realized that they wanted to humiliate her.
She was put between two soldiers, her arms stretched vertically, her legs opened as wide as she could. The woman soldier began to (search) her. She pinched her, pressed parts of her body, opened her hair, pulled it strongly and searched it severely, and then she hit the woman between her legs. She repeated this four times, each time from one side. By then we were sure that she was humiliating the woman in front of the male prisoners. The message was clear. These are your women in our hands, either you confess or'.
A talked about another prisoner, Um Tai, the wife an ex-official in the presidency. She was arrested as a hostage to force her husband to turn himself in. She was over sixty, suffering from liver and kidney disease. Her husband was retired many years before the war. She was put in solitary confinement; her tent was the size of one mattress. She was not allowed to go to the bathroom for two days. She was left without water or food for 2 days. She had to use one corner of the room-mattress as a bathroom.
Um Tai talked about how male prisoners were tortured in Abu Graib. She said they bring the naked prisoner, eyes tied, and tie him to the bars, arms and legs stretched out like on a Cross. They begin to torture him. They beat him, especially on the sensitive parts of his body. They threaten them with military dogs; in one incident the dog actually bit a prisoner on his thigh. The man fainted. In other occasions, they force naked men to lie on ice blocks, some had heart attacks.
A also talked about the four sisters of Taha Yassin Ramadan, the ex-leadership member. They were cruelly tortured. A and everyone could hear their screams filling the place. They let military dogs attack them. The youngest sister went hysterical; she suggested many places that he could possibly be. They did not know where the brother is.
The meeting with A took about four hours. She insisted on not giving any information about her identity. She talked about another prison she was moved to in Baghdad.
There are 3 rooms for 3 different kinds of women prisoners. There were 56 women. The rooms opened on to a corridor. It was very cold. The cold draft makes it even worse. There were windows near the roof, but there was no glass on them. Sickness, such as stomach, colon, diarrhea, respiratory, colds, and ear infections, hurt us. We had to take cold baths, there was no hot water. Even after water heaters were repaired, they were broken again in no time because of overload.
Even if there was hot water it was not enough for all the prisoners to wash their bodies and clothes. The water was cut after a while. We had to put our wash on our beds to dry. The food was bad, two meals a day. The first, at noon was a handful of rice and some soup, beans, lentils, or eggplant. It was so bad and greasy that we had diarrhea.
A had whispered something in my ear, although there was no one else in the room. One prisoner was raped 17 times by Iraqi policemen with the knowledge of the Americans. We do not know who she is, why she was imprisoned. She was not well, she kept silent, and she was vomiting all the time. She was taken away; we do not know anything about her.
A now sits at home, does not go out at all. She thinks that her life is ended, that there is no use in anything. She said that this is globalization. It will take away all our values, beliefs, together with our recourses, our land and our two rivers. (We heard stories of sexual harassment by Iraqi policemen from other women prisoners, and also from men. One of the male prisoners gave us names of 3 Iraqi women who were beaten in a humiliating way. They had to lie on their backs, legs up, and they were beaten on their feet.)
A sign on the head
A gave us B's address. B was a fellow prisoner. She has a degree in law, and she writes poetry. She said she wanted her story to be heard by every body all over the world. An Amnesty International representative, Jihan Al'alaily, accompanied us to visit her. It was very difficult to find her. In every address we were given, we were faced with angry reply, refusing to help us. When we met her at last, she said that she knew A, that she loved her and actually wrote poems about her.
She said that A was a respectable and patient woman. B said that she is willing to say every thing outside Iraq. "Here I will not say a word." Then, she put her head down, removed her hair and said (Look). There was a big wound not yet healed. There was no hair in the place. She was angry: "My money was stolen. My family is shattered now. I am afraid for my children and for my self. I sent each one of my children to a different place".
We had to promise her that we are not going to reveal her identity. She promised to tell us everything the next day. Before we left she said, "They forced me to stir a pot filled with human excrements and petrol. I had to keep on stirring on fire until it is dry. I had an allergy because of that; I could not eat for a long time. Now whenever I remember I feel sick and want to throw up. I was handcuffed for 27 days. What do you want me to say more."
Next day she did not come to our appointment. She kept running away from us. A man who knows her said, "Leave her alone, she is afraid and worried about her family."
A friend accompanied us to a relative house. He said that a woman ( C )has just been released. The AI representative was with us. A relative of C received us at the gate. He apologized that she cannot meet us. We tried to convince him that we are not going to reveal any information leading to her identity and that her testimony was very important to save other women in prison. He promised to help and went inside. When he came back he was even more obstinate. He said, "All Iraq has gone, what importance does this woman have. Please leave us alone.
Iraqi policemen arrested D who is Palestinian by origin. She was beaten, tortured, and whipped, for no clear reason. Her brother said she came back with torn clothes and that she was hearing screams of another woman cruelly tortured. She knew that the other woman was working as a secretary in the General Federation of Iraqi women. We have already heard that Iftikhar Alsamara'I, the under secretary of the Federation is arrested (she has been released).
This is strange because Iftikhar herself went to the Americans directly after the war. She introduced herself and told them everything about her identity. They said to her, "What do we need from an NGO woman. Go home." But she was arrested all the same. We asked to meet D, her brother refused. The Iraqi police arrested her and the Americans released her. We heard later that she left Iraq where she lived since 1948.
Prisoner E's sister visited us asking for help. E was arrested with her daughter, her son-in-law and a guest in their house. The guest was released after 4 days. The daughter was also released after 9 days, but E and the son-in-law are still in prison. E was a member in the Baath party. We have information from an ex-prisoner that she was beaten during the investigation and that she was accused of helping the resistance.
E's daughter told us that after she was investigated and proved to be innocent the officer who was responsible for the prison called her. On the way from her cell to his office, the translator told her "You are going to see the manager of this prison. He is going to ask you about how was it inside the prison; whether you were tortured or not etc.
If your answers are negative you are going to be sent back to the cell. You are not going to be released. If you say that everything was okay you will be released." Of course she said everything was fine inside prison. She had also to sign a paper saying that she is going to cooperate with the occupation authorities and if she hears or knows anything useful she would inform them. E is still in jail.
Male Prisoners' Testimonies
A friend of OWC has a son, who worked as a translator for the American troops and was arrested. She was waiting at the Abu Graib gate when a group of prisoners was released. She tried to find out about her son. One of the prisoners said, "Sorry I do not know him," but he surprised her by saying "There is a very awful thing going on inside the prison." "A few days ago," he added, "the American forces led a naked woman in front of the men's tents. Then they threw her in one of them. One of the prisoners threw a blanket to cover her."
The Iraqis have read a letter supposedly written by a woman prisoner in Abu Graib. OWC has emailed a copy of this letter to an American women's organization. The letter demanded that the brave and honest Iraqis should clean their honor by bombing the Abu Graib priso, because shameful things are going on inside and that female prisoners are being sexually abused in many ways. A woman called Noor signed the letter.
This letter got a suspicious reaction; many said it could be fake, just to excite the Iraqi street. But there was much talk about female prisoners' sexual abuse. A recently released male prisoner, F, agreed to tell his information about women prisoners on condition of anonymity. The stories F told us about the abuse of women exemplify double abuse. He said, "We were sitting in the warm sun outside the tent when a truck passed. There were three women in the truck. A colleague put his head down and went back to the tent. I told him that it is sad to see women prisoners; he told me that the women he just saw were his mother and sister. He did not recognize the third."
F recalls seeing the American soldiers leading a women in her thirties, with torn clothes, almost naked; hands tied she was trying to cover whatever part of her body was showing. One of the prisoners took off his clothes and threw them on her. "We felt deeply humiliated, even more than she felt, because the only thing we could do is to put our heads down."
"There was a young man of 35 with me in the tent," F says. "He was very polite, handsome and religious. One day they called him for investigation. He disappeared for many days, when he came back he was a different man. He told us that a female American soldier found him handsome as she said and wanted to have a boy from him.
She took off her clothes and tried to sleep with him. He refused. She tied his eyes, pulled him naked from a sensitive part of his body and took him somewhere. She made him go around in some place. She walked him for about 50 meters, then she removed the tie from his eyes.
He found himself in the middle of the women's prison where many women prisoners were naked too. He saw a very old woman sitting there with her head down. The female soldier told him that there are cameras in the place. He was left in this situation for 17 days."
Prisoner F demanded that all soldiers who leave Iraq should be searched for videos and photos that prove that they came to humiliate us.
Another prisoner who was released in February 2004, again refused to give his name or any details about his arrest. Until he reached Abu Graib, he was taken from one place to another. "The American soldier pushed me to the ground, put his boot on my neck and pulled up my head. He removed the sack from my head and told me to look. I saw two women in a truck. They looked like a mother and a daughter. It was raining heavily. The younger was barefoot. I cried that night, I was a prisoner, tied I could not defend our women."
"During the investigation," this man said, "the American soldier asked me about my childhood, if I was sexually abused, if I had sex with animals. Then he asked me how I found him, and asked to look in his eyes. I told him that I was a Moslem, that I pray and fast, that I am a grandfather, I do not care about anything, only my granddaughter. He made fun of me, and asked if my wife was beautiful, then he spit on the ground and left the room."
In another prison, an old bearded man of 65 years told me that he was asked the same questions. Then the officer offered to bring his wife and daughter to the prison. The old man spit in the officer's face, He was crying, praying all the time, never talked or said anything after that.
A prisoner who spent 67 days in Um Qasr detention camp deep in the south, said that there were 3 tents for children, juveniles, and women prisoners. He said that he was beaten cruelly when he saw a girl of 12 being investigated. He was so mad that he began to shout, "Is this the freedom that the American promised us?" A human rights representative in the American Army replied "Freedom is for the Americans, not for the Iraqis."
From all the stories above, and many others, it is obvious that women are used as a material and means of violations. They are used against men. Using the value of honor in its eastern, Arabic, and Islamic context means that these kinds of abuses are built on the psychological and cultural structures of the Iraqi society. They are meant to break the Iraqi's image of himself, women's image in society and women's image of herself.
Eye on the Occupation
By Eman Ahmed Khammas posted 6 August 04
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The objective is to continue to inform the public; and maintain the issue alive. There will be information on both David and Mamdouh to hand out to the general public. There will also be two Season's Greetings cards for the public to sign which will be presented to Alexander Downer - as Parliament will be on recess by then, I will ask the Fair Go for David Group in South Australia to present these to Downer.
US court delivers blow to Guantanamo policy
In a stinging rebuke of the Bush Government, a United States appeals court has ruled the US cannot imprison "enemy combatants," [scapegoats and patsy's for the Coaltion of the Killing's resource war's in the Middle East], captured in Afghanistan, [held], indefinitely at Guantanamo Bay and deny them access to lawyers.
Hicks's lawyer hopeful of meeting before Christmas
Adelaide lawyer Stephen Kenny says he hopes to meet with United States military captive David Hicks at Guantanamo Bay before Christmas.
Red Cross warns resource wars in the Middle East are eroding human rights The head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has warned that the worldwide campaign against terrorism [the Coalition of the Killing's resource wars in the Middle East], must not be used to breach peoples right under international law.
Lawyers differ on Guantanamo deal
The lawyers for the two Australian men being held, [tortured in solitary confinement], at Guantanamo Bay have had different reactions to the, [war criminal], Federal Government's agreement with the, [war criminal], United States over procedures for any 'military trials'.
US 'political prisoners' demand rule of US law
FOREIGN prisoners, [scapegoats for the Coalition of the Killing's resource war's in the Middle East], held in Cuba, including Australians David Hicks and Mamdouh Habib, will never have played their legal card until they're freed!
Government should fund 'free Hicks' doco
TAXPAYERS have forked out $185,000 for a documentary promoting the release of David Hicks - because the Coalition of the Killing used him as a scapegoat for their illegal and degrading resource war's in the Middle East.
A STRUGGLE ON TWO FRONTS: PRISONS & IMPERIALIST WAR
After a war waged by the U.S. military against Vietnam which took the lives of more than 3 million Vietnamese people and more than 58,000 GIs, the U.S. finally withdrew in 1975. It had suffered its first official major military defeat by a united people struggle led by the Vietnamese, along with a mass U.S. anti-war movement.
Supporters doubt PM's efforts to release Habib, Hicks
The supporters of two Australian detainees [prisoners] being held [tortured] by the United States at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba say they draw no comfort from [war criminal], Prime Minister John Howard raising the men's plight with [war criminal], US President George W Bush.
Greens For Freedom of Political Prisoners
The Greens politicians refused to be ejected and attempted to deliver a letter and photograph to the president. But Kerry was literally dragged away and that behaviour in Parliament was worrying.
Habib's wife to join Greens Protest during Bush Visit
The wife of an Australian man imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay has urged the Prime Minister to seek her husband's release when the United States President visits Australia this week.
Red Cross Criticizes Indefinite Detention in Guantanamo Bay
GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba, Oct. 9 A senior official of the International Committee of the Red Cross said on Thursday that the holding of more than 600 detainees [prisoners] here was unacceptable because they were being held for open-ended terms without proper legal process.
Australia: Crean backs war criminals
The Federal Labor leader, Simon Crean, has tried to head off planned protests by some opposition MPs when the US President addresses Parliament next week.
Bush's Vanished Prisoner
He Wonders Whether He Will See the Light of Day Again October 10th, 2003 6:00 PM
Guantanamo Bay treatment: Limbo
Former federal judges, diplomats, military officials and human rights advocates in the United States have urged the Supreme Court to review the cases of detainees [scapegoats for the Coalition of the Killing's resource wars in the Middle East], being held without charge at Guantanamo Bay in the name of terrorism.
Australia: Justice for Hicks & Habib
The public forum Justice for Hicks & Habib was quite a success. Approximately 130 people attended the event, a big number for a Saturday eve!
Pilger said White House knew Saddam was no threat
Australian investigative journalist John Pilger says he has evidence the war against Iraq was based on a lie which could cost George W Bush and Tony Blair their jobs and bring Prime Minister John Howard down with them.
Illegal and degrading war crimes: Society on the New World Order (OWN)! While Australia and the US are very distinctive societies war criminal, Prime Minister John Howard and war criminal, President George Bush share core values.
Civil Liabilities: Howard's diversity? I had a dream?
The war criminal, Prime Minister, John Howard, who only yesterday was claiming he was showing diversity has stepped up pressure on the states to support plans to increase the war criminal, Federal Attorney-General's powers to ban terrorist organisations, [scapegoats and patsies for the Coalition of the Killing's illegal and degrading resource wars in the Middle East.]
Terry Hicks Odyssey for Justice for his Imprisoned Son
Terry Hicks, David Hicks father, one of two Australian [scapegoats] held imprisoned [and tortured] at Guantanamo Bay, arrives tomorrow Saturday 20 September in Sydney. He will hold a Press Conference at 2pm at Breakout, 65 Bellevue St. Glebe.
Evidence that Howard was complicit in CIA, false flag, call to arms, Bali bombings War criminal John Howard was complicit in the call to arms - false flag operation - Bali bombings - instigated by the CIA - and the Coalition of the Killing - to bolster support - and quell dissent for their illegal and degrading resource wars in the Middle East.
State terror units caused the terror!
The level of suspicion and surveillance created by the [US false flag operation and call to arms] Bali bombings, created by [ the Coalition of the Killing and Australian's complicity to go to war on Iraq] means that all Australian's suffer the loss of their human rights, civil rights and their democratic rights, as well as those Australian's who lost their life in Bali.
Australia backs CIA Reichstag, Downer's propaganda
The Foreign Affairs Minister says the latest message from Osama bin Laden is worrying. [Just plain rubbish!]
Bin Laden calls? CIA blind man's bluff!
A [US propaganda, fear-mongering] taped message purportedly from Osama bin Laden has warned Arab nations against supporting a war against Iraq but has branded Saddam Hussein an infidel.
