Iraqi camp trained Islamic militants to take over a plane
Two defecting Iraqi spies say a secret government camp in the country trained Islamic militants to hijack a plane.
They claim the training in the camp, south of Baghdad, has been in operation since 1995. It was aimed at carrying out attacks against neighbouring countries and the West.
One of them, a former general and senior officer in the Iraqi intelligence service, claims the terrorist teams were trained to take over a plane without using weapons.
They did not know if the Islamic militants being trained at the camp, known as Salman Pak, were linked to Osama bin Laden.
They also told the New York Times and US PSB programme Frontline they had no knowledge of specific attacks carried out by the militants.
The defectors say they knew of a highly guarded compound within the camp where Iraqi scientists, led by a German, produced biological agents.
The former general said: "These Islamic radicals were a scruffy lot. They needed a lot of training, especially physical training. But from speaking with them it was clear they came from a variety of countries, including Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Algeria, Egypt and Morocco."
"We were training these people to attack installations important to the United States. The gulf war never ended for Saddam Hussein. He is at war with the United States. We were repeatedly told this."
