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Iraq claims U.S. created anthrax scare Copyright APonline

The Nando Times' anthrax coverage

By SAMEER N. YACOUB, Associated Press

BAGHDAD, Iraq (October 20, 2001 5:31 p.m. EDT) - An Iraqi government newspaper claimed Saturday that the United States government organized the global anthrax scare to gain support for its war on terror.

In addition, Saddam Hussein accused the U.S. of 11 years of terrorism against Iraq through sanctions and by aiding the Baghdad regime's enemies.

Saddam's comments came in what the official Iraqi News Agency said was a response to a letter from an American who asked him to try to improve Iraqi-U.S. relations in order to solve disputes and fight terrorism.

"Do you know that your administration has been promoting terrorism against us, calling for ending our regime by force and allocating funds for this purpose," the agency quoted Saddam as saying in his response.

The Iraqi president said the United States, which regards his regime as a sponsor of terrorism, targets Iraq because it refuses to comply with U.S. policies in the Middle East.

He also denounced the U.S.-supported U.N. trade sanctions imposed on his country after its 1990 invasion of Kuwait, which led to Iraq's defeat at the hands of a U.S.-led coalition the 1991 Persian Gulf War.

Saddam accused successive U.S. administrations of "committing acts of genocide against Iraq by imposing the 11 years of sanctions that led to the killing of 1.5 million people."

Iraq has repeatedly claimed the sanctions have killed more than 1 million people. However, Iraq is allowed to use oil revenues to buy humanitarian goods, and U.S. officials say Saddam has let is own people go hungry by failing to take full advantage of that.

Saddam also said the United States has failed to provide proof linking Osama bin Laden to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and denounced the U.S.-led military operations in Afghanistan.

"Those who attack people with missiles should expect someone to try to seek revenge for his people and dignity," the agency quoted Saddam as saying. It said the letter to Saddam was from Christopher J. Love, of Pennsylvania.

In an editorial, the Iraqi government daily Al-Jumhuriya accused the U.S. administration of being behind the global anthrax scare, saying that "America is in need for any new pretext to continue its aggression."

U.S. officials have not determined the origin of anthrax that has infected several people in the United States since the Sept. 11 attacks, and say there is no evidence so far that it is associated with a weapons program. Iraq is believed to have experimented with anthrax as a weapon.

-- Anonymous, October 20, 2001

Answers

How many palaces does Saddam have now?

-- Anonymous, October 21, 2001