Nexus - 0302 - New Times Magazine-pages

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while the Islamic jihad has Iranian members (and has made use of Ishaq Kha (Chairman of the Senate under Zia's administration). Iran and Libya as safe havens), the major influences come from Her comparatively secure position is attributed by many to be as a Afghanistan, Pakistan, Egypt and Algeria. In Afghanistan and result of her belief in intelligence and her ruthless approach to Pakistan, fundamentalism could not have bloomed without the global politics. It is clear that she has no illusions as to who is CIA's covert assistance—a fact that is apparent when one exam- _ behind the promotion of Islamic terrorism. For just before her ines the history of the area. recent visit to the US, she held a press conference where she stat- In July 1977, Pakistan's Prime Minister, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, ed: "The question that arises is, who was the mastermind that saw was overthrown in a CIA-backed coup led by General Mohammed __ that the World Trade Center should be bombed and that I should Zia Al-Hagq. It is his daughter Benazir Bhutto's belief that the be eliminated from the [1993] elections...? I would feel that it is motive behind this coup and Zulfikar's subsequent execution, lay _ those individuals who were involved in the Afghan jihad because in his initiation of a nuclear technology program (with Gaullist they were then brainwashed [literally (author's note)] to believe France's assistance)—a decision that Henry Kissinger, in person, that it was the duty of any Muslim to spread Islam through had warned could lead to Pakistan being turned into a “horrible __ terror." example”. Once Zia had obtained control, the CIA promptly It would seem that her remarks and subsequent comments, moved in en masse, and its overseas station pm which, in political speech, translate as "I in Pakistan soon became its largest.’ This have a secret: shall I reveal it?", hit a nerve. action resulted out of National Security | The arms embargo, imposed upon Pakistan Adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski’s desire to 4 for Benazir Bhutto's continuation of engage the Soviet Union in what he termed The sudden goodwill Pakistan's nuclear program, was lifted.” The “their Vietnam": the Afghanistan war.* a. slim majority of US Congress's agreement to In a move to recruit soldiers for the towards Pakistan do so indicates the presence of severe lobby- Afghanistan civil war, the CIA and Zia . ing upon the issue. As a consequence, encouraged the region's Islamic people to makes tt clear that Pakistan will now receive delivery of think of the conflict in terms of a jihad (holy . . US$368 million in military equipment pur- war). Thus was fundamentalism promoted. interested par ties do chased under the Zia previ sy and the In retum, General Zia, surfing on his image | not want the issue of revival of tens of millions of dollars worth of as the great Islamic crusader, built up a loyal | economic aid and US loans. It shall probably following amongst the Pushwar people who | the New York Trade also mean greater International Monetary inhabited the border of Pakistan and | * Fund-provided assistance. As far as Afghanistan. General Zia was quick to F Center bombing to Congress is aware, Pakistan is not required to utilise their loyalty to staff his army and e H do anything in return. security forces. However, Zia was not resurfac In The sudden goodwill towards inept enough to know when a good particular, the US Pakistan makes it clear that interested thing was coming to an end. ° . . 1 parties do not want the issue of the New The arrival of glasnost meant noth- intelligence Services York Trade Center bombing to resur- ing to Zia and he continued to preach * face—in particular, the US intelligence the message that had secured his connection to the services’ connection to the accused power. General Zia appeared not even 1 Egyptian and Pakistani bombers. to have had a glimmer of suspicion accused Egyptian and In 1981, following the assassination when the US, via the Council on Pakistani bombers. of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, | Foreign Relations (another control tool America and Egypt chose to step up of Kissinger and Brzezinski), lobbied their infiltration of the Egyptian-based for the release of Benazir Bhutto from fundamentalists*—a move that house arrest in 1984. The elected occurred partly out of the CIA's desire spokesmen for this task were US to avoid another Sadat, and partly to Democrat Rhode Island Senator utilise it as a propaganda weapon Clairborne Pell, Edward Kennedy, and the State Department's _ against Libya and Iran (and now Iraq). Thus, by the nineties, the Peter Galbraith (a college classmate of Benazir Bhutto).‘ situation in Egypt was such that no militant could go to the toilet The Kennedy clout aside, it was an interesting selection. without the Egyptian or US intelligence services knowing about it. Clairborne Pell's past was as a member of the intelligence sub- The actual degree of the infiltration's success is best demonstrat- committee, where, on 26th July 1972, he had chaired questions on ed by the 1995 trial of the New York World Trade Center environmental war (rainmaking)’, whereas Peter Galbraith's future (accused) bombers. The prosecution evidence includes videotape lay in diplomatic service as Ambassador to Croatia.’ footage taken by an Egyptian intelligence-service informer.'* The Benazir Bhutto's initial release would prove useful in undermin- _ witness denies that he is an Egyptian intelligence agent; however, ing Zia's control, and in 1985 she won the General Assembly elec- US officials admit "he is no choir boy". The informer is to tions. Though Zia would contest the results, he remained a threat receive over US$2 million dollars for his assistance. to Bhutto (and an embarrassment to America) until his plane This is an interesting contradiction of US law which states that crashed the following year. Many suspect the ‘accident’ of being _ it is illegal to use American taxpayers’ money to pay a bribe to a engineered.? convicted murderer. Despite Benazir Bhutto's assistance in undermining Zia's influ- In Algeria and France, the current ‘Islamic’ hotspots, the Islamic ence, she was clearly not the Council on Foreign Relations’ guerrillas likewise have been encouraged by forces with ulterior desired puppet. For it was not until 1993 (two dismissed govern- motives. Fundamentalists are receiving intelligence and logistical ments and two assassination attempts later) that Benazir was able support from right-wing elements within France's own govern- to wrestle control away from Zia's number two, President Ghulam ment. To date, Jean Louis Débre, the French Interior Minister, has Center bombing to resurface—in particular, the US intelligence services' connection to the 16 « NEXUS FEBRUARY-MARCH 1996