Celebi Holds CIA Responsible For His Fate

Celebi, a member of the Iraqi Temporary Governing Council member and the leader of Iraq National Congress (INC), said on CNN last night that claims he leaked intelligence information to Iran are unfounded. Celebi accused the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), George Tenet, of harboring old grudges against the INC and therefore making up lies that Celebi colluded with the Iranians.

Celebi responded to the accusations that he leaked intelligence information to Iran: "Neither I, nor other members of INC, ever leaked information from the U.S. to Iran. This is an accusation made by George Tenet. I am saying let Tenet bring all of his documents and accusations to the U.S. Congress, while we bring ours as well. Let’s have Congress settle the issue. We think that Congress is the place to solve this problem. Our records will be cleared there."

Celebi disclosed that the bad blood between him and Tenet goes back ten years. Celebi said that the CIA had planned overthrow Saddam Hussein in 1994; however, INC said no to this plan and instead insisted on a U.S.-supported national independence war. Celebi went on to say that despite that, Tenet attempted to depose Hussein many times and failed. Celebi stressed that the INC had warned Tenet that failure was likely. Celebi added that Tenet had particular problems with INC Chief of Intelligence, Aras Kerim Habib.

To the contrary, American intelligence officials defended that the information to which Celebi had access was known by only a select few and that he therefore must have been the person who leaked this information to Iran. While Celebi concedes that he meet with Iranians, he points that the INC works with many leaders in the region and holds frequent meetings.