Saddam terror threat was limited: Ex-MI5 chief
By ANITuesday, July 20, 2010
LONDON - Former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein only had limited ability to mount terrorist attacks in the UK before the invasion of Iraq, according to Baroness Manningham-Buller, former MI5 deputy director-general.
Manningham-Buller said MI5 assessed that Saddam would only use chemical or biological weapons against Western targets “if he felt the survival of his regime was in doubt”.
“In these circumstances, his preferred option would be to use conventional military delivery systems against targets in the region rather than terrorism,” The Independent quoted her, as saying.
Baroness Manningham-Buller wrote: “If Saddam were to initiate a terrorist campaign, we assess that Iraqi capability to mount attacks in the UK is currently limited. We are aware of no Iraqi intelligence (DGI) officers based in the UK. There are up to (blanked out) DGI agents here who report on anti-regime activities. But most of these agents lack the inclination or capability to mount terrorist attacks.”
“So if the DGI wished to mount attacks in the UK it would need to import teams (blanked out) from overseas,” she added. (ANI)
