Josh Marshall: Yellowcake documents were forged by Italian Government

[geek tragedy]

I think this belongs in LBN, but if it doesn't feel free to move:

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/archives/week_2004_08_01.php#003235

Essentially, Berlusconi's spies deliberately fed the CIA false information to exaggerate Saddam's nuclear capability and ambitions.

Who wants to bet that this was a personal favor to either aWol or Cheny from Berlusconi.

<snip>
In early 2000, the ‘security consultant’ was approached by a former colleague from SISMI whom he'd known for some twenty five years. This current SISMI officer told him that he had a source in the Nigerien Embassy in Rome, that they (i.e. SISMI) had no more use for her, but that she could be a source of valuable information for him if he put her on a monthly retainer. They were washing their hands of her, he said. But she could be of use to him.

The ‘security consultant’ met with the woman in question and agreed to pay her 500 euros a month for various documents and materials which came into her hands in the course of her work for the Embassy. Most of the material in question had nothing to do with Iraq or WMD. It dealt primarily with immigration into Italy and Islamist activities in North and Central Africa --- topics of concern to at least one of the 'security consultant's' longstanding clients.

What wasn’t clear at the time, however, was that SISMI hadn’t washed their hands of this Niger Embassy employee at all. She remained a SISMI asset. In fact, the relationship which the SISMI officer had set up was intended to serve as a conduit through which SISMI could conceal its role in the dissemination of what proved to be disinformation.

This was how the forged documents came into the security consultant’s hands.
<snip>