U.S. authorities knew of Shi'a militia bomb making cell in Iraq and permitted it to continue its terrorist attacks without interference

Wayne Madsen Report

"WMR has been informed by a former private military contractor in Iraq that the United States was aware of the identities and even the cell phone numbers of several bomb making operatives within Muqtada al Sadr's Mehdi Army. The bomb cells were reponsible for detonating a number of bombs in Iraq that targeted Sunnis and coalition personnel, including Americans.

WMR has been provided with not only details of the U.S. allowing the Mehdi Army bomb cell to operate but also information on high level contract fraud involving companies based in Dubai, Qatar, Kuwait, Britain, the United States, Australia, and South Africa. The fraud included Kellogg, Brown & Root (KBR), the former subsidiary of Halliburton, both headed up by Dick Cheney before he became Vice President.

What is emerging from this early investigation is that the United States permitted an international contingent of mercenaries and fraudsters to operate openly and without interference in Iraq, especially in Baghdad's Green Zone. Not only did International Zone (IZ) police ignore the corruption and other illegal activities but also actively engaged in them. The corruption and other illegal activities were also countenanced by top officers of the Multi-National Security Transition Command - Iraq (MNSTCI), CIA, and the British military and Foreign Office. General George Casey, now Army chief of staff, and General David Petraeus, former U.S. military commander in Iraq and now head of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), were also named by our source as key players in the fraud and abuse.

There is also credible information that some of the mercenaries, including ex-U.S. Marine Corps personnel, are now operating in Somalia as "maritime security" advisers but may also be involved in providing cover to Somali "pirate" hijackers in the region.

A number of the personnel involved as private military contractors also exhibited racist behavior toward Iraqi employees.

WMR has received a copy of an email sent by an official of one private military contractor to an Iraqi sub-contractor employee. Part of the email follows.....

"....we overpaid you on two occassions [sic] and you kept the money..you are a cheat..you are an Ali Baba of the first degree... "...."