Barbara Ferguson, Arab News

WASHINGTON, 6 June 2004 — Here’s an interesting twist on Ahmed Chalabi: He was a front man used by Iranian intelligence to deceive the US into believing that Saddam Hussein, Iran’s archenemy, had weapons of mass destruction.

This very serious allegation was run by several US and Israeli papers last week. They quote American intelligence and law enforcement sources saying their agencies are investigating the possibility that the former Iraqi exile leader was used by Iranian intelligence.

Chalabi, until recently the darling of the Bush administration’s hawkish neocons wing, was considered the most likely choice to head Iraq once Saddam Hussein was overthrown. Last month, the Pentagon cut off his $340,000 monthly stipend, and security forces raided his Baghdad home and offices.

Earlier this week it was widely reported that American intelligence officials believed Chalabi informed an Iranian official that the US had broken the secret communications code of Tehran’s intelligence service.

Chalabi on Thursday accused George Tenet — who resigned as CIA chief earlier in the day — of being behind the accusations. “I denied these charges and I will deny them again,” Chalabi told the Associated Press. He attacked Tenet, saying his policies in Iraq over the past 10 years “caused the death of hundreds of Iraqis” and he “provided erroneous information about weapons of mass destruction to President Bush.”

Ironically, Chalabi is using the same charge that many have leveled against him. For years Chalabi urged the US to oust Saddam. His Iraqi National Congress reportedly passed on pre-war intelligence contending that Saddam had weapons of mass destruction. This intelligence is now suspect as no weapons of mass destruction have been found.

But far more damning are allegations that Chalabi passed on Iranian disinformation about Iraq to Washington — with the aim of obtaining American support for regime change in Baghdad.

That allegation was first mentioned in the New York-based Newsday late last month, and since then expanded accounts have appeared around the world.

Larry Johnson, a former CIA analyst, told Forward that the CIA had repeatedly warned US officials about Chalabi’s Iranian connections, but was ignored by the Pentagon.

Whatever the truth, what does that mean for Chalabi’s political future? Observers here believe that Chalabi could benefit from criticism from Washington, as this could bolster his image among Iraqis disgruntled with the US occupation.