Dr. Ahmed Chalabi: We organize ourselves along the platform of democracy, human rights, renunciation of weapons of mass destruction, renunciation of terror, or renunciation of aggression as state policy. We went to establish ourselves inside Iraq territory in 1992, and we operated from inside Iraq to bring the message of democracy and human rights to the Iraqi people and bring out the horrors that Saddam has committed against the Iraqi, and also to work for the overthrow of Saddam through our operations inside the country.

Fitton: And your operation inside the country, it’s not just propaganda. At a certain point in time, you were fighting his forces.

Chalabi: We made a very serious military challenge to Saddam in Iraq. We fought his forces. We defeated his forces and a great many of Iraqi soldiers in the Iraqi army came over to our side soldiers and officers.

Fitton: You know, when I say you’re a great man, I don’t say that generally about folks who come on the program, but my guess is Saddam Hussein, who’s killed other opponents who are abroad, would like nothing better than to see you and your colleagues disappear from the face of the earth. Am I correct?

Chalabi: He would like that.

Fitton: What if we had done in Iraq in the aftermath of the Gulf War the same thing we did in Afghanistan after September 11?

Chalabi: The United States squandered a chance in the Gulf War in 1991, Saddam lost control of 14 out of 18 provinces in Iraq. His security forces were in tatters, and he could have been overthrown easily. The people rose up against him. The United States chose to permit him to fly combat helicopters and to suggest to him that he could move his tanks through American lines and he used the opportunity to suppress the Iraqi people. Then in 1995, we challenged Saddam’s military on the ground, as soldiers came over to us, and the commanders were waiting to see a sign that the United States would support the operation. But then again, the United States chose not to support this operation.

Fitton: If you were to guess, do you believe the Afghanistan strategy will now be applied by the U.S. in the near future?

Chalabi: Saddam is a threat. He’s a terrorist and he builds weapons of mass destruction. I do not think that the United States is in a position to ignore this threat to its international position and its national security. The best way to go further to get to Saddam, is to adopt this plan and we are working to persuade people to go forward with it.

Fitton: What is the status of the opposition in Iraq? Describe what it would be like if you were, for instance, on the inside. What would be happening to you and your family and folks associated with your movement?

Chalabi: Well, Saddam has no hesitation to kill as many people as he thinks is necessary for him to maintain himself in power. He has a great track record on this issue. We understand this and we are working to eliminate this threat to the Iraqi people. We want to get rid of him. Being in Iraq, working in Iraq means for us confronting Saddam on a daily basis and getting rid of him. That is what we want to do and that is what we aim to achieve sooner rather than later.

Fitton: The big question is his role in the September 11th attacks. Judicial Watch has sued Iraq on behalf of one of the victims, in addition to bin Laden and al Qaeda. One of the things we found was that they were working hand in glove in many respects, and Saddam decided that bin Laden was just a tool against the United States. You have actually made the point that the relationship between September 11th and Saddam Hussein and the highjackers is actually as strong, if not stronger, than even bin Laden¹s connection. Is that correct?

Chalabi: In the public record that is available, there are definite links between the highjackers and the pilots of the planes and Saddam¹s Intelligence Service. It is also now accepted that Mohammed Atta went to Czechoslovakia and met the Arab Intelligence Service there twice. The last time he did so was on April 8, 2001, only five months before he was due to execute his deed, his terrible deed.

Fitton: So you’re not saying that bin Laden isn’t connected to this. You’re saying that, in the public records, you’ve got evidence of the meeting with Iraqi agents, but not necessarily of bin Laden directly.

Chalabi: Of course, the British government and the United States government have accepted that bin Laden is associated. That, of course, is not disputed. However, we say that in the public record, Saddam is linked in this and we believe that this should be investigated.

Fitton: Well, the debate here in the United States is do we go after Iraq quickly and, of course, I believe that we should, certainly based on the evidence you’re presenting. But the opponents of that say, "Look, we’ve got to focus on al Qaeda and to go after Iraq at this time would be too difficult." Do you believe that the U.S. can easily topple Saddam Hussein based on the level of support that you and other opposition groups have within the country?

Chalabi: The only quarrel the Iraqi people have with the United States is that it’s not doing enough to rid them of this tyrant. The Iraqi people will rise up against Saddam. We can organize the removal of Saddam from power. Saddam is a totalitarian regime. A totalitarian government and modern totalitarian governments in the 20th century, all of them, were deposed only after the United States took an active role in confronting them and bringing them down. That happened with Nazi Germany, it happened with militaristic Japan, and it happened with the Soviet Union, and the entire Eastern block. The situation in Iraq can be brought to a successful and favorable conclusion by getting rid of Saddam if the United States pursues support for the Democratic operation in Iraq led by the Iraqi National Congress.

Fitton: What happens if we don’t act?

Dr. Chalabi: You had a whiff of the consequences of an anthrax attack in the United States, a limited effort. Saddam has tons of anthrax which he has developed. Saddam has made small containers of anthrax and he’s storing them in private homes and factories, in wells all over the country. Those things cannot be uncovered by inspectors. Iraqi defectors work in these programs who are saying these things now, giving us the details, pinpointing where these things are stored and it is impossible for an international inspection to come from outside and try to uncover those things. It doesn’t work. Saddam is prepared to use those weapons of mass destruction. Saddam is developing small advanced technical means of delivery of these weapons of mass destruction and Saddam, above all, has demonstrated his complete readiness to use weapons of mass destruction against the people of Iraq, the people of his own country.

Fitton: Dr. Ahmed Chalabi, who is the head of the Iraqi opposition to Saddam Hussein, thank you for joining us on the Judicial Watch Report and God speed in your work.