U.S. Says Russia Gave Iraq Intelligence Before Invasion

Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, before the U.S.-led invasion (file photo) (CTK) March 24, 2006 -- A just-released U.S. Defense Department report says Russia gave Saddam Hussein's government information on American troop movements --> http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2006/03/D8735EB4-4D37-4E6C-B75E-C21851D667E6.html and targets during the invasion of Iraq in March, 2003.

The report says intelligence was given to the Iraqi foreign minister by Russia's ambassador to Iraq, who in turn sent the information to Hussein in a memo on April 2, 2003.

The report was compiled by the Pentagon Joint Forces Command. It is based on thousands of seized documents and interviews with senior Iraqi military officials.

The April 2 memo to Hussein, who was ousted as president by the invasion, said that the "Americans were moving to cut off Baghdad from the south, east, and north."

(compiled from agency reports)

See the original documents: here and here.