Pentagon: Russia provided information to Iraq

March 26, 2006 The Pentagon claims that Saddam Hussein received intelligence from a Russian ambassador about United States plans and movements during the opening days of the 2003 Iraq invasion. Russia's foreign intelligence service has denied the allegations in a statement issued Friday stating "Similar, baseless allegations concerning Russia's intelligence have been made more than once. We don't consider it necessary to comment on such fabrications."

A report released by the Pentagon on Friday states that Russia had a source inside the US Central Command base in Doha, Qatar, who passed information to Russia's ambassador to Iraq. It is alleged that the ambassador provided the information to Hussein. The intelligence passed to Hussein provided information on US military plans, troop numbers, units and locations.

The report does not comment on the value or accuracy of the information which was allegedly leaked to Hussein. The Pentagon claims that the report is based on Iraqi documents and interviews with Iraqi officials. A Pentagon staffer who assisted in compiling the report, Brigadier General Anthony Cucolo, stated that there was no evidence that Russia has a spy inside Central Command. He further added that key details provided to Hussein were incorrect.