The CIA has been inside AL-CIA-DA since 1984

[Jesse Hemingway]

Sheikh Abdullah Azzam, bin Laden’s mentor, creates an organization called Maktab al-Khidamat (MAK), known in English as the Services Office. It is also known as Al-Kifah. This organization will become a key node in the private funding network for the Afghan war. [New York Times, 1/14/2001] Donors will include the Saudi intelligence agency, the Saudi Red Crescent, the Muslim World League, and private donors, including Saudi princes. [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 9/23/2001] MAK/Al-Kifah begins fundraising in the US one year later (see 1985-1989). CAIR (Council on American-Islamic Relations) Executive Director Nihad Awad was leader in the IAP (Islamic Association for Palestine). ISNA (Islamic Society of North America)affiliates, such as IAP and the MAYA (Muslim Arab Youth Association), hosted Abdullah Azzam and arranged his visits to Islamic centers throughout the United States. The purpose of Azzam’s visits was to recruit and raise funds for American sponsored jihad warriors fighting the Soviet troops in Afghanistan. [New Republic, 2/27/2007]
Entity Tags: http://www.cooperativeresearch.org/entity.jsp?entity=abdullah_azzam

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[Linkster]

While Im sure most in the US dont know about those connections - some of us are very familiar with bin laden and his work with the CIA - back when papa bush was the director they even gave him a tour of military bases here in the US

[moonman]

That's the part I've never understood. A couple California whackjobs can infiltrate al Qaida and one even rise to position of press secretary; yet the CIA and/or DIA can't infiltrate al Qaida? Kinda of a stretch, no?