Khaberni - The former Jordanian Prime Minister, the late Ahmad Obeidat, recounted in his testimony to «Al Sharq Al Awsat» which was recorded before his death early this month, details in the last episode of the background of his meetings with the late Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and the late Syrian President Hafez al-Assad, and the details of the assassination attempt by the latter's brother, Rifaat al-Assad, on the former Jordanian Prime Minister Mudar Badran.
Obeidat shared his impression of Saddam Hussein after their meeting in Baghdad in 2001, saying that he emerged convinced that the Iraqi President «did not accurately know the reality of the international situation, the trap that was set for Iraq, and did not comprehend the magnitude of the danger looming over Iraq and coming upon it».
He noted that the good relations between the late King Hussein and Hafez al-Assad deteriorated when the Iraq-Iran war began to unfold, and «exceptional communication channels» opened between King Hussein and Saddam Hussein, «which thwarted Assad's efforts to build an axis against Iraq».
Obeidat revealed that Rifaat al-Assad, commander of «Saraya el-Difa’a», «sent a group to assassinate Mudar Badran" the then Jordanian Prime Minister, «because Jordan harbored the Muslim Brotherhood and training camps, and all his statements were incorrect», confirming that the attempt was foiled and the perpetrators were arrested.
In discussing the Palestinian leader who defected from «Fatah», Abu Nidal, Obeidat recalls how «Abu Iyad» protected him from arrest, before «the tables turned against the sorcerer», implying that Abu Iyad later became one of his victims.
The text of the third and final episode follows:
What is your story with Abu Nidal, and was Abu Nidal a tough opponent?
- Yes, indeed. He was not an easy opponent. He attacked some of our embassies and ambassadors, leading to the deaths of two or three ambassadors. He was also behind the assassination of the son of former Prime Minister Said al-Mufti, who was a diplomat at the Jordanian embassy in Bucharest. He caused injuries to two ambassadors in multiple operations. When I became the Prime Minister during (1983 - 1984), Abu Nidal assassinated Fahd al-Qawasmi, the mayor of Hebron, who was visiting Amman.
Of course, Abu Nidal worked for the Syrians, and also for the Iraqis, then with the Libyans. Unfortunately, those who protected him at one stage ended up killing him. Indeed, Abu Iyad protected him. But in the end, Abu Iyad was one of Abu Nidal's victims.
Protected him from what?
- Protected him from arrest. «Fatah» wanted to arrest him, and in the end, the tables turned against the sorcerer. And Abu Iyad became a victim of Abu Nidal. It is said that Abu Iyad had come to believe that at that stage Abu Nidal was working for Zionist intelligence.
Abu Nidal was ready to work for the benefit of any intelligence agency in any country and allowed them to dominate him. Thus, Syrian, Iraqi, and Libyan intelligence used him more than once, and he exploited his group to serve his agenda and interests. Indeed, he carried out multiple operations, I can't recall them all now, but his terrorist activities were disturbing and annoying. The Iraqis used him in operations against «Fatah», with the aim of creating splits and causing problems.
What did you do when your ambassadors overseas were targeted, as you were the intelligence agency?
- At that time, I was Prime Minister and did not follow this security file due to the exhausting governmental work. But I know that communications took place aiming to negotiate a deal to stop their operations in Jordan. Indeed, their operations stopped. It was said at that time that some form of communication had occurred, and the matter ended.
Did you often coordinate with America and Russia?
- We cooperated with any entity that had information of interest to us, except the Zionists.
