The former UK Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs answered "Where does the term "Al-Qaida" come from and what does it mean"?

The late ROBIN COOK was the former UK Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs stated:.

"BIN LADEN WAS...A PRODUCT OF A MONUMENTAL MISCALCULATION BY WESTERN SECURITY AGENCIES. Throughout the 80s he was armed by the CIA and funded by the Saudis to wage jihad against the Russian occupation of Afghanistan.

Al-Qaida,LITERALLY "THE DATABASE", WAS ORIGINALLY THE COMPUTER FILE OF THE THOUSANDS OF MUJAHIDEEN WHO WERE RECRUITED AND TRAINED BY THE CIA TO DEFEAT THE RUSSIANS.

Inexplicably, and with disastrous consequences, it never appears to have occurred to Washington that once Russia was out of the way, Bin Laden's organisation would turn its attention to the west."


r.cook@guardian.co.uk