International hit-man ‘plotting Iraqi coup’

Press, 17 November 1981, Page 9

International hit-man ‘plotting Iraqi coup’

NZPA-Reuter London Carlos Martinez, the international guerrilla leader known as The Jackal, is said to be helping the Syrian Government plot the overthrow of the Iraqi President (Mr Saddam Hussein), the London "Sunday Times” newspaper has reported. It said the Venezuelanborn hit-man was running a network of agents and disaffected Iraqis under the orders of Brigadier-General Ali Khader, who was responsible for Syrian secret service forces plotting against Iraq. The “Sunday Times” said that Carlos, born Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, vanished -«»r leading a gang that lapped 11 oil ministers in

Vienna six years ago. He bad now been seen in Beirut. The -newspaper quoted no source. The report said the Syrian Government of President Hafez Assad strongly opposed the Camp David Middle East peace accord between Israel and Egypt and any involvement of the Palestine Liberation Organisation in Saudi Arabian peace proposals. “It now seems clear that Assad is recruiting malcontents and international terrorists for a new campaign against attempts at a peaceful settlement,” it said. Carlos travelled weekly to Sabryah, a small town in Kuwait near the Iraqi

border, to meet couriers from Bagdad, it said. ‘ His group planned sabotage and other activities to demoralise , Iraqis already dissatisfied over the deadlocked war with Iran, the report said. The newspaper said Carlos was also thought to be involved in a campaign against opponents of President Assad in exile in Europe. He made frequent visits to Algeria, where the operations were co-ordinated, to meet gunmen hired for action against the exiles, it said. Carlos had at his disposal gunmen from the Black June guerrilla group led by Sabri Banna, better known as Abu Nidal, a defector from the Palestinian Fatah group, said the paper.