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Back to To the Point

To the Point

A Second Look at Curveball

President Bush and former Secretary of State Collin Powell told the world that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction , including mobile factories for germ warfare. When it turned out to be untrue, the CIA blamed an informant. Now, the man code-named Curveball has gone public, claiming he's not a liar.

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By Warren Olney • May 12, 2014 • 1 min read

President Bush and former Secretary of State Collin Powell told the world that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, including mobile factories for germ warfare. When it turned out to be untrue, the CIA blamed an informant. Now, the man code-named Curveball has gone public, claiming he's not a liar. Today's Los Angeles Times reveals that he is Rafid Ahmed Alwan, who fled his native Iraq to avoid arrest. Applying for asylum in Germany, he told the German intelligence service he'd run a secret Iraqi program to produce biological weapons.

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    Warren Olney

    former KCRW broadcaster

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    Sonya Geis

    Senior Managing Editor

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    Managing Producer, Greater LA

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    National Correspondent, Los Angeles Times

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