Does Al-Qaida really exist in Iraq?
In the aftermath of the Second Gulf War, and in the absence of the iron-fist security control of the central government in Baghdad, the Iraqi province of Kurdistan witnessed a substantial relocation, particularly in the Islamic movements’ regions adjacent to the Iranian border. It was very easy at that time to move from Turkey to Kurdistan and then easily cross the Iranian border to Afghanistan. We believe however, that such transfers did not take place on a large scale as one might think. It was easier, in fact, to go via Pakistan from Saudi Arabia or other Gulf countries, which did not at that time impose strict travel measures, not even for some time after the Second Gulf War. The situation however, changed after 1995 when Kurdistan became a favored passage and a less dangerous route than Pakistan, which tightened its control on passage to and from its territories. Prior to the US occupation of Iraq, the situation remained the same after Iran arrested some sympathizers with the Tali
