Forged Niger Uranium Documents: Images, Analysis and Translation
These are copies the actual Nigerien "yellowcake" documents that purportedly show the details of an Iraqi attempt to purchase
five hundred tons of "yellowcake" uranium from Niger in 2000. The documents were first leaked to the Italian newspaper, La
Repubblica ,who published them on July 16, 2003. A copy was then acquired by NBC news from La Repubblica. They were then
leaked to Cryptome.com by NBC news' Robert Windrem. Analysis of the documents courtesy of The IraqFact Working Group.
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[Translation.Document 1 Presidential Letter pg 1]
CONFIDENTIAL
URGENT
REPUBLIC OF NIGER
FRATERNITY-WORK-PROGRESS
NIAMEY, 07/27/2000
MR PRESIDENT,
IT'S MY HONOR TO REFER TO THE AGREEMENT # 3*1-NI 2000,
REGARDING THE SUPPLY OF URANIUM, SIGNED IN NIAMEY ON
THE 6TH OF JULY 2000 BETWEEN THE GOVERMENT OF THE
REPUBLIC OF NIGER AND THE GOVERMENT OF IRAQ BY THEIR
RESPECTIVE REPRESENTATIVES OFFICIAL DELEGATES.
ABOVE MENTIONED SUPPLY EQUIVALENT TO 500 TONS OF PURE
URANIUM PER YEAR, WILL BE DELIVERED IN TWO PHASES.
HAVING SEEN AND INSPECTED THE SAID DEAL. I APPROVE IN ALL
AND EACH OF ITS INVOLVED PARTIES IN REGARD TO THE
POWERS INVESTED IN ME BY THE CONSTITUTION OF THE 12TH
OF MAY 1966

[Translation.document1 pg2]
CONFIDENTIAL
URGENT
ACCORDINGLY, I PRAISE YOU TO CONSIDER
THIS LETTER AS BEING THE FORMAL TOOL OF APPROVAL OF
THIS AGREEMENT BY THE GOVERMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF
NIGER THAT BECOMES BY THIS RIGHTFULLY ENGAGED.
PLEASE ACCEPT, MR. THE PRESIDENT, THE CERTAINTY OF MY
HIGHEST REGARDS
SIGNATURE
SEAL OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF NIGER
Analysis of document 1: The Presidents letter
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1. Of interest on this document is the crude "hand draw" style of the seal on the letterhead. Also it doesn't match either version the official seal of the country.
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2. The letter refers to the power granted under the constitution of 1966. That constitution was suspended in 1991 and a new one established in 1993. Anything written after that date would refer to the current constitution.
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3. When reviewed by the IAEA, the signature of Nigers President Tandja Mamadou was ruled to be not even close to the of the President, and was a "chidlike" forgery .
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General Analysis of all documents combined
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As was reported in The Guardian in July of 2003:
"They would almost certainly have done some cursory research on Niger’s uranium industry — the third largest in the world. In a couple of minutes they would have found that it was run by the French company Cogema. A company official told the London-based Guardian newspaper: “Cogema has at no point sold uranium from its mines in the Niger to Iraq. Careful records are kept of production in each of our mines.”
According to Seymor Hersh, in The New Yorker:
"The large quantity of uranium involved should have been another warning sign. Niger’s “yellow cake” comes from two uranium mines controlled by a French company, with its entire output presold to nuclear power companies in France, Japan, and Spain. “Five hundred tons can’t be siphoned off without anyone noticing,” another I. A.E.A. official told me."
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[Translation.Document2 Niger Court Approval of deal pg1]
ANNEX 1
THE DIRECTION OF JUDICIAL AFFAIRS OF THE MINISTER OF
FOREIGN AFFAIRS IN THE PERSON OF HIS EXCELLENCY MR. THE
MINISTER AND THE (TIER ?) OF THE MINISTER OF MINES IN THE
PERSON OF MR THE MINISTER IN CHARGE, UNITED IN ASSEMBLY
STATED THE FOLLOWING:
- THE STATE COURT, CALLED UPON TO GIVE HIS ADVICE
ACCORDING TO THE 20TH ARTICLE OF ORDONNANCE # 74-19 OF
THE 5TH OF JULY 2000, REGARDING CREATION, COMPOSITION,
ATTRIBUTION AND WORKINGS OF THE STATE
COURT, MET IN THE CHAMBER OF THE COUNCIL IN THE PALACE
OF THE SAID COURT ON WEDNESDAY JULY 7, 2000, AT NINE
O'CLOCK;
-READ THE LETTER # 488/MJ/SO OF THE 3RD OF JULY 2000 OF
MR. THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND COOPERATION:
DEMANDING TO SOLICITATE A FAVORABLE ADVICE TO THE
STATE COURT ON THE POINTS TO BE KNOWN:
-ON ONE PART, IF THE PROTOCOL OF THE DEAL BETWEEN THE
GOVERMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF NIGER AND THE GOVERMENT
OF IRAQ, RELATED TO THE SALE OF PURE URANIUM, SIGNED ON
THE 6TH OF JULY 2000 IN NIAMEY CONFORMS
TO THE INTERNAL LAWS OF THE REPUBLIC OF NIGER, AND IF IT
CONSTITUTES FOR THE REPUBLIC A VALID AND INCUBENT
ENGAGEMENT;
-IN OTHER MATTERS, IF IT HAS BEEN RIGHTFULLY SIGNED AND
APPROVED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF IRAQ IN COMPLIANCE TO
ALL ADMINISTRATIVE
NORMS THAT ARE APPLICABLE AND CONSTITUTING FOR HER A

[Translation.Document2 pg2]
VALID AND INCUBENT AGREEMENT;
ISSUES THE ADVICE
THAT THE STATE OF NIGER SATISFIED ALL THE REQUIRINGS OF
ITS CONSTITUTIONAL LAWS AND OF *** OTHERS PRINCIPLES
OF LAWS FOR THE TAKING CHARGE OF VALID AND JURIDICALLY
INCUMBENT TO ALL ITS ENGAGEMENTS RESULTING FROM THE
PROTOCOL OF THE AGREEMENT
THAT THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE STATE OF NIGER AND THE
REPRESENTATIVE OF IRAQ WHO HAVE SIGNED IN THE NAME OF
THEIR RESPECTIVE GOVERNMENT, HAD JURIDICALLY POWER OF
REPRESENTATION.
WERE SITTING MISTER: MAMADOU MALAN AOUAMI, PRESIDENT
OF THE COURT OF NIGER; MADJ MADJIR, ADVISOR TOTHE
GOVERMENT OF IRAK, MAHAMANE BOUKARI INTERIM ADVISOR
TO THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF NIGER, IN THE
PRESENCE OF MR BANDIAIRE ALI, ATTORNEY GENERAL OF IRAQ
AND WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF MASTER MAIGA ALI, CLERK OF
THE COURT IN CHIEF.
SIGNATURE
SEAL OF THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
REPUBLIC OF NIGER

Analysis of document 2: Niger Court Approval of Uranium deal
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1. This documents list five men who are involved in this court decision: Mamadou Malan Aouami, President of the Court of Niger Hadj Nadjir, Advisor to the Government of Iraq Mahamane Boukari, Iraqi Interim Advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Bandiaire Ali, Attorney General of Iraq Maiga Ali, Clerk of the Court in Chief
All five turn out to be Nigerien lawyers and judges. Hadj Nadjir and Mahamane Boukari are lawyers, Bandaire Ali is not Iraq's AG but rather, Ali Bandaire Niger's General Prosecutor with his names reversed.
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2.The likelihood that Iraq would send its Attorney General to negotiate a deal of this nature is doubtful .
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[Translation.Document3]
0097652**
01/02 14:57
MINAFET 520****
626290 NIGER I
MINAFET 5200NI
626290 NIGER I
FAX # 803:9*: ASA**RONE OF 02/01/99
DESTINATION: HIS EXCELLENCY MISTER THE MINISTER OF
FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND OF AFRICAN INTEGRATION
NIAM**
I HAVE THE HONOR TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT THE
EMBASSY OF IRAQ AT THE VATICAN JUST INFORMED ME THAT
HIS EXCELLENCY MR. WISSAM AL ZAMA**E, AMBASSADOR OF
IRAQ TO THE VATICAN, WILL CARRY OUT AN OFFICIAL VISIT IN
OUR COUNTRY IN THE ROLE OF REPRESENTATIVE OF HIS
EXCELLENCY MR. SADDAM HUSSEIN, PRESIDENT OF THE
REPUBLIC OF IRAQ.
HIS EXCELLENCY MR. ZAMAWIE WILL ARRIVE IN NIAMEY ON
FRIDAY THE 5TH OF FEBRUARY 1999 AROUND 18:25 THROUGH
AIR FRANCE FLIGHT # 730 FROM PARIS.
I WOULD BE GRATEFUL OF THE DISPOSITIONS THAT YOU COULD
MAKE HAPPEN REGARDING THIS.
REALLY HIGH CONSIDERATION
SIGNED: HIS EXCELLENCY A*MNON CHE*OU
------ AMBASSADOR NIGER ROME
636290 NIGER I*
*********** ***************
0029
This document appears genuine.
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[Translation.Document 4 Letter to Niger Embassy in Rome]
REPUBLIC OF NIGER
COUNCIL OF NATIONAL RECONCILIATION
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
AND AFRICAN INTEGRATION
DIRECTORATE OF JUDICIARY AMD CONSULATE AFFAIRS
NIAMY, THE 30TH OF JULY 1999
N- 05055 /MAE/IA/DAJC/DIR
URGENT
HONOR TO ASK YOU TO CONTACT HIS EXCELLENCY
THE AMBASSADOR OF IRAQ MR. WISSAM AL ZAHAWIE TO
RECEIVE ANSWER FOR HIS COUNTRY REGARDING PROVIDING
URANIUM ACCORDING TO LAST AGREEMENTS ESTABLISHED IN
NIAMEY ON THE 28TH JUNE 2000
PLEASE FOLLOW THIS HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL DOSSIER WITH
ALL DISCRETION AND CARE.
SIGNATURE
NASSIROU SABO
SEAL OF THE REPUBLIC OF NIGER
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Analysis of document 4: Letter to Niger Embassy
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1. Note that the document is dated July 30, 1999 yet refers to a transaction taking place on June 28, 2000
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2. Letter claims the Uranium deal took place on June 28, yet all the other letters refer to the agreement being made July 5-6
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[Translation.Document 5 Cover Letter for Agreement]
REPUBLIC OF NIGER
COUNCIL OF MILITARY SUPREME
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
AND AFRICAN INTEGRATION
DIRECTORATE OF JUDICIARY AND CONSULATE AFFAIRS
NIAMEY, THE 10TH OF OCTOBER 2000
THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
AND OF COOPERATION
#07254
MR. THE AMBASSADOR OF NIGER
ROME
SUBJECT: PROTOCOL OF AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE
GOVERNMENT OF NIGER AND THE GOVERNMENT OF IRAQ
RELATED TO THE SUPPLYING OF URANIUM
SIGNED ON THE 5TH AND THE 6TH OF JULY 2000 IN NIAMEY
I HAVE THE HONOR TO SEND TO YOU THE ATTACHED, FOR
INFORMATION PURPOSES, COPY OF THE PROTOCOL OF
AGREEMENT SIGNED IN NIAMEY BETWEEN THE REPUBLIC OF
NIGER AND THE GOVERNMENT OF IRAQ REGARDING THE
SUPPLYING OF URANIUM THAT THE NIGER STATE ISSUED
REGARDING THE PROTOCOL CITED IN THE SUBJECT
ATTACHED PAPER: 1
SIGNATURE
Allele Elhadj Habibou (Foreign Minister)
SEAL
Analysis of document 5: Agreement Cover Letter
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1. The letter lists the Supreme Military Council in it's letterhead as the ruling body. (Conseil Militaire Supreme). The Military Council ruled from April 1974 to May 1989 but was abolished when civilian rule was established . It would not be on any document after that date.
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2. The letter is signed by Foreign Minister, Allele Elhadj Habibou. Habibou had not been foreign minister since 1989
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Five of these images appeared in hardcopy of the Italian newspaper La Repubblica on July 16, 2003. The online story without the
images: http://www.repubblica.it/online/esteri/iraqattacotrentacinque/dossier/dossier.html
English Translation of article: "Here you have the bogus dossier on Saddam’s uranium"
By Carlo Bonini and Giuseppe D’Avanzo, La Repubblica, July 16, 2003
Source of the images: Robert Windrem, NBC News, which received them from La Repubblica.
Translations of documents by Lars Vonpacker of Cryptome.com
Images originally posted at Cryptome.com
Additional forged Niger documents from Cryptome.com
More Additional Niger documents from Cryptome.com
Cryptome.com Homepage
Monday, October 24, 2005 "Double-Crossers and Dilettantes--the Men Behind Nigergate Were All Italians. " La Repubblica
Carlo Bonini and Giuseppe d'Avanzo English translation by Nur al-Cubide
Tuesday, October 25, 2005 "Pollari travels to Washington to present his version of "the truth" La Repubblica
Carlo Bonini and Giuseppe d'Avanzo English translation by Nur al-Cubide
Wednesday, October 26, 2005 "Nigergate: The Great Nuclear Centrifuge Scam" La Repubblica
Carlo Bonini and Giuseppe d'Avanzo English translation by Nur al-Cubide
© 2005 IraqFact Working Group
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