Clandestine Radio Watch 126 Extra

--------------xxxxxxxxxx CRW 126 EXTRA xxxxxxxxxx--------------

CLANDESTINE RADIO WATCH
February 24, 2003

Iraq : Radio Tikrit and Twin Rivers Radio Tied to Opposition Group

By Nick Grace, CRW Washington
with reporting by Andy Sennitt, Radio Netherlands Media Network
and Robert Petraitis, CRW Lithuania

[Feb 24] Radio Tikrit and Twin Rivers Radio (Wadi al-Rafidayn), CRW and
Radio Netherlands Media Network can exclusively report, are "sister"
stations of the London-based exile group Iraqi National Accord's own
program, al-Mustaqbal (The Future).

A representative of the Accord, which encourages regime change through a
coup d'etat, responded to an inquiry about the three radio stations with an
invitation for listeners to send e-mail for all three programs to the main
Accord e-mail address.

wifaq_ina@hotmail.com

The Accord and its station, al-Mustaqbal, have long been known to receive
funding and assistance from the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency.  Multiple
sources within the Iraqi opposition have independently confirmed that
al-Mustaqbal broadcasts from a 50kW Harris transmitter located in Kuwait
from a facility also used by the Voice of America.  The transmitter
broadcast Radio Hurriah (Freedom) programs on behalf of the Iraqi National
Congress between 1992 and 1997.

Radio Tikrit's appearance in January 2003 on a frequency once used by a
CIA/Accord station Voice of the Brave Armed Forces surprised most Iraq
watchers since its initial broadcasts appeared to denigrate U.S. foreign
policy.  Subsequent programs monitored by BBC Monitoring, however, blast
the regime in Baghdad and attempt to win over the hearts and minds of
Ba'ath Party bureaucrats and Republican Guard troops.

Interestingly, a recurring segment of the program called "Signs of the
Zodiac" reads astrological forecasts.  Although not uncommon in the Arab
world Radio Netherlands Media Network's Andy Sennitt suspects the forecasts
may, in fact, serve as surreptitious messages to foreign intelligence
assets operating within Iraq.

A source contacted today in Iraqi Kurdistan said "Here in northern Iraq
people are completely mystified that anyone would name a station Radio
Tikrit. I have asked several Sunni Arabs what they think when they hear
there is a new station called Radio Tikrit and every one of them said 'CIA.'"

The stations monitored schedules:

Twin Rivers Radio 1600-1900 UTC on 1566 kHz
Radio Tikrit 1900-2100 on 1584 kHz
al-Mustaqbal 2100-2400 on 1575.3 kHz

Developing...
______________________________________________________