North’s Weapons Supplier Tied to Terrorist Abu Nidal
NOVANEWS
MICHAEL WINES
l atimes
Lt. Col. Oliver L. North's secret arms network supplied Nicaraguan rebels with $1.5 million in weapons bought in 1985 and 1986 from a Syrian smuggler tied to notorious terrorist Abu Nidal, according to records released by the congressional Iran- contra panels.
The weapons, apparently of Polish origin, were purchased from Manzer Kassar, a Damascus drug smuggler and arms merchant. The 42-year-old Kassar and his three brothers have built a multimillion-dollar empire on military deals in Eastern and Western Europe.
Administration officials, speaking on condition that they not be named, said Kassar has "clearly established" business links to the Abu Nidal terrorist ring, responsible for a November, 1985, Egyptair hijacking in which 57 people died and fo...