US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has cast doubt on whether there was ever a relationship between Saddam Hussein and al-Qaeda.
The alleged link was one of the justifications used by President Bush for the invasion of Iraq.
In front of an audience in New York, Mr Rumsfeld was asked about connections between Saddam and Osama Bin Laden. “To my knowledge, I have not seen any strong, hard evidence that links the two,” he said.
… In the past, Mr Rumsfeld has spoken of credible information about a link and Vice President Dick Cheney regularly goes further and talks of Saddam Hussein having provided safe harbour and sanctuary for al-Qaeda.
The idea that Saddam Hussein was a supporter of terrorism has been one of the key justifications used by the administration for his removal.
