WASHINGTON, June 18 (UPI) -- President George W. Bush says former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein had long-established ties with al-Qaida despite the conclusion of the 9-11 commission.
"The reason I keep insisting that there was a relationship between Iraq and Saddam and al-Qaida (is) because there was a relationship between Iraq and al-Qaida," Bush said Thursday following a Cabinet meeting.
"There were numerous contacts between Saddam Hussein and al-Qaida. For example, Iraqi intelligence officers met with (Osama) bin Laden, the head of al-Qaida, in the Sudan. There's numerous contacts between the two."
Vice President Dick Cheney said the evidence was "overwhelming" that al-Qaida had a relationship with Saddam's regime, CNN reported Friday.
"There clearly was a relationship. It's been testified to. The evidence is overwhelming," Cheney said in an interview with CNBC's "Capitol Report."
"It goes back to the early '90s. It involves a whole series of contacts, high-level contacts with Osama bin Laden and Iraqi intelligence officials."
CNBC asked if Iraq had been involved the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and Cheney responded, "We don't know."
