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Iraq - 13 February 2003

Mr. David Curry (Skipton and Ripon): What evaluation have the Government made of the latest so-called bin Laden tape? The United States has leapt upon it as proof positive of a link between terrorism and Iraq, but the Foreign Secretary has not even mentioned it today. The British Government seem to be much more circumspect in making this link. Does the right hon. Gentleman believe that there is a substantive link between al-Qaeda and Iraq, or is this an area in which there is some difference between our appreciation of the evidence and that of the United States?

Mr. Straw: The Prime Minister and I have both said on a number of occasions that we have seen no evidence that links al-Qaeda with the Iraqi regime in respect of the events that happened before and on 11 September. I have also added that I would not be surprised if such evidence came forward, but I have seen none. As for other links—again, this has been made clear by the Prime Minister and me—there is some evidence of links between the al-Qaeda organisation and Iraq, in terms of the Iraqi regime allowing a permissive environment for the operation of al-Qaeda operatives, and there is overwhelming evidence of Iraq's active support for terrorist organisations operating in Israel and the occupied territories.

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David Curry MP | House of Commons, London SW1A 0AA | tel: 020 7219 6202