US claims proof of Iraq terror link

The Bush administration said yesterday that it had provided evidence of "linkage" between Iraq and al-Qa'ida, to its allies. Washington also said it had support for its stand against Iraq from countries which had expressed doubts about military action.

The US Defence Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, said he had been approached by ministers from several Nato countries who expressed their support. Mr Rumsfeld did not name them.

He told a conference of Nato defence ministers in Warsaw, that he had briefed member countries of the North Atlantic alliance on the threat from Iraq. "You can be certain that if and when the President decides to do something [in regard to Iraq] there'll be other nations assisting," Mr Rumsfeld said.

He did not reveal details of the Iraq/al-Qa'ida link to reporters but when asked he added: "The deputy director of central intelligence briefed on that subject. I have no desire to go beyond saying the answer is 'yes'."

The Bush administration has persistently suggested links exist between Iraq and al-Qa'ida but provided no evidence. Tony Blair's dossier made clear there was no evidence to prove links.

US officials often cite reports that Mohamed Atta, alleged ringleader of the 11 September hijackers, met an Iraqi intelligence officer, Ahmed Khalil Ibrahim Samir al-Ani, in Prague before the attacks. But those reports are widely disputed.

The administration also says there is evidence of Islamic extremists with links to al-Qa'ida in the north of Iraq, though they fail to say this part is outside Saddam Hussein's control and the CIA has operatives there.