§ Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on links between the Al-Qaeda terrorist group and representatives of the Iraqi regime. [87587]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienI refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bury, North (Mr. Chaytor) on 10 December, 2002,Official Report, column 143. We believe that there are Al-Qaeda operatives in Iraq. We do not know their links to the Iraqi regime. Obviously in the circumstances it is difficult to establish this issue with clarity.
§ Llew SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the(a) countries of origin and (b) background of the alleged Al-Qaeda terrorists who carried out the terrorist attacks on the USA on 11 September 2001. [87588]
§ Mr. Mike O'BrienThe terrorists who carried out the 11 September attacks were from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Lebanon. They were all male, ranged in ages from 20 to 33, and came from a variety of social backgrounds. Of the 19, the majority had links with Al-Qaeda. A senior Bin Laden associate claimed to have trained some of the hijackers in Afghanistan.
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