As stated in “The Report of the Iraq Inquiry – Executive Summary:” “313. On 28 November 2001, the JIC [Joint Intelligence Council] assessed that:
-Saddam Hussein had ‘refused to permit any Al Qaida presence in Iraq’.
-Evidence of contact between Iraq and Usama Bin Laden (UBL) was ‘fragmentary and Uncorroborated’; including that Iraq had been in contact with Al Qaida for exploratory discussions on toxic materials in late 1988.
-‘With common enemies… there was clearly scope for collaboration.’
-There was ‘no evidence that these contacts led to practical co-operation; we judge it likely… There is no evidence UBL’s organisation has ever had a presence in Iraq.’
-Practical co-operation between Iraq and Al Qaida was ‘unlikely because of mutual mistrust’.
-There was ‘no credible evidence of covert transfers of WMD-related technology and expertise to terrorist groups’.”
– Commissioned by the Prime Minister The Right Honourable Gordon Brown MP, “The Report of the Iraq Inquiry: Executive Summary,” IraqInquiry.org.uk, Nov. 28, 2001