] Prime Minister Tony Blair said Wednesday that Iraq has
] links with the al-Qaida terrorist network but that the
] extent of their cooperation is unknown.
]
] Blair's comment came a day after President Bush said in
] his State of the Union speech that there was evidence
] that Saddam Hussein ``aids and protects terrorists,
] including members of al-Qaida.'' Bush offered no new
] evidence, but said Secretary of State Colin Powell would
] present the U.S. case to the United Nations next week.