President Bush states that there is no evidence to suggest that Saddam Hussein was involved in the September 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States. However, he asserts that there is no doubt that Saddam was connected to the terrorist network al-Qaeda, which Washington holds responsible for the attacks. A recent poll indicates that two-thirds of Americans surveyed believe that the ousted Iraqi leader was involved in the attacks. Mr. Bush expressed his opinion on Wednesday, just hours after the Al Arabiya television network in Dubai aired what it called a new audio tape from Saddam Hussein. The speaker calls on the people of Iraq to wage jihad against U.S.-led forces in Iraq and advises Americans to withdraw from Iraq quickly or face catastrophic losses.
President Bush: There is no evidence that Saddam Hussein was involved in the September 2001 terrorist attacks in the U.S.
President Bush clarified that there is no evidence linking Saddam Hussein to the September 11 attacks, despite widespread belief among Americans. This statement came shortly after Saddam's audio message urging Iraqis to resist U.S. forces was broadcast. The situation highlights ongoing tensions and perceptions regarding Iraq and terrorism.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
President Bush stated there is no evidence linking Saddam Hussein to the September 11 attacks, despite public belief to the contrary. This statement followed the release of an audio tape from Saddam urging Iraqis to resist U.S. forces.
- Two-thirds of Americans believe Saddam was involved in the September 11 attacks.
- Saddam's audio message called for jihad against U.S. forces in Iraq.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
In the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, the U.S. government sought to link Saddam Hussein to terrorism to justify military action in Iraq, despite a lack of evidence.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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Translation confidence: 85%