In recent weeks at least two denials relating to Saddam Hussein's Ba'ath party links to al Qaeda have surfaced, neither of which should be taken at face value in light of, at minimum, the post-invasion cooperation that took place between elements of both groups.

“Our party has never had any relation with what’s known as al Qaeda, not before the occupation nor after,” the statement said. “As a matter of fact, many of our men and cadres have been victims of assassinations and kidnappings carried out by this group because of their rejection of the sectarian ideology that was introduced to Iraq upon the advent of the occupation,” it added.

The other denial was not made recently but was given additional public attention when the FBI released documents relating to their interrogation/interview of Saddam Hussein on the topic of al Qaeda when he again denied relations with the terror group.