In 1999, Saddam Hussein made a public offer to Osama Bin Laden offering him sanctuary and safe haven in Iraq, which was reported by various news outlets. These same outlets have failed to raise their own reports with respect to the war or to the connection between Saddam and Bin Laden.

"In 1999, Saddam Hussein apparently invited Osama bin Laden to move to Iraq." (Bradenton Herald)

"Iraqi President Saddam Hussein has offered asylum to bin Laden, who openly supports Iraq against the Western powers." (CNN)

"The world's most wanted man, Osama bin Laden, has been offered sanctuary in Iraq if his worldwide terrorist network succeeds in carrying out a campaign of high-profile attacks on the West over the next few weeks." (The Herald (UK))

"This time last year the U.S. claimed that another delegation had met Osama bin Laden, the alleged terrorist mastermind and tried to woo him to Iraq. Senior officials claim that the Islamicization program is an attempt to defuse the threat of Islamic militancy rather than encourage it. ... " (London Observer)

"Reporter: There have also been reports in recent months that bin Laden might have been considering moving his operations to Iraq. Intelligence agencies in several nations are looking into that. According to Vincent Cannistraro, a former chief of CIA counterterrorism operations, a senior Iraqi intelligence official, Farouk Hijazi, sought out bin Laden in December and invited him to come to Iraq." (National Public Radio)

"U.S. sources say [Saddam] is reaching out to Islamic terrorists, including some who may be linked to Osama bin Laden. [Bin Laden was] calling for all-out war on Americans, using as his main pretext Washington's role in bombing and boycotting Iraq." (Newsweek)