Zarqawi was in Iraq before US-led invasion: Bush

LONDON - US President George W. Bush said in an interview aired Monday that Iraq's most-wanted man, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, had entered the country prior to the US-led invasion in March 2003.
"I beg your pardon, Zarqawi -- Mr. Zarqawi, who is leading the terrorist effort in Iraq -- was in Iraq prior" to the US-led war, he told Britain's ITV television after being asked whether the invasion enabled such insurgents to run amok in the country.
Jordanian-born Zarqawi, who has a 25-million-dollar US bounty on his head, is blamed for some of the deadliest attacks in Iraq.
Despite the violence that rocks the country on a daily basis, the US leader was confident of success.
"I believe that we will succeed in Iraq," Bush said in the interview with the private British television channel, which was recorded on Saturday.
"I am absolutely confident that we made the right decision, it was the right thing to do."

07/04/2005 21:02 GMT