Moscow was informed on Saddam's terrorist plans before US operation in Iraq

After the September 11 events and before the beginning of the military operation in Iraq, Russian special services were often informed that Saddam's officials masterminded terrorist acts in the US and at American civil and military objects abroad, Russian President Vladimir Putin told journalists in Astana.

"However, we had no information that they were involved in these or those terrorist acts," he added.

"US President George Bush personally thanked the head of a Russian special service for this information, which he considered important," the Russian President said.

"The Russian special services shared this information on the coming terrorist acts with US colleagues, however, the certain procedures of the use of force were not observed," Vladimir Putin noted.

Russia's position on the military operation in Iraq has not changed.

"I don't know, this is a separate question," he said in reply to the question if the US operation in Iraq was the necessary defense.