Bush denies al Qaeda as strong today as pre-Sept 11

WASHINGTON, July 12 (Reuters) US President George W Bush denied today that al Qaeda is as strong today as it was before the September. 11 attacks.

Bush spoke to reporters after media reports, citing a new intelligence report, that the militant network is now as great a threat to US soil as in the months before the suicide hijack-plane attacks in 2001.

''There is a perception in the coverage that al Qaeda may be as strong today as they were prior to September. 11. That's just simply not the case,'' Bush told a news conference.

REUTERS AM RK2157