Coincidentally, there is a Stephen Hayes article at weeklystandard.com on the al- Qaeda links with Hussein. Internal Iraqi documents use the word "relationship". This was also disclosed in the NY Times. Bin Laden merely talking to a man such as Hussein is enough for me. Also of note in the article:

"According to the 9/11 report, "sources reported that one, or perhaps both, of these meetings was apparently arranged through bin Laden's Egyptian deputy, [Ayman al] Zawahiri, who had ties of his own to the Iraqis."

Most importantly, the idea that a secular Hussein and fanatical bin Laden could not have a relationship because of this difference, bears an assumption that has been proven unworthy. Hussein has had relations in the past with religious fanatics.