There is supposed to be a market in Iraq for forged regime documents. But I would go further and say that this one looks like an elaborate set-up. Consider the timing: it's released to the world on the eve of Saddam's capture. The journalist is Con Coughlin, previously accused of being a channel for disinformation from Britain's MI6 agency. It's touted as authentic by Ayad Allawi, who is not from Chalabi's much-criticised INC, but from the CIA's favorite, the INA.
So I surmise that this is in fact part of the campaign against an Iraq/AQ connection. But instead of casting doubt on the evidence (as was done with Atta's visit to Prague), here they're telling people what they want to hear, in spades... so that later, when the story is discredited, the idea of a connection will have even less traction. "Once bitten, twice shy."
It's like the Czech intel about Atta, the plane used for terrorist training, Abu Abbas and Abu Nidal in Bagdad, the Kay report acknowledging a far greater terrorist presence in Iraq than anyone ever thought, etc.
How much evidence is enough? VX gas in Jordan as an AQ plot to kill tens of thousands, VX probably from Iraq, the accepted 200 tons of yellow cake Saddam aquired prior to the Wilson fake yellow cake trip (he's got a company dealing in gold from Niger).
As for being released on the eve of Saddams capture, did we know we were going to find him in that hole? From all accounts actually finding him was a fluke.
DK