There were no figures for cases linked to drug abuse.

Legal experts say his case illustrates the kinds of complex questions percolating toward immigration judges in scores of cases linked to the war on terrorism.

News of the three-hour meeting came as a shock in France, where Koubbi has repeatedly insisted he did not want the two cases linked.

Earlier this month he again stressed his opposition to the cases being linked.

The DEA is looking for them in cases linked to the sale of a new designer drug.

The first human cases linked to eating contaminated beef were diagnosed in 1996 in Britain.

In the 1960's, researchers began studying hepatitis cases linked to blood transfusions.

He investigated one of the cases linked to Jack the Ripper murders, and was damaged politically by a personal scandal.

Today, state officials announced that 600 of the roughly 1,200 cases linked to Ms. Gilchrist had received initial reviews.

The proportion of cases linked to the drug rose to 51 percent in 2003 from 28 percent in 1998.