The New York Times in Monday's editions, citing officials, said in the past three weeks U.S. intelligence had gathered credible evidence of a plot to bomb an airliner contracted to fly troops and freight for the military to the Gulf.

The newspaper, citing military and intelligence officials, said the military had come up with intelligence identifying a specific civilian airline, U.S. airport and date and time of a possible attack.

But U.S. officials with knowledge of recent intelligence reports told Reuters they had seen no evidence of such a plot.

The Pentagon has ordered the deployment of thousands of additional military forces to the Gulf in the past week as the United States prepares for any potential war against Iraq.