  With the aim of testing recent claims for a particularly strong correlation
between ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECRs), observed with the AGASA and the
Yakutsk experiments, and a sample of BL Lacertae (BL Lacs), we here conduct a
blind statistical assessment. We search for associations between the same set
of BL Lac objects and the arrival directions of 33 relevant UHECRs observed
with the Haverah Park and the Volcano Ranch experiments. Within the accuracy of
angle determination, there are no positional coincidences. The probability that
this null result arises as a statistical fluctuation from the strongly
correlated case is less than 5%. This implies that the possible correlation
between the arrival directions of UHECRs and BL Lacs is not statistically
sustained. We discuss the impact of our findings on the propose additional
connection among UHECRs, BL Lacs, and EGRET gamma-ray blazars. Recently, such
an association was used as classification technique for EGRET sources. Here we
show that its main underlying hypothesis, i.e., the EGRET angular uncertainty
is twice that quoted in the Third EGRET Catalog, underestimates the goodness of
existing gamma-ray data.
