Did Imam Abu Hanifa radiallahu anh- really said this?

[Ahlus_sunnah]

Hanafi scholar Abul Ala Al Ustuwai (343-432 h/954-1040 m) writes:
 
وعن سَلْم بن سالم قال : سمعت أبا حنيفة - رضي الله عنه – يقول : ما جاريتُ أحدا بسيئته قط ، قال : أتدْرون لِم يُبغِضُنا أهلُ البصْرة ؟ قلنا : لا , قال : لأنا لو حضَرنا صِفِّين كُنا مع عليِّ رضي الله عنه على معاوية , فلذلك لا يُحبُّوننا
 
Source: Abul Ala Al Ustuüai: Kitabul İtiqad: 191
Beirut: Darul Kutubil İlmiyyah: 2005

My question:did Imam Abu Hanifa really said that we would have taken side of Hazrat Ali (R) in battle of Siffin against Ameer Muawiya (R)?

He did not believe that both were on Haq?

[Furkan]

Ali was right in his ijtihad.

[Hani]

What's the problem if he sided with `Ali, didn't `Ammar for instance side with `Ali? Does that make his status lower?

[Ebn Hussein]

Both were on Haqq? What the heck?! Ali was on Haqq in all his battles, but a was no Takfiri Rafidi and never made takfir on his opponents (like Mu'awiyah) as the Rafidi sect does. Shaykh Al-Shithri (Saudi scholar) once sad something beautiful on a TV show. He said Ali was very sad during all the battles between himself and his brothers the Sahaba, this is because it was a fitnah a confusing time even for Ali. But when Ali fought at Nahrawan against the  Khawarij he had NO doubt that he was on Haqq, that was the time were he smiled while chopping off the heads of teh Khawarij.

[Optimus Prime]

Ali was right in his ijtihad.

In both battles.

[Furkan]

In all battles bro.

Ali Ali mawla :p

[Bolani Muslim]

Ali Ali mawla :p

NAAAADEEEEEE HAYYDAREEEEE!!!!!!