US officials sought to discredit the United Nations' weapons inspectors in the period ahead of the outbreak of war against Iraq, chief investigator Dr Hans Blix claimed yesterday.
Dr Blix also argued that the US and UK had relied on "shaky" intelligence when building the case for military action.
Dr Blix made his comments in an interview for BBC2 programme The Road to War, the Inside Story, to be broadcast next Saturday.
The UN's chief weapons inspector, who faces US opposition to his ambitions to return to Iraq to complete his work, said the US had deliberately leaked stories about an Iraqi military drone and cluster bombs.
In an excerpt from the interview, broadcast on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Dr Blix said: "I think it has been one of the disturbing elements that so much of the intelligence on which the capitals built their case seems to have been shaky and there are some flagrant cases."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article