Senior figures inside the British government no longer believe weapons of mass destruction are likely to turn up in Iraq, the BBC reported on Thursday. Quoting "very senior sources," the report said they have virtually ruled out the possibility of finding weapons in Iraq.
The development "is of important political significance", the report added.
"Right at the top of Whitehall (British government), they no longer believe that weapons of mass destruction are likely to turn up in Iraq.
"They do think there were weapons programs there, they believe that other stuff - interviews with Iraqi scientists, paperwork, dossiers - that will turn up.
"But the actual weapons, the tubs of the evil stuff, the rusting missiles, no, belief that that will actually be available, can be shown to cameras, that is trickling away very fast at the top of government."
But, officially Britain insists that the prime minister stands by the comments he made to MPs on the Commons liaison committee on Tuesday - that he is convinced that evidence of Iraq's weapons program will be found.
"I have absolutely no doubt at all that we will find evidence of weapons of mass destruction programmes," Blair said at the outset of the hearing. A spokesman for the cabinet said: "His (the prime minister) words are clear and they are on the record." (Albawaba.com)
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