'Spy chiefs prepare new dossier'

Blair will appear before the Hutton inquiry

A new dossier on Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction is being prepared by MI6, it has been reported.

According to the Economist magazine, the document will contain claims of an extensive biological weapons programme based on evidence from Iraqi scientists.

The publication quotes "Whitehall sources" - a term often used for government insiders - as saying spy chiefs will tell Prime Minister Tony Blair that there was a conspiracy in Iraq to disguise the extent of its chemical and biological weapons programme.

The report will be seen in some quarters as an attempt to offset government embarrassment that no weapons of mass destruction have been found in Iraq.

Mr Blair made the chemical and biological threat posed by Iraq a cornerstone of his case for invading the country.

Claims surrounding the threat were published in the September dossier that was subsequently called into question by government weapons expert Dr David Kelly.

Inquiry

He apparently committed suicide after being named as the source, later confirmed by the BBC, for reports claiming the government "sexed up" a dossier on Iraq's weapons.

Lord Hutton is chairing the inquiry into Dr Kelly's death

The Hutton inquiry into the circumstances of Dr Kelly's death will begin hearing evidence on Monday.

Mr Blair is due to give evidence along with his communications chief Alastair Campbell and Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon.

Key BBC figures will be appearing before top judge Lord Hutton during the course of next week.

At the heart of the controversy over the September dossier that preceded Dr Kelly's death was the claim that Iraq could launch a chemical weapons strike within 45 minutes.

The Economist quotes its Whitehall source as saying: "We would hope to be able to demonstrate in the fullness of time that almost all the information in the dossier was accurate."