Danish defence minister resigns

Jensby oversaw the deployment of about 500 Danish troops to Iraq

Denmark's defence minister has resigned amid criticism of government reports about alleged weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

Days earlier, lawmakers questioned whether Denmark's military intelligence agency gave accurate reports on Saddam Hussein's possession of WMDs.

"I don't want to burden the government and my family with the smear campaign," Svend Aage Jensby said in a statement.

The Danish government backed the US-led war on Iraq.

It recently declassified intelligence reports compiled before the Iraq war which show officials thought Iraq had weapons of mass destruction.

The extracts appear to contradict claims leaked to a newspaper that there was no evidence to back up the theory.

Former intelligence officer, Major Frank Soeholm Grevil, has since been charged with breaching the official information act.

The major told reporters at the Berlingske Tidende newspaper he had sent 10 reports to the prime minister which concluded that the coalition was unlikely to find weapons of mass destruction.

Mr Jensby is to be replaced by former army officer Soeren Gade from Denmark's ruling Liberal Party.