We had weapons, admits Saddam

IRAQI President Saddam Hussein admitted yesterday that Iraq had in the past weapons of mass destruction but reiterated that it no longer had such weapons.

In an 11th hour bid to avert a seemingly inevitable US-led invasion of Iraq, Saddam made the rare admission during a meeting with a Tunisian envoy.

But he remained defiant in the face of Washington's military threats, saying it would be defeated if it attacked Iraq.