US tried to discredit UN team, says Blix

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 Britain had relied on “shaky” intelligence when building the case for military action.

Dr Blix, who addressed the UN Security Council in New York in a closed session yesterday, made his comments in an interview for a BBC2 programme called The Road To War, The Inside Story to be broadcast next Saturday.