Blair took Britain to war 'despite terror warnings'

PRIME Minister Tony Blair took Britain to war in Iraq despite a warning from intelligence chiefs that it would result in a heightened terrorist threat from al-Qaida, it was disclosed yesterday.

The Parliamentary Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) said the intelligence agencies advised the Prime Minister that the collapse of the Iraqi regime would make it easier for terrorist groups to obtain chemical and biological weapons.

The Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC) said in February al-Qaida was "by far the greatest threat to Western interests" and that the threat would be increased by military action against Iraq.

The disclosure on the second anniversary of the September 11 attacks will heighten concerns that Mr Blair and President George W Bush are losing sight of the real objectives in the war against international terrorism.

Overall, the ISC cleared the Government of claims it "sexed up" its dossier on Iraqi weapons, published before the war. However, it was critical of the way intelligence material was presented in the dossier including the claim that some Iraqi weapons could be deployed in 45 minutes which, it said, was "unhelpful" to public understanding.