Former UN chief weapons inspector Hans Blix has said he believes Iraq's weapons of mass destruction (WMD) were destroyed long ago and Washington created facts to justify the US-led war on Iraq in 2003.

"I think Saddam Hussein destroyed most WMD after the Gulf War in 1991. The war (with Iraq in 2003) was in no case justified," Blix said in an interview with the online edition of the German weekly Stern.

"The Americans and British created facts where there were no facts at all. They did not want to listen (to me). My warnings were ignored," said Blix.

"The Americans needed (Iraq to have) WMD to justify the Iraq war. They were a virtual reality," Blix said.

"We know now that Saddam was a danger to his own nation but not for the world," said Blix. "Sanctions and inspections work. They also help with nuclear disarmament -- as long as they are professionally and independently carried out."

US President George W. Bush has come under pressure in recent weeks after former chief US arms inspector David Kay resigned and expressed his conviction that information on WMD had been falsely interpreted.

Bush has appointed a nine-member bipartisan committee to investigate the work of the US intelligence agencies before the Iraq war. The committee is expected to present its report after the presidential election in November.

(Xinhua News Agency February 25, 2004)