London: Iraq is one or two years away from building a nuclear weapon and has constructed test equipment for a missile capable of striking British military bases in Cyprus, the British government's dossier on Iraq and weapons of mass destruction said on September 24.

It alleged that President Saddam Hussein's "violent and aggressive" regime has tried to obtain technology and materials for use in nuclear weapons and has developed mobile laboratories for military use.

The document said Saddam has a programme for the development of missiles capable of reaching Cyprus, where Britain has military bases; NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) allies Greece and Turkey; and Iraq's neighbours in the Middle East, including Israel.

It claimed that if Iraq obtained fissile material "and other essential components from foreign sources, Iraq could produce a nuclear weapon in between one and two years."

The dossier, published ahead of a special House of Commons debate on Iraq later on September 24, warned that Saddam does not regard weapons of mass destruction as a last resort.

It said Iraq has learned lessons from UN weapons inspections - suspended four years ago - and has already begun to conceal sensitive equipment in anticipation of the inspections resuming.

The Iraqi leader has continued to produce chemical and biological agents and has military plans to use them in weapons, including against his country's own Shia Muslim population, it said.