Washington: A Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) report, expected to provide a powerful justification for US President George W Bush to invade Iraq, has revealed that Baghdad already has weapons of mass destruction in its arsenal and can even make a nuclear bomb within a short span of one year.

The 23-page report illustrated with maps, photographs and charts, says that Iraq's has continued its weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programmes in defiance of UN resolutions and restrictions.

Baghdad has chemical and biological weapons as well as missiles with ranges in excess of the 150-km UN restrictions, it said, adding, "And if unchecked, it will probably have a nuclear weapon during this decade."

"If Baghdad acquires sufficient Eaons-grade fissile material from abroad, it could make a nuclear weapon within a year. Without such material from abroad, Iraq probably would not be able to make a nuclear weapon until the last half of the decade," the report further said.

Since UN inspections ended in 1998, Iraq has maintained its chemical weapons effort, energised its missile programme, and invested more heavily in biological weapons and most analysts assess Iraq is reconstituting its nuclear weapons programme, it said.

The report said, "Its nuclear and other weapons programmes constitute a potential threat to the US homeland, and that its capability already represents a serious threat to Iraq's neighbours and to international military forces in the region."

PTI