London: British Prime Minister Tony Blair today (Jan 12, 2004) suffered a fresh blow over Iraq, hours after he admitted that weapons of mass destruction might never be found.

Blair suffered the set back after a senior figure in the Bush administration during the war, former treasury secretary Paul O'Neill, said that while in Government he saw no evidence that Iraq possessed a chemical and biological arsenal.

"There were allegations and assertions, but I know the difference between real evidence and everything else," he said, adding the President's aim from the first was to oust Saddam Hussein.

The claims follow a report from a US (United States) think tank, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, which said intelligence on the threat was "systematically misrepresented" by Washington.

The growing evidence from America looks certain to increase pressure on Blair who faces similar charges as he awaits the Hutton report on the death of weapons scientist Dr David Kelly.

Blair made out a strong case for war against Iraq on the ground that it possessed weapons of mass destruction and it could deploy in 45 minutes.

Blair yesterday (Jan 12, 2004) said it was possible weapons of mass destruction would not be found. "I do not know, is the answer," he said.

"I believe that we will, but I agree that there were many people who thought we were going to find this in the course of the actual operation... we just have to wait and see."

The Prime Minister's downbeat assessment on the BBC's Breakfast with Frost, was in contrast to his warnings of a clear and present danger in the run-up to the war.

However, he took a robust line on the Hutton report, expected this month, saying that he would lead the debate in the Commons a week later.

"I am enthusiastic about being able to debate these issues on the basis of an objective, independent judgement by a judge rather than speculation," he added.