New Kelly interview revealed

Dr David Kelly believed Saddam Hussein possessed weapons of mass destruction and might use them, it was revealed today.

But Dr Kelly said it could take "days or weeks" to deploy them and suggested the Iraqi leader would only do it if attacked.

The weapons expert was found dead at a beauty spot after being outed as the source of BBC claims that Downing Street "sexed up" intelligence on Iraq.

Tony Blair presented a dossier to MPs saying "military planning allows for some of the WMD to be ready within 45 minutes".

Speaking to BBC's Panorama a month later, in October 2002, Dr Kelly said the Iraqi dictator did pose an "immediate threat".

On WMD, he said: "Even if they're not actually filled and deployed today, the capability exists to get them filled and deployed within a matter of days and weeks."

Dr Kelly was Britain's foremost expert on Saddam's biological weapons and said they posed a "real threat" to neighbouring countries.

"We are talking about Iran and Israel and certainly he can use those weapons against them and you don't need a vast stockpile to have a tremendous military effect," he said.

His remarks, which have not been made public before, were posted on the BBC's website ahead of a special edition of Panorama on BBC1 at 8.30pm tonight.

It is being broadcast a week before Lord Hutton publishes the findings of his inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of Dr Kelly.