Baroness Williams

United Nations weapons inspectors would have been more effective in preventing terrorism in Iraq than war, the Liberal Democrats have claimed

Baroness Williams says that inspectors would have done more to stop terrorists obtaining weapons of mass destruction than the military campaign has.

In a speech to the Bath and Wansdyke European movement on Saturday, the Liberal Democrat leader in the Lords was set to argue that the case made before the war by her party had been proven by the report published on Thursday by the intelligence and security committee.

"Before the invasion of Iraq, Liberal Democrats and other critics warned the government that a war might bring chaos, a chaos in which terrorism breeds," she said.

"In the report of the intelligence and security committee published on Thursday, parliament learned that the joint intelligence committee had warned the prime minister of the same danger last February.

"Yet the coalition went to war without the planning or resources needed to establish order or to secure sensitive military sites, such as those on the list of the UN inspectors.

"Within days, looting and other criminal activity broke out all over Iraq.

"The coalition is still not in control of the country. As terrorist groups stream in, who can deny the opportunities they now have to acquire weapons of mass destruction, if there are any in Iraq?

"Preventing terrorists acquiring weapons of mass destruction was one of the main objectives of President Bush's war. That would have been better assured by the continuing presence of Dr Blix and his inspectors."