UK: Saddam unlikely to reveal WMD
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Straw: "Not holding my breath" that Saddam will detail WMD.
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LONDON, England (CNN) -- British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw says it is unlikely Saddam Hussein will reveal details of Iraq's alleged banned weapons program.
"Frankly I'm not holding my breath for any confessional statement from Saddam Hussein," Straw told a news conference in London Monday, two days after the former Iraqi president was captured by U.S. troops.
"I think that his history of mendacity is so intense and so long-lasting that he wouldn't understand the truth if he fell over it."
Prime Minister Tony Blair has used Iraq's alleged threat of WMD as the UK government's main justification for backing the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.
Saddam has also told his captors he did not have weapons of mass destruction before the war. So far, the coalition has not found any signs of such weapons since the toppling of Saddam's regime in April.
TIME magazine correspondent Brian Bennett in Baghdad told CNN's Aaron Brown the former Iraqi leader asserted that the United States invented the presence of WMD to justify an invasion of his country. (Full story)
Meanwhile, European leaders -- who were divided over the war in Iraq -- have joined members of the coalition to celebrate the capture of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein.
Germany, France, China and Russia -- nations strongly opposed to the Iraq conflict -- said they hoped Saddam's capture could foster stability and democracy in Iraq and reconcile the world community. (Full story)
Blair said on Monday he was confident the Iraqi people would be able to mount a fair trial of captured ex-dictator Saddam Hussein.
"Of course we must make sure that there is a proper and independent and fair process. But I am quite sure that the Iraqis have the capability of doing that," Blair told parliament.
He said Britain and other countries would support the Iraqi people in ensuring that an eventual trial was open and legal.
Blair said celebrations across Iraq following news of Saddam's capture illustrated the delight felt by most of the population.
"The Iraqi people want their freedom and support the principles of justice, democracy and the rule of law just as people do everywhere when given half the chance to do so," he said.
