'Saddam tape' says WMD claims baseless

An audiotape said to be of Saddam Hussein has been broadcast on the Dubai-based al-Arabiya satellite television station.

An audiotape said to be of Saddam Hussein has been broadcast on the Dubai-based al-Arabiya satellite television station.

An Arabic-language television station has broadcast an audiotape it said came from toppled Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein describing as "baseless" US and British allegations of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction."The occupiers have unveiled their intentions to occupy and divide Iraq. All their allegations were baseless," said the man on the tape broadcast by Al Arabiyasatellite TV.

He vowed that resistance against US occupation would intensify. The broadcast coincided with the 35th anniversary of the Baath Party's rise to power.At the weekend, Iraq's new US-backed governing council scrapped the July 17th public holiday, which used to be marked with lavish parades, speeches and songs in praise of Saddam.