"Partly because Saddam himself has denied their existance, and partly because the country has already been inspected fairly closely," he told Swedish newswire TT Monday.

Blix, who was charged with searching for such weapons in the 15 weeks leading up to the US-led invasion of Iraq, said Saddam may still tell investigators how Iraq acquired the weapons, developed them and eventually got rid of them.

Blix, a former Swedish diplomat, said that the capture could give more Iraqis the courage to offer up information to the occupation forces.

"It's possible that people have been afraid to speak out, (since) they didn't know if Saddam Hussein might come back one day. Now, that risk is gone," he told TT.

He also said he hoped that violence in Iraq would now lessen.

"A symbol of the resistance has been eliminated," he said.

Blix said that the most desirable outcome of the capture would be if Saddam were put on trial by "a repectable judicial authority."

"Most people seem to think that it should happen in Iraq, and I agree," he told TT.

WAR.WIRE