01 February 2004	Sunday	09 Zilhaj 1424

WASHINGTON, Jan 31: Under pressure from Capitol Hill, US President George Bush is considering the formation of an independent panel to investigate intelligence on Iraq that he used to justify the invasion , and aides are discussing it with congressional officials, sources familiar with the discussions said on Saturday.

Mr Bush had rejected an independent investigation amid White House fears of a political witchhunt by Democrats hoping to unseat him in elections this year, but began in recent days to reconsider the position.

"I want the American people to know that I, too, want to know the facts," Mr Bush told reporters on Friday.

He is under strong pressure from both Democrats and some Republicans on Capitol Hill to accept an investigation into intelligence that said Iraq possessed chemical and biological weapons and was developing a nuclear weapon - all issues President Bush used to justify invading Iraq.

The sources said a range of options for such a panel was being explored and that an agreement was hoped for soon.

The White House would not comment.

Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain broke party ranks to join Democratic demands for an independent probe into how US intelligence got it wrong given the failure by searchers to find weapons of mass destruction.-Reuters