WASHINGTON, Sept. 8 (Xinhuanet) -- Former US Secretary of State Colin Powell on Thursday expressed remorse over his speech at the United Nations before the US invasion upon Iraq.

    During an interview with ABC News, he said the speech, in which he alleged that Iraq stored weapons of mass destruction, was a "blot" on his record and brought painful memories to him.

    The speech, delivered in February 2003, had strengthened US President George W. Bush administration's war rhetoric against Iraq and its goal to topple Saddam Hussein's regime.

    However, Powell admitted in the interview that US intelligence reports about Iraq, which were quoted in his speech, were not accurate.

    The intelligence system did not work well, and it "devastated" him, Powell said.

    Without a UN mandate, the United States led an invasion upon Iraq and overthrew Saddam soon after the speech.

    However, evidence of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction has never been found.

    Powell also suggested that the Bush administration's allegation of a link between Saddam and terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden was doubtful.

    Although "reluctant," he did support Bush on going to war the month after the speech, recalled the former top US diplomat.

    The ABC interview was Powell's first major media interview since he left Bush administration in January. Enditem