Having failed to come up with proof to support the main justification for invading Iraq, the U.S.-led forces broadcast by radio the appeal for help from "honorable Iraqis".

People were asked "to supply any information in their possession about these weapons" of mass destruction, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported.

"Generous rewards await (those who provide) any information on the whereabouts of components, products or equipment used to develop, process, produce or maintain weapons of mass destruction," the report said.

"This includes laboratory equipment and computers or any document relating to the planning, purchase, sale, export, storage, maintenance or use of weapons of mass destruction," the radio announced.

Al-Manar newspaper, a new independent daily, said the reward was up to 200,000 dollars.

The appeal also covered "any person having taken part in the development or use of arms of mass destruction" as well as "any site having served for the production or manufacture of such weapons."

Washington and London insisted before launching the invasion that Iraq was developing banned weapons and put up satellite pictures of sites and intelligence reports to back up the claim.

But despite occupying the country for more than 40 days and a host of alerts and tips, nothing substantial has been made public and the international community remains skeptical.

Iraq repeatedly denied the allegations.

Saddam Hussein's scientific adviser General Amer al-Saadi surrendered to the U.S.-led forces on April 12, three days after the aggression ended and insisted Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction.

The former head of Iraq's biological warfare program, Rihab Rashid Taha, known as "Doctor Germ," was held by U.S. forces earlier this month, again raising hopes of a breakthrough in the hunt for prohibited arms.

Taha shared the distinction as leader of Iraq’s biological warfare program with Huda Salih Mahdi Ammash, a U.S.-trained microbiologist, dubbed "Mrs. Anthrax," captured on May 2003.

The Pentagon, which has preferred to search for Iraq’s alleged weapons of mass destruction itself, has until now blocked the return of U.N. arms inspectors who were charged before the U.S.-led invasion with ridding the regime of weapons of mass destruction.

Hans Blix, the chief U.N. weapons inspector, has suggested sending back U.N. inspectors to lend credibility to the U.S.-led search.

The White House, however, has said it is not yet time to discuss the return of U.N. inspectors and has instead set up its own 1,000-strong survey team to scour the country.

But as troops on the ground continue to test suspected sights without success, Washington is coming under growing pressure to prove its allegations, which the ousted regime strenuously denied.

Meanwhile, Iraqi citizens will be required to turn over automatic weapons and heavy weapons under a proclamation that the U.S. forces plan to issue this week.

The aim of the proclamation is to help stabilize Iraq by confiscating the huge supply of AK-47's, machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades and other weapons that are used by criminal gangs, paramilitary groups and remnants of the Saddam Hussein government, the New York Times reported.

Others think that collecting weapons from Iraqis aims mainly at avoiding the establishment of resistance pockets among the Iraqi people, a large segment of which regard the U.S. presence in their country as an occupation that must be resisted.

The paper said that Iraqis authorized to use military-type weapons because of their police or military duties will be exempt.

Many Iraqis accused the U.S. forces of taking no action to stop looting, lawlessness and anarchy that plagued Iraqi areas after they rolled into and declared the fall of the Iraqi regime. This inaction raises voices for an end of the presence of the occupying powers and turning over power to the Iraqis.