The siege began when FBI agents tried to enter the compound

US District Judge Walter Smith dismissed a lawsuit brought by survivors and relatives of the Branch Davidians who died when the cult's compound was destroyed in a fire following an FBI assault.

About 100 survivors and relatives of the dead had sued the government for $675m, alleging that agents had used excessive force to end the siege.

In reaching his verdict, the judge upheld an earlier non-binding report made by a government-appointed investigator.

This is the latest defeat for the cult in their seven-year battle with the US Government over the responsibility for Waco.

US Attorney-General Janet Reno has already been cleared of any blame.

Siege

A blaze broke out as agents moved into the compound to end the 51-day siege.

Cult leader David Koresh has been held responsible for the blaze

Speculation that the FBI may have triggered the blaze accidentally intensified, after the agency finally admitted last year it had fired potentially incendiary devices into the compound.

Videotape of the events also appeared to show unexplained flashes.

But the report said that government agents had not started the fire, nor opened fire on the Davidians.

During the inquiry, a UK firm, Vector Data systems, recreated some of the final day's events.

The firm said in its report that the flashes seen on the video were sunlight reflecting off debris, not security forces' gunfire.

The government argued that David Koresh taught his followers he was an incarnation of God and trained them for an armed apocalyptic conflict.

But surviving Davidians have insisted that their compound was a peaceful Bible study centre.