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Tracking Inspections: 13 January 2003

A team of two International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors went to the Ibn Rushd State Company, owned by Iraq's Military Industrial Organization (MIO), in the Al-Sayyidiyah area of Baghdad. The UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) noted this site as being 26 kilometers southwest of Baghdad. According to the Foreign Ministry, the company "deals with engineering inspection, measurement, and quality control [for the MIO]. Inspectors questioned the general manager and specialists about the company's work, inspection methods used, the number of scientists and engineers, and the number of graduate degree holders at the site. Inspectors toured administrative buildings, warehouses, the firefighting department, the Engineering Inspection Directorate, the information center, the environment section and the power plant," the ministry reported.

A team of five IAEA inspectors returned to Baghdad Technology University and questioned the president about the former university president, the university's structure, number of under and postgraduate students, professors, department heads and the university's relations to other institutions, the Foreign Ministry reported. Inspectors also met with the heads of the Applied Science, Computer Science, Chemical Engineering, Base Engineering, Production Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Metal departments. The department heads were questioned on the laboratories and equipment, and the number and type of degree for each professor in their respective department, as well as the number of postgraduate students in their departments.

Inspectors toured the Technological Education Department and the Electrical Engineering Department, conducting radiation tests.

In addition, inspectors went to Al-Tuwaythah, some 24 kilometers southeast of Baghdad, to interview an employee according to the ministry -- or to "verify certain components of the Iraqi declaration," according to UNMOVIC.

A team of 10 biological inspectors went to the Baghdad University College of Science for Girls, in the Al-Jadiriyah area of Baghdad. Inspectors questioned the dean about research projects, animal experimentation, the names of the professors in the Chemistry and Biology departments and their scientific background, and changes made in the last four years, according to the ministry. UNMOVIC noted that the college educates women to be high school teachers, but added that some graduates pursue other careers.

Another team of 12 biological inspectors questioned the head of the College of Science at Baghdad University about the department's structure, microbiology research, and educational activities, according to the Foreign Ministry. Inspectors also requested a list of microbiology research projects and professors. Tagged equipment was photographed and the biology laboratories, warehouses storing cultures and chemical substances, and animal holding areas were inspected. UNMOVIC stated that the biology department offers courses in botany, environmental science, microbiology, and zoology.

A team of eight chemical inspectors also toured the Baghdad Technology University and questioned the university president about its teaching staff, their education levels, the number of undergraduates and postgraduate students, the type of chemical engineering research projects, and about any cooperation with foreign universities, according to the ministry. Inspectors also met with the head of the Chemical Engineering Department and questioned him before touring the university's facilities. The library of the Chemical Engineering Department was also visited and inspectors checked postgraduate theses and subjects. UNMOVIC stated that the purpose of the visit was to re-evaluate the entire site.

A group of eight missile inspectors went to the Al-Amir Factory belonging to (and also known as) the Saddam State Establishment (SSE) and affiliated with the MIO in Amiriyat al-Fallujah, 70 kilometers west of Baghdad. Inspectors checked factories and workshops there. According to UNMOVIC, the factory assembled SCUD missile components before 1991 and now is responsible for the fabrication of artillery equipment.

A joint team of eight inspectors went to Air Force Airstrip 37 located 110 kilometers west of Baghdad to question officials on the date of the airstrip's construction and whether new buildings were added since that time. UNMOVIC identified this airstrip as being located in the Al-Muhammadiyah area, 200 kilometers west of Baghdad, noting that inspectors investigated the strip and a storage area nearby as well as debris at a bombing range.

Copyright (c) 2003. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org