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Tracking Inspections: 17 January 2003

A team of 17 biological inspectors traveled to a civilian poultry farm and mill, located in Al-Suwayrah, approximately 60 kilometers south of Baghdad, according to the Foreign Ministry. Inspectors asked about the farm's activities, including how chicks and fodder are obtained, quantities of chicken waste, and whether or not the farm uses rat poison, the ministry noted. Inspectors also toured a "large bunker" which turned out to be a civilian ice-making factory, according to the ministry. UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) stated that multifrequency electromagnetic detectors were used to survey the farm.

The Foreign Ministry stated that a team of seven chemical inspectors returned to the Falluja II site. The site belongs to the Al-Tariq State Company (owned by Iraq's Military Industrial Organization). Inspectors visited the chlorine and phenol factory at the site, as well as the Al-Tariq State Company, which the Foreign Ministry states is currently being leased to a farmer for civilian use. UNMOVIC stated that inspectors actually went to Falluja I and II (80 kilometers and 100 kilometers northwest of Baghdad). It added that Falluja I is a storage area for farm products and is "largely deserted," while Falluja II comprises the headquarters of Al-Tariq State Company and a factory area and that they produce phenol and chlorine, though the chlorine plant is not currently operational.

A joint team of inspectors (number not given) returned to the Al-Zahif Al-Kabeer Company where inspectors questioned the director about the company's activities and former activities at the site, and asked about the source of the company's raw materials. They also inquired as to the factory's relations with other state departments. In addition, "The team visited the pilot unit of the Red Iron Oxide, and all the facilities and buildings of the factory without exception," the ministry noted.

UNMOVIC noted in its 18 January daily briefing that a Mosul-based joint inspection team visited the State Company for Extractional Operations (the former Al-Jesira [Jazeera] uranium oxide and uranium tetrachloride plant) on the outskirts of Mosul on 17 January, adding, "The plant is now producing ferrous sulfate and until recently iron oxide. The plant is also handling and manufacturing a low number of commodity chemicals."

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