Tracking Inspections: 20 January 2003

A team of eight International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors visited a "military site north of Baghdad," according to the Iraqi Foreign Ministry.

Another group of 10 inspectors went to the Al-Quds Military Camp located in Sabea Abkar in Baghdad. Inspectors went to a shooting range where they conducted radiological testing, sketched the range, and photographed it inside and out. Inspectors also checked the entrances to the camp for radiation. Inspectors also questioned the commander about the ownership of the site, its construction date, and when the Al-Quds Army was first stationed there.

Regarding the two above-mentioned inspections, the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) stated, "The IAEA, supported by UNMOVIC geophysical and chemical inspectors, conducted a simultaneous inspection of two previously uninspected sites in the north of Baghdad."

Four UNMOVIC missile inspectors went to the Al-Mufeed testing station at the Al-Nu'man site, which specializes in "examining small missile engines," according to the ministry, which added that the site belongs to the Al-Qa'qa State Company and is 60 kilometers south of Baghdad. Inspectors asked about changes at the site since 1998, the ministry stated. UNMOVIC stated that the inspectors checked the Al-Qa'qa Static Test Stands used to test small rocket motors.

Another team of four missile inspectors visited the Al-Milad Factory at the Al-Harith State Company (a.k.a. Al-Harith Workshop), owned by the Military Industrial Organization (MIO) and located 35 kilometers north of Baghdad. Inspectors removed the seals of the Al-Volka missiles there and placed stickers on "other ones," the ministry stated. UNMOVIC clarified, stating that inspectors retagged "SA-2 missiles, whose tags had been removed the week before for maintenance, and [removed] tags from other SA-2 missiles that will go through a maintenance cycle next."

A team of four biological inspectors went to the Baghdad Company for Alcoholic Beverages, a joint public/private sector company located in the Al-Za'faraniyah area of Baghdad. Inspectors toured the company and tagged equipment. UNMOVIC stated that this site is a brewery. The quality control laboratory and all tagged equipment at the site were checked.

Seven biological inspectors went to the Communicable Diseases Control Center belonging to the Ministry of Health, located in Al-Andulus Square, Baghdad. Inspectors asked about the center's activities and means of preventing epidemics. They also inquired as to the names of staff members and changes at the site since 1998. Inspectors also asked to visit the technical workshops of the center, which are located in the Shaykh Omar area of Baghdad. UNMOVIC stated that the Communicable Diseases Control Center is responsible for controlling the spread of infectious diseases in Iraq. Another team of five biological inspectors went to the agricultural airport Khan Bani Saad, 50 kilometers northeast of Baghdad, which belongs to the State Establishment for Agricultural Protection. Inspectors asked to question the airport director, a pilot named Muntaser Radeef, according to the Foreign Ministry. Radeef was not there, so inspectors interviewed Nasser Da'oud (title not given). They asked Da'oud about two fuel tanks that were modified to be used to spray insecticides, the ministry stated. UNMOVIC stated that the purpose of the visit was to inspect "two large hangars" at this declared site.

Four biological inspectors returned to a private farm in Al-Durah owned by Sabah Anwar Jan, according to the ministry. The farm was previously visited on 17 January. Inspectors asked Jan to demolish a wall of a locked room "to see what was inside." After an initial refusal, the owner conceded. A hole was made in the wall, and inspectors entered a room through the hole where they found a number of "agricultural motors that are used for irrigation purposes," according to the ministry. Inspectors photographed the motors and asked Jan about the date that the room was sealed, as well as the date in which the farm's rear fence was constructed. UNMOVIC stated that inspectors "completed the inspection of the remaining buildings that were sealed during their first inspection on 15 January."

A team of four chemical inspectors went to the Al-Qa'qa State Company (MIO owned) where they split into three groups: one visited the explosives production factory to inquire about the production process; another visited an area where explosives are produced; and the third took air samples from the explosives production facility, the ministry stated. UNMOVIC only noted that inspectors visited the site to inspect production units.

A joint team of eight inspectors visited a "military site belonging to the Republican Guards," according to the ministry, where they visited a recreational room, as well as the kitchen and storage areas for supplies and garbage. UNMOVIC stated that this site is the Rashdiya Munitions Filling Plant, and did not elaborate on the inspection there.

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Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Tracking Inspections: 20 January 2003