• Military

• WMD Menu                           

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Tracking Inspections: 29 January 2003

The UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) noted in its 29 January briefing that it has submitted a total of 16 requests for private interviews with 13 Iraqi individuals. Three individuals were asked to be interviewed in private "once before the 10-point agreement of 20 January and once afterwards."

Three inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) went to the State Company for Geological Survey, located in Al-Andulus Square, Baghdad. Inspectors questioned the company's liaison officer with the Iraqi National Monitoring Directorate (NMD) on the company's responses to inspectors' questions, which were submitted on 22 January, according to the Iraqi Foreign Ministry. Inspectors also reviewed procurement files and contracts. Inspectors also visited the office of the State Company for Phosphates at the same location, where they examined contracts "related to installations in the company," the ministry stated.

Another team of three IAEA inspectors conducted a radiation survey of the Abu Gharib and Saddamiyat al-Falluja areas, which the Foreign Ministry states is a tourist site belonging to the Ard Al-Ahlam Company for Tourism Investments. In addition, inspectors checked the Tariq Camp (Baghdad: Al-Falluja Road) for radiation.

A third team of four IAEA inspectors went to Al-Kufah University, where they questioned the university president about staff and students, the university's budget, and funding sources. They also questioned the deans of the colleges of education, science, and engineering about students, staff, and research projects, and tested those colleges for radiation, the Foreign Ministry stated.

UNMOVIC confirmed the above-mentioned inspections but did not give details.

Inspectors also went to the Physics Department at the Al-Qa'id College of Education for Girls and the Colleges of Science and Medicine. Inspectors "verified radioactive sources there," the ministry reported.

A joint UNMOVIC inspection team of 10 inspectors visited the Al-Falluja Munitions Depot (Ministry of Defense). Inspectors questioned the commander of the depot about its date of construction and types of munitions stored there before inspecting storage areas using "chemical contamination detection devices." UNMOVIC did not elaborate on this inspection.

A team of six biological inspectors traveled to the Ibn Center for Agricultural Research in Abu Gharib. According to the Foreign Ministry, inspectors questioned a scientist there on plant diseases, the nature of his work, the "methods" of potato sterilization, and whether the center works on wheat diseases before inspecting the potato reproduction laboratory and the quality-control laboratory.

The biological inspectors then proceeded to a poultry breeding plant affiliated with the above-mentioned Ibn Center. Inspectors questioned the plant manager about the plant's operations, the types of chickens bred there, the capacity of incubators, and the capacity of fields at the plant.

Inspectors checked the animal physiology laboratory, also affiliated with the Ibn Center and located in Al-Shu'lah, the Foreign Ministry stated. UNMOVIC did not elaborate on the three above-mentioned inspections.

A team of eight biological inspectors traveled to the Chemical Engineering Department at the Baghdad Technology University. Inspectors questioned "experts" on the department's funding sources and whether there were employees specialized in microbiology on the staff, the ministry reported. In addition, inspectors toured laboratories and warehouses and took a sample "from the dehydration device." UNMOVIC did not elaborate on this inspection.

Eight biological inspectors went to the Al-Dabbash Warehouses belonging to the State Company for Marketing Medicines and Medical Appliances (Ministry of Health). Inspectors questioned the manager on whether or not the warehouses contain culture media. They also asked the head of the Maintenance Department about the nature of the work conducted at workshops located there, the Foreign Ministry stated. Inspectors also asked the head of the Customs Department about its work and "the mechanism for the arrival of trucks from Turaybil," before inspecting administrative offices and computer files. Inspectors also checked the customs entry section and the maintenance workshops, the ministry noted.

A team of five missile inspectors went to the Al-Ma'moun plant of the Al-Rashid State Company where they took samples of an Al-Fatah solid-fuel missile propellant for analysis, according to the Foreign Ministry. UNMOVIC confirmed this inspection.

The Iraqi Foreign Ministry noted that 15 inspectors attempted to travel in two helicopters to the Al-Ta'mim Governorate but could not land due to bad weather.

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