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Tracking Inspections in Iraq

RFE/L

13 FEBRUARY 2003

      The Iraqi Foreign Ministry stated in its 13 February briefing that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) conducted a private interview with an Iraqi scientist on that day. The UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) confirmed the interview, stating that it was with an "Iraqi senior engineer connected to Iraq's utilization of aluminum tubes."
      The Foreign Ministry added that UNMOVIC also sought to interview an Iraqi scientist, but it declined to interview the man after he requested to record the interview on tape. UNMOVIC did not comment on this cancelled interview in its daily briefing.
      A team of two IAEA inspectors visited the Ibn Al-Haytham Factory belonging to the Al-Karamah State Company, located approximately 10 kilometers north of Baghdad. Inspectors checked a building that houses electrical spare parts, as well as "new" buildings, and tagged equipment at the facility, according to the Iraqi Foreign Ministry. UNMOVIC did not provide details on this inspection in its daily briefing.
      A team of three IAEA inspectors traveled to Amiriyat Al-Falluja to conduct radiation testing at the Al-Amir Factory, the chemical training grounds of the Saddam State Company, and the Al-Amin Factory of the Al-Rashid State Company, all located at Al-Falluja, the Foreign Ministry stated. UNMOVIC confirmed that a team of IAEA inspectors carried out a car-borne radiation survey at the Saddam facility.
      A team of five UNMOVIC missile inspectors traveled to the Al-Fida State Company, an affiliate of the Military Industrialization Organization (MIO) where inspectors verified Iraqi declarations on the site, the Iraqi Foreign Ministry reported. UNMOVIC stated that Al-Fida is involved in the production of missile launchers.
      A second team of four missile inspectors visited the Badr State Company, (owned by MIO) located 30 kilometers south of Baghdad. Inspectors questioned the director-general about "the manufactured parts of the equipment and molds used in the manufacture of various types of missiles," the Foreign Ministry stated. Inspectors also checked and photographed machines in some workshops at the site. The Badr State Company manufactures dies and molds for missile components, according to UNMOVIC.
      Four chemical inspectors returned to the Al-Muthanna State Company to continue destroying mustard gas extracted from 155-millimeter missiles, according to the Foreign Ministry. UNMOVIC stated that the inspection team "started to detoxify mustard from some of the shells by chemical means."
      Five biological inspectors traveled to the agricultural airport at Khan Bani Saad which the Iraqi Foreign Ministry states is the property of the Public Crop Protection Corporation. Inspectors questioned "specialists" at the site about the agricultural pesticides spraying tanks, before examining the tanks and recording their dimensions. UNMOVIC acknowledged the inspection of an airfield, but did not offer details on this inspection in its daily briefing.
      A joint team of six UNMOVIC inspectors visited the Ibn Rushd State Company (owned by the MIO), located 15 kilometers south of Baghdad, where inspectors asked the director-general about the company's activities. Inspectors checked computers and copied files pertaining to water tests at the site, the Foreign Ministry stated. UNMOVIC stated that the company is a quality-control center that is adjacent to the Mechanical Engineering Design Center. Inspectors continued verifying Iraqi declarations on the site, including whether the company cooperates with the military industry, UNMOVIC added.
      A Mosul-based joint UNMOVIC team of six inspectors visited the Al-Hadher Munitions Depot. Inspectors questioned site officials about the types of munitions stored at the site, as well as the number of warehouses destroyed in 1991 and 1998 by coalition air strikes, before touring the warehouses, the Foreign Ministry reported. UNMOVIC commented on this inspection in its 14 February briefing. It stated that inspectors visited this army storage facility, which contains "all types of small arms and artillery munitions over an area of 100 square kilometers." A number of "selected" bunkers and warehouses were inspected, UNMOVIC stated.

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