Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

File: 970613_15170167_91d_txt_0001.txt

[b.2.]
SERIAL: (U) IIR 1 517 0167 91.
COUNTRY: (U) IRAQ (IZ); SOVIET UNION (UR).
SUBJECT:  IIR 1 517 0167 91/UNDERGROUND NUCLEAR FACILITIES AND SS-12
MISSILES --DESERT STORM-- (U).
WARNING: (U) THIS IS AN INFORMATION REPORT, NOT FINALLY EVALUATED
INTELLIGENCE.
                        DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
DOI: (U) 910100'
[b.2.]
[b.1. sec. 1.5.(c)]
SUMMARY:  IN 1983 THE IRAQIS BEGAN A PROJECT TO DEVELOP AN
UNDERGROUND NUCLEAR REACTOR NEAR BAYJI. SUPPORTING THEIR NUCLEAR
WEAPONS PROGRAM.  AN UNKNOWN QUANTITY OF SS-12S WERE SOLD TO IRAQIS
IN THE EARLY 1980S BY THE SOVIETS.  GUIDANCE SETS FOR THESE MISSILES
WERE OBTAINED IN 1988.
TEXT:  (U)
1.       IN 1983 IBRAHAM ((BARZAN)), SADDAM ((HUSSEIN'S)) STEP
BROTHER, WAS IN CHARGE OF BUILDING AN UNDERGROUND NUCLEAR REACTOR IN
THE VICINITY OF BAYJI //GEOCOORD:  3556N04329E//.  THE PROJECT WAS
LOCATED ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE EUPHRATES RIVER. ON THE NORTH SIDE
OF THE MOUNTAIN. VERY CLOSE TO THE OIL PIPELINC.  LOCATION WAS BASED
ON EASE OF ACCESS TO RAIL. ROAD AND RIVER MODES OF TRANSPORTATION.
AND BCCAUSE OF REGIONAL POLITICAL LOYALTY TO HUSSEIN.  AL FATAH
AIRFIELD //GEOCOORD:  35O8N04343E//. WHICH IS LOCATED NEAR THE
PROJECT. WAS SPECIFICALLY BUILT FOR USE BY SCIENTISTS AND OTHER
PERSONNEL ASSOCIATED WITH THE UNDERGROUND NUCLEAR PROJECT.
DEVELOPMENT OF AN UNDERGROUND NUCLEAR REACTOR WAS IN RESPONSE TO THE
ISRAELI BOMBING OF THE OSIRAK REACTOR IN 1981.  [b.1. sec 1.5.(c)] DID NOT KNOW
IF THE PROJECT AT BAYJI WAS EVER COMPLETED.  BARZAN IS NOW ACTING
AMBASSADOR TO SWITZERLAND HAVING LEFT THE NUCLEAR REACTOR PROJECT IN
1984'  RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROJECT WAS SPLIT BETWEEN HUSSEIN
KAMAIL ((AL MAJID)), WHO WAS IN CHARGE OF SECURITY. AND A CIVILIAN
SCIENTIST FNU ((KHAFAJI)), WHO WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR SCIENTIFIC
ASPECTS OF THE PROJECT.  ([b.1.sec 1.5.(c)] COMMENT-- A LITTLE WHILE BACK.
ÔHE CLAIMED WERE SMUGGLED OUT OF WESTERN COUNTRIES.  KHAFAJI WAS
SEATED ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HUSSEIN DURING THAT INTERVIEW.)
3.      SS-12 SCALEBOARDS.  AN UNKNOWN QUANTITY OF SS-12 SCALEBOARD
MISSILES WERE PURCHASED FROM THE SOVIETS IN THE EARLY 1980S. BUT
WERE DELIVERED WITHOUT MISSILE GUIDANCE SETS.  DURING THE CONFLICT
WITH IRAN. THE SOVIETS IMPOSED AN 18 MONTH BLOCKADE PREVENTING
SHIPMENT OF SOVIET MADE SPARE PARTS TO IRAQ.  THE MISSILES WERE
INITIALLY STORED AT AL ISKANDARIYAH //GEOCOORD:  3255N04421E//
BECAUSE OF ITS CENTRALIZED LOCATION.  AFTER 1988. THE SOVIETS AGAIN
BEGAN TO SELL WEAPONS TO IRAQ. WHICH THEN INCLUDED GUIDANCE SETS FOR
THE SS-12 MISSILES.  [b.1.]             THE SS-12S WERE TESTED AFTER
RECEIVING THE GUIDANCE SETS, AND CONSIDERED ACCURATE. THE SS-12S
WOULD MOST LIKELY BE USED AGAINST ISRAELI TARGETS. SUCH AS THE
NUCLEAR REACTOR AT DIMONA //GEOCOORD:  310014N0350837E// AND THE OIL
REFINERY AT HAIFA //GEOCOORD:  3249N03502E//.  
[b.1. sec. 1.5.(c)]
       COMMENT-- SOVIET INCREASED ARMS SALES WERE A DIRECT RESULT
OF TREATIES SIGNED WITH THE US.  TO FORGO DESTRUCTION, THE SOVIETS
DUMPED THEIR WEAPONS ON THE MARKET SELLING ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING
THEY COULD TO THE IRAQIS.)
[b.1. sec. 1.5.(c)]
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