Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=9/9/03

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=PENTAGON / W-M-D (L O)

NUMBER=2-2-307315

BYLINE=ALEX BELIDA

DATELINE=PENTAGON

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

INTRO: A top U-S military commander in Iraq says no evidence has yet surfaced of any weapons of mass destruction despite numerous intelligence tips. But as V-O-A Correspondent Alex Belida reports, the commander is confident that evidence will eventually be found.

TEXT: Marine Lieutenant General James Conway says U-S forces in Iraq continue to receive tips from Iraqis who claim to have knowledge about the location of chemical or biological weapons or components.

General Conway tells reporters at the Pentagon U-S forces continue to send out teams to investigate those claims.

But he says so far the searches have been fruitless.

/// CONWAY ACT ///

I will tell you to date we have not had any of those leads turn into anything tangible.

/// END ACT ///

But General Conway remains optimistic evidence will be found of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction program --- though he suspects that evidence is probably well-hidden.

/// 2nd CONWAY ACT ///

But I still think that somewhere out there barrels are buried in the desert. We recently found Migs [eds: aircraft] buried that we didn't know about so if you contrast that with the difficulty of burying 55-gallon drums, it's certainly within the art of the possible. So I still remain optimistic that we will find out in the long term, based on the people we are rolling up [detaining], interrogations and so forth, that elements of a program existed.

/// END ACT ///

General Conway commanded the nearly 90-thousand Marines who took part in Operation Iraqi Freedom, traveling from Kuwait all the way north to Tikrit by the war's end. He has just returned from Iraq after turning over command of much of the south central part of the country to Polish-led multi-national troops. He says the last U-S Marines in Iraq should leave by early October, although Army troops will remain. (SIGNED)

NEB/BEL/KL/PT