Iraq: UN experts inspect suspected missile, chemical, biological and nuclear arms sites

Continuing an intensified pace of work, United Nations inspectors in Iraq today continued to probe sites suspected of being involved in the country's efforts to procure long-range missiles as well as chemical, biological and nuclear arms.

A team from the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) went to the Ibn Firnas State Company, which is owned by the Military Industrialization Corporation and conducts work on aircraft and remotely piloted vehicles for the armed forces. Another set of missile experts inspected the site of the Al-Harith Missile Maintenance Workshop, which services various missile systems.

In addition, an UNMOVIC multidisciplinary team inspected a guesthouse in the Al Rashidiya region. "The team entered the site, following a 20-minute discussion on procedural matters at the gate," UN spokesman Hiro Ueki said in Baghdad. "The team leader, accompanied by an UNMOVIC interpreter and an Iraqi official, entered two buildings at the site and completed the inspection."

An UNMOVIC chemical team made their second visit to Falluja III, which is part of the Al Tariq Company. "The team inspected the site to establish the current status of the site and its activity," Mr. Ueki said.

Biological warfare experts from UNMOVIC inspected facilities at the Ibn Al-Baetar Centre at Al Taji, a previously declared and inspected site. They inspected the Veterinary Drug Research Production Centre, the Chemical Production and Analysis facility, and the Biological Research and Development Department.

Meanwhile, over the past three days, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) sent a team of inspectors to the Mosul area, where multiple inspections were carried out. "One team concentrated on underground facilities, inspecting two projects associated with electricity generation and irrigation," Mr. Ueki said.

Inspections were also carried out at former nuclear facilities near Mosul, the Jaber bin Hayam site that produces chemical protection equipment for the military and some civilian products, and the Al Kindi State Company, which is associated with missile and rocket development.

An IAEA team which stayed behind in Baghdad inspected Nahrawan and the Mamoun factory of the Rasheed State Company. "Nahrawan is a conventional metals machining plant," Mr. Ueki explained. "Mamoun produces propellant for solid fuel missiles and was associated with the previous Iraqi nuclear programme."