UN inspectors conduct analysis of 12th chemical warhead found in Iraq

United Nations weapons inspectors returned to the Ukhaider Ammunition Storage Area today to conduct further analysis of the twelfth chemical warhead found at the site earlier in the week.

“The team took additional samples from the warhead and resealed the warhead and the storage building,” said Hiro Ueki, spokesman for the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) and International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Baghdad.

In other activities, an UNMOVIC missile team went to the Al Rasheed Air Base in anticipation of flying by helicopter to a site deep inside the northern no-fly-zone. “UNMOVIC had to cancel the mission for safety reasons, due to the insistence by the Iraqi side of flying their helicopter into the no-fly-zone following UNMOVIC’s helicopters,” Mr. Ueki said.

Meanwhile, a multidisciplinary team visited the Al-Numan General Company, a manufacturing plant in the vicinity of Baghdad that specializes in finishing plastic and metal parts. The status of current activities of the plant was assessed.

An UNMOVIC chemical team went to the Al Qa Qaa complex and conducted a survey employing multi-frequency electromagnetic detectors.

A biological team visited three colleges at Kufa University in Kufato inspect the Microbiology Department of the College of Medicine, the College of Science and the Biology Department of the College of Education for Women.

A second biological team visited the State Company for Foodstuff Trading under the Ministry of Trade in Baghdad to inspect the quality control laboratories as well as two mobile laboratories declared by Iraq.

In Mosul a multidisciplinary team inspected a textile factory. Yesterday, a team visited the General Establishment for Extractional Operations, the former Al Jesira uranium oxide and uranium tetrachloride production plant. “The plant is now producing ferrous sulphate and until recently iron oxide,” Mr. Ueki reported. “The plant is also handling and manufacturing a low number of commodity chemicals.”

As for the IAEA, its inspectors visited the University of Baghdad to inspect the College of Science (Ibn Al Haytham Campus) and the College of Education (Jaderia), and the Tuwaitha site to conduct a motorized survey.