IRAQ: OFFICIALS TAKE REPORTERS TO A SITE THE U.S. SUSPECT IS BEING REBUILT TO PRODUCE BANNED WEAPONS

Record ID: 646772

  • Title: IRAQ: OFFICIALS TAKE REPORTERS TO A SITE THE U.S. SUSPECT IS BEING REBUILT TO PRODUCE BANNED WEAPONS
  • Date: 13th October 2002
  • Summary: (W4)AL-FURAT SITE, 35KM SOUTH OF BAGHDAD, IRAQ (OCTOBER 12, 2002)(REUTERS) 1. SLV PAN OF AL-FURAT SITE (STILL UNDER CONSTRUCTION), SOUTHERN BAGHDAD 0.12 2. SLV MILITARY AND SATELLITE VEHICLES INFRONT OF SITE 0.18 3. SLV REPORTERS ENTERING THE SITE 0.27 4. SLV MILITARY AND SATELLITE VEHICLES INFRONT OF SITE (3 SHOTS) 0.43 5. SCU PEOPLE WORKING ON COMPUTERS PARTS AND WORKING AT COMPUTERS (4 SHOTS) 1.05 6. MV GENERAL EXPLAINING TO REPORTERS THAT THIS BUILDING IS THE SAME BUT NEW PREMISES WERE ADDED TO IT TO BE USED FOR RESEARCH PURPOSES SAYING "It was reconstructed and there is a work in it and you can inspect it by yourselves." 1.12 7. SLV MEDIA WALKING; SLV PAN BUILDING (2 SHOTS) 1.30 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 28th October 2002 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: AL-FURAT, 35KM SOUTH OF BAGHDAD, IRAQ
  • Country: Iraq
  • Reuters ID: LVABNWASLTU5FIDQO2ZSW0DSFNFN
  • Story Text: Iraqi officials have taken reporters to a site the U.S.

    suspects is being rebuilt to produce banned weapons, and
    rejected allegations the country possesses weapons of mass
    destruction.

    Iraq has lashed out at the U.S allegations that the
    al-Furat site, 30km South of Baghdad, was rebuilt for the
    production of banned weapons and activity.

    Iraqis claim the site was under construction when the 1991
    Gulf War erupted, so it was not bombed.

    But when the U.S. noticed new movements at the site, they
    added it to a list of sites they believe are being rebuilt for
    the manufacturing of banned weapons.

    According to Iraqis it is being used for civilian
    research.

    The head of the Iraqi National Monitoring Commission Husam
    Mohammed Ameen has described the claims as baseless and aimed
    at creating a pretext to launch "aggression" on Iraq.

    Iraq has previously organised similar tours to sites,
    including a factory for extracting uranium at a phosphate
    complex which was destroyed in 1991 by the coalition air
    strikes during the Gulf War and re-bombed in 1998.

    Iraq invited the United States on Thursday (October 10) to
    send officials to visit Iraqi sites suspected of producing
    weapons of mass destruction.

    President George W. Bush said on Monday (October 7) the
    threat of a deadly attack by Iraq on the United States was
    growing, and pledged to build an international coalition
    against Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

    Iraq agreed at the Vienna meetings two weeks ago that the
    inspectors would be "granted immediate, unconditional and
    unrestricted access to sites," including those termed
    sensitive sites in the past, such as government ministries.


  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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