IRAQ: U.N. ARMS INSPECTORS SEARCH AT LEAST 8 SITES IN THEIR HUNT FOR WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION/ DEPUTY PM TARIQ AZIZ ACCUSES INSPECTORS OF SPYING

Record ID: 647583

  • Title: IRAQ: U.N. ARMS INSPECTORS SEARCH AT LEAST 8 SITES IN THEIR HUNT FOR WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION/ DEPUTY PM TARIQ AZIZ ACCUSES INSPECTORS OF SPYING
  • Date: 8th January 2003
  • Summary: (W5)BAGHDAD, IRAQ (JANUARY 8, 2003)(REUTERS) 1. LV: U.N. COMPOUND 0.06 2. VARIOUS OF INSPECTORS INSIDE THE COMPOUND (2 SHOTS) 0.18 3. CU: SIGN READS: "CAR PARK UNMOVIC ONLY" 0.22 4. SV: INSPECTORS LEAVING THE U.N. HEADQUARTERS, HEADING TO SITES 0.27 (W5)FALLUJA, IRAQ (JANUARY 8, 2003) (REUTERS) 5. TRAVELLING SHOT: INSPECTORS ENTERING AL-TAREQ PUBLIC COMPANY FALLUJA 0.32 6. VARIOUS OF THE SITE 0.42 7. LV/SLV: U.N INSPECTORS AT THE SITE (2 SHOTS) 0.52 8. VARIOUS EQUIPMENT AT THE SITE 0.57 9. SV: THA'IR HAZEM, DIRECTOR OF THE PLANT, WITH REPORTERS 1.04 10. SCU: CAMERA OPERATOR 1.08 11. SCU: SOUNDBITE (English) THA'IR HAZEM, DIRECTOR OF THE PLANT, SAYING: "They checked all equipment, all stores and they take some samples, they asked some questions and we answered all their questions." 1.22 12. PULL OUT: POSTER OF IRAQI PRESIDENT SADDAM HUSSEIN INSIDE THE PLANT 1.33 13. MV: EMPLOYEES INSIDE THE PLANT 1.38 14. SV: INSPECTORS LEAVING THE SITE 1.43 (W5)BAGHDAD, IRAQ (JANUARY 8, 2003)(REUTERS ACCESS) 15. WS: EXTERIOR SADDAM COLLEGE OF MEDICINE 1.48 16. SCU: IRAQI FLAG (R-L) 1.52 17. SV: COLLEGE STUDENTS INSIDE THE PLANT 1.58 18. VARIOUS OF INSPECTORS INSIDE THE COLLEGE (3 SHOTS) 2.20 19. PAN: INSPECTORS LEAVING THE COLLEGE OF MEDICINE 2.29 (U3) BAGHDAD, IRAQ (JANUARY 8, 2003) (REUTERS) 20. MV: TAREQ AZIZ, IRAQI DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER ARRIVING AT A MEETING WITH A 45-MEMBER SOLIDARITY DELEGATION FROM SOUTH AFRICA 2.37 21. SV: SOUTH AFRICAN DELEGATION 2.41 22. SCU: (SOUNDBITE)(English) AZIZ SAYING: "Great deal of their work here in Iraq is not search for weapons of mass destruction, they are searching for other information, information about Iraqi conventional military capability, information about the Iraqi scientific and industrial capability in civilian area and also espionage questions." 3.18 23. WIDE OF DELEGATION MEMBERS LISTENING 3.22 24. SCU: (SOUNDBITE) (English) AZIZ SAYING: "In spite of the fact that the inspectors are here and they are doing their job and Iraq is fully cooperating with them (the inspectors), preparations for war is going on". 3.35 25. WS: DELEGATION MEMBERS LISTENING 3.39 26. SV: AZIZ ENTERING HIS CAR/MOTORCADE DRIVING AWAY 3.48 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 23rd January 2003 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BAGHDAD AND FALLUJA, IRAQ
  • Country: Iraq
  • Reuters ID: LVA9AMOG8K3X8LQRXZEX9SL8GZ0F
  • Story Text: U.N. arms inspectors have continued their hunt for weapons of
    mass destruction, searching at least eight suspect sites. In
    Baghdad, deputy Prime Minister Tareq Aziz lashed out
    at the inspectors, accusing them of espionage and added that
    preparations for war will continue.


    Experts from the U.N. Monitoring, Verification and
    Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) on Wednesday (January 8) went
    to four sites, Iraqi officials said.

    The UNMOVIC chemical team travelled to al-Tareq public
    company 90 km (56 miles) northwest of Baghdad, allegedly a
    precursor production facility for chemical weapons. A
    biological team went to the college of medicine in Baghdad.

    "They checked all equipment, all stores and they take some
    samples, they asked some questions and we answered all their
    questions," the Al-Tareq plant director Tha'ir Hazem said.

    A team of missile experts went to al-Mamoun Plant, 60 km
    (37 miles) southeast of Baghdad. The company, which is run by
    the Military Industrialisation Commission, is involved in the
    manufacture of mechanical parts for several solid propellant
    rockets.

    In the northern city of Mosul, a few days after opening an
    office, inspectors swooped into a medicine factory in the city
    375 km (233 miles) north of Baghdad.

    Experts from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
    drove to three cement factories, in Samawa, Kofa and Kerbala
    in southern Iraq.

    A joint team from UNMOVIC and the IAEA inspected a
    Baghdad-based repair company belonging to the Ministry of
    Irrigation.

    On Tuesday (January 7), arms experts launched their first
    aerial inspection in Iraq, using helicopters to fly to al Qaim
    State Company for Fertilisers in Akashat, 450 km (280 miles)
    to the west and close to Syria.

    The stepping-up of inspections came 20 days before the
    inspectors were due to report back to the U.N. Security
    Council.

    Their report could determine whether a U.S.-led war with
    Iraq can be averted.

    Speaking to a 45-member delegation from South Africa on
    Wednesday (January 8), Iraqi deputy Prime Minister Tareq Aziz
    said the U.N inspectors were not only searching for
    information on weapons of mass destruction.

    "A great deal of their work here in Iraq is not search for
    weapons of mass destruction, they are searching for other
    information, information about Iraqi conventional military
    capability, information about the Iraqi scientific and
    industrial capability in civilian area and also espionage
    questions," Aziz said, speaking in Baghdad.

    "In spite of the fact that the inspectors are here and
    they are doing their job and Iraq is fully cooperating with
    them (inspectors), preparations for war is going on," he
    added.

    British Prime Minister Tony Blair urged the world on
    Tuesday to back any U.S.-led war against Iraq or pay the price
    for weakness.

    Iraqi President Saddam Hussein thundered fresh defiance,
    saying Iraq would be no pushover for an invader, as a U.N.

    Security Council meeting on January 27 was increasingly seen
    as possible showdown time for war.

    U.S. President George W. Bush kept up an almost daily
    battle of words with Saddam, demanding once again that he
    surrender any weapons of mass destruction.


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