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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: NickSE who wrote (66777)	1/18/2003 5:08:54 PM
From: BigBull	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 281500

Hamza says that enrichment programs were pretty much abandoned and that the crash program that was initiated just before Gulf War 1 was focused on building a device and buying the enriched uranium. Be interesting to see if this "scientists'" papers refer to a restart of enrichment programs. Strange that Baredi says that they (the papers) are only significant if they were not declared. I thought the Iraqi's weren't supposed to have any nuclear weapons programs at all. Imo the only things that would make these docs "irrelevant" would be if they dated to the pre-'90 years. BWDIK. Here's an interesting little item I picked up on from a Turkish news site. Now, I think that finding these 16 folks would be icing on the cake, but it does point to the fact that Iraqi scientists relevant to Saddam's wmd progs have managed to get out of the country as did Hamza. My bet is we've already been talking to a few. Saturday, January 18, 2003 16 Iraqi Scientists Could Hold The Key turkishpress.com BYEGM: Saturday, January 18, 2003 STAR- Columnist Murat Celik comments on a secret list of Iraqi scientists. A summary of his column is as follows: The US and the United Nations are looking for 16 Iraqi scientists. The list of these 16 whom UN weapons inspectors have been unable to find in Iraq is now in Turkey’s hands, among other nations. The US and the UN asked Turkish intelligence and security units if the 16 on the list were in the country and added, ‘If any of the people on this list try to enter Turkey, it’s vital that you let us know at once.’ The message sent to Ankara last week was both secret and important. These 16 Iraqi scientists are of crucial importance in helping to discover if Baghdad has nuclear, biological or chemical weapons and getting details of these, if any. The UN weapons inspectors currently in Iraq conducted inspections at a scientist’s house on Wednesday and at two others’ yesterday. However, during these inspections, problems continued. During the weapons inspectors’ meeting with the Iraqi scientists, representatives of the Baghdad administration were also present. Under such circumstances, almost none of these scientists were forthcoming with concrete information. The US and the UN think that they were hiding the truth due to fear of reprisal by Saddam Hussein. Likewise, chief UN weapons inspector Hans Blix, who is due in Baghdad this weekend, said yesterday, ‘If Iraq has nothing to hide, it should permit us to question these scientists abroad.’ During the current meetings, the Iraqi scientists are telling UN inspectors that Iraq has no nuclear, biological or chemical weapons. Of course this answer hasn’t satisfied the US, which suspects Iraq is hiding the truth, so it is looking for these 16 scientists as it thinks they know Saddam’s secrets. Countries in the region are now looking for the 16. Reportedly, the list has been given to Turkey, Kuwait and Jordan. The list of 16 reached Ankara last week and was delivered to the proper authorities. The National Intelligence Organization (MIT), Foreign Ministry, General Staff, Interior Ministry, General Gendarmerie Command and Security Directorate are now working on the list. The list was also sent to the border gates. If any person on this list tries to enter Turkey, Ankara will know at once, as will the US and UN in short order. SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION