Posted on 10/09/2002 4:29:14 PM PDT by knighthawk
Saddam Hussein has been acquiring the technology to build a long-range "supergun" capable of firing nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, German prosecutors allege.
The claim follows the charging of two Germans who allegedly bought cannon drilling equipment and shipped it to Iraq via Jordan four years ago.
The investigation into the Mannheim-based firm Alriwo began last year. Hubert Jobski, from the prosecutor's office, said yesterday other arrests were expected, and the two men under arrest could each be sentenced to 15 years if found guilty.
"We are convinced that from Mannheim the equipment went to Iraq," said Mr Jobski. "Others will be accused in the case, and we hope to wrap it up very soon."
The prosecution says that one of the accused men, Alriwo employee Bernd Schompeter, bought equipment worth about £220,000 from another company called Burgsmueller in north Germany.
Meanwhile, George Tenet, director of the CIA, contradicted President George Bush in Washington by stating that President Saddam was unlikely to attack the United States with either conventional or weapons of mass destruction in the near future. But he warned that the Iraqi leader might do so if an invasion by America became inevitable.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.independent.co.uk ...
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I don't understand why Saddam wants this thing. How many rounds could it fire before being destroyed by a smart bomb or missle? One or two, maybe? Let him waste his time and money on things that will have no real strategic significance; The way the Germans did with the V2.
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