Iraq has mobile 'bioweapons labs' (German intelligence service believes)

The Australian ^ | Februari 02 2003

[knighthawk]

GERMANY'S intelligence service believes Iraq has mobile laboratories capable of developing and producing chemical and biologial weapons, according to a German weekly magazine.

The laboratories are hidden in trucks that appear completely normal from the outside, Focus magazine says, quoting the results of an investigation by the intelligence service, BND.

A BND spokesman was not immediately available for comment on the report.

Focus says BND officials gave details about the laboratories to the foreign affairs committee of the Bundestag, the lower house of parliament, in November.

The head of the BND, August Hanning, told the deputies the Iraqi government had even bought equipment for the laboratories in Germany, Focus says. He said Baghdad had also attempted to buy material in Germany to build missiles.

The weekly said the deputies had promised not to reveal the information given to them by Hanning. But some members of the conservative opposition have pressed the Social Democrat government to publish the BND findings, or at least hand them over to the UN Security Council.

In a rare statement, the BND said yesterday it had, "with the government's consent, transmitted to the UN weapons inspectors information that it had gathered about Iraq".

[knighthawk]

How do the Germans know this? And why do they still oppose ousting Saddam?

[knighthawk]

The laboratories are hidden in trucks that appear completely normal from the outside, Focus magazine says, quoting the results of an investigation by the intelligence service, BND.

Middle East list

If people want on or off this list, please let me know.

[knighthawk]

Ping

[TheBattman]

Just a theory:

The Germans know about this because they supplied the technology and equipment.

Why say something now - trying to flip their way out of possible reprocussions from their busines dealings with Saddam?

[knighthawk]

My theory too.

[Pearls Before Swine]

The Germans know about this because they supplied the technology and equipment.

I think the "right" way to look at this is that in Germany, as in the US, there are many actors. Schroeder used anti-Americanism to bolster his election chances, which is why Bush considers him a jerk. The German government didn't restrain profit seeking companies selling weapons technology.

An analogy in the US would be the Clinton years. The Clinton government, for ideological reasons that are difficult to understand (except maybe bribery)was determined to be "open" with China. Many US companies, such as Loral, went out of their way to profit from trading sensitive technologies with the Chinese once the government let--even encouraged--them.

[Michael81Dus]

That´s the most likely assumption.

[alaskanfan]

During the coming conflict will they move these to Paris Or Berlin for safety?

Enquiring minds want to know.

[Michael81Dus]

Ha Ha. You had your laugh!

[RummyChick]

One of the most vocal anti war countries knows about the moving trucks...sacre bleu!

Wonder what Suzie Baghdad will have to say about this

[speekinout]

If Saddam is dependent on the Germans to keep his weapons labs, he won't be using this stuff against them. And they don't care if he uses it against the US or Israel (or any other country, for that matter)

The Germans aren't known for their compassion for other people.

[Travis McGee]

Iraq learned one important lesson from Gulf War One:

fixed sites get blown up, mobile launchers survived.

[Madame Dufarge]

The head of the BND, August Hanning, told the deputies the Iraqi government had even bought equipment for the laboratories in Germany, Focus says.

They've been sitting on this information since November?

He said Baghdad had also attempted to buy material in Germany to build missiles.

Wonder if the attempt was successful? Why do I have a vision of lots of scrambling behind the scenes in Germany? It's going to be very interesting to see what else oozes out about this.

[patton]

It is interesting that the Bundesnachrichtendienst made this critical discovery just after Iraq admitted on US TV that they, indeed, had mobile labs.

[Michael81Dus]

What?? Really? The BND has said these "news" to the German parliaments committee of foreign affairs in November, I believe. The Iraqis admitted it?? Unbelievable.

The UN Security Council should meet immediately and order strikes against that regime.

[patton]

The Iraqi spokepearson admitted the existence of the mobile labs in his press conference this morning.

From the article, I see the BND reported to the Reichstag in November.

It seems to have "hit the press" today.

[johniegrad]

Withheld by Schroder for fear it may have hurt him politically and then only released after the election?

[patton]

Sort of like the CA budget defict.

[GailA]

RV's in action..has Blix inspected all the RV's yet?

[GoMonster]

Germs probably found out that we have Iraqis saying, " thank our german bretheren for these mobile labs. dumb inspectors will never find our stash now. "