U.S. captures Iraqi chemical-weapons plant

WorldNetDaily.com ^ | Sunday, March 23, 2003

[JohnHuang2]

U.S. forces have uncovered an illegal chemical-weapons plant in An Najaf, some 90 miles south of Baghdad, according to a report in the Jerusalem Post.

The discovery of the chemical plant was also later confirmed by Fox News.

A senior Pentagon official told network correspondent Bret Baier that coaltion forces discovered a ''huge'' chemical-weapons factory near An Najaf.

At least 30 Iraqi troops, including a general, surrendered today to troops with the 3rd Infantry Division within minutes of U.S. forces entering the area to capture the sheet metal-lined chemical weapons production facility.

One U.S. soldier was wounded when a booby-trapped explosive went off at the 100-acre complex, which is surrounded by an electrical fence.

F-16 Fighting Falcon preps to refuel near Iraq

The Post states the surrounding barracks resemble an abandoned slum and the facility was camouflaged in sand-cast walls to make it look like the surrounding desert, in an apparent attempt to keep it from being photographed aerially.

U.N. weapons inspectors are not aware of any large-scale chemical sites which could be used to make chemical weapons in Najaf, a spokesman for the inspectors, Ewen Buchanan, told the Associated Press.

U.N. inspectors visited a cement plant there earlier this year but did not report finding anything.

If the plant is confirmed as a chemical weapons factory, it would be the first find by the U.S.-led invasion force validating U.S. allegations that Iraq still has weapons of mass destruction.

Iraqi officials have insisted they destroyed all of the chemical and biological weapons they made after the 1991 Persian Gulf War.

[JohnHuang2]

Sunday, March 23, 2003

Quote of the Day by Erasmus

[Caipirabob]

Any news on the identity or nature of the chemical weapons?

[AFPhys]

This plant is yet to be studied. The captured general apparently stated it was a chem weapons site, though.

One thing is for sure::: IF we DIDN'T know about this site, EVERY recon photo analyst in the military is today getting familiarized with the photos of it, and will be poring over every blessed section of the country looking for a similar signature: slums/ shadowy buildings/ surrounded by an out of place fence...

If we did know, I'm glad we didn't tell the Inspector Clouseau crowd everything, or there would have been nothing there by the time our military got here.

Three or four days of US military inspections have borne more fruit than twelve years of UN jokesters.

[Coop]

First heard about this on FNC yesterday evening. I am definitely looking forward to more news on this very important topic. Where did you hear about the general supposedly admitting a CW program?

[eureka!]

That the press, 4 days into this, demand "proof" of WMD sickens me. Nonetheless, the proof will be shown. The UN is as irrelevant as the French...