UK troops find Jordanian munitions cache in Iraq

Reuters | Monday, March 31, 2003 | By David Fox

[JohnHuang2]

UK troops find Jordanian munitions cache in Iraq

By David Fox

EAST OF BASRA, Iraq, March 31 (Reuters) - British troops have discovered a huge cache of munitions in cases marked "Jordan Armed Forces" just outside Basra.

A Reuters team filmed and photographed the cache, around 5 km (three miles) east of Iraq's second biggest city, and on Monday British bomb disposal experts prepared to blow it up.

"I don't know exactly how much there is. We aren't exactly going to hang around and count it," said one British officer guarding the cache.

"It's a bloody lot though. Obviously for a forward position."

Jordanian Information Minister and government spokesman Mohammad al-Adwan, however, told Reuters: "If anything is found it has to be old stocks from the previous pre-embargo period prior to 1991 Gulf War."

"It was no secret that Jordan along with other Western countries were then sending military equipment to Iraq," he added.

The cache was found near a series of locks controlling the flow of the Euphrates river through the marshes that lead into the Arabian Gulf.

Three brick sheds built alongside the road were piled from floor to ceiling with wooden crates packed with shells, mortar bombs and other munitions.

All were marked "GHQ Jordan Armed Forces, Dir of Plng and Org."

While maintaining relations with Iraq, Western diplomats say Jordan has provided logistical aid to U.S. special forces operating in Western Iraq.

Soldiers guarding the cache did not know the origin of the munitions or whether they had come from Jordan or were destined for Iraq's neighbour.

The munitions find comes as British troops surrounding Basra continued to come under fire from Iraqi positions inside the city.

Hundreds of people streamed out of Basra on Monday in search of food and water, but many were also trying to make their way in to get news of their families and friends.

British troops at vehicle checkpoints on the southern approach have stepped up their guard since a suicide car bomb attack on a U.S.-manned roadblock killed five soldiers last week.

[JohnHuang2]

Monday, March 31, 2003

Quote of the Day by Texas Eagle

[r9etb]

Jordanian Information Minister and government spokesman Mohammad al-Adwan, however, told Reuters: "If anything is found it has to be old stocks from the previous pre-embargo period prior to 1991 Gulf War."

I'm pretty certain he's telling the truth. I rather doubt Jordan would be letting us stage from their territory and send supplies to Iraq.

[TomGuy]

Not sure if this is the same cache, but a report yesterday said the Coalition has found a cache of weapons near Basra so large that it would take a week to destroy them all.

[Pearls Before Swine]

I rather doubt Jordan would be letting us stage from their territory and send supplies to Iraq.

I think you're right, but I can see the French doing that!