Iraqi scientists told to hide materials

The Scotsman ^ | April 24, 2003 | MARGARET NEIGHBOUR

[MadIvan]

IRAQI scientists claim they were ordered to destroy bacteria and equipment and hide more in their homes before visits by United Nations weapons inspectors ahead of the war.

Their accounts indicate that the government of Saddam Hussein may have had advance knowledge of at least some of the inspectors’ visits and that it was concerned about any material that could raise suspicion.

Six scientists said they worked for civilian research projects and none knew of any programmes for weapons of mass destruction.

"An hour or two before the inspectors came to the university, I got my orders from the chairman," said a biochemistry professor at Saddam University for Science and Engineering.

"The order was to hide anything that might make the inspectors suspicious. Any bacterium, any fungus. I destroyed seven petri dishes in the autoclave and I put the others in the trunk of my car."

[MadIvan]

Hmmm.

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

Bump!

[PhiKapMom]

Have always thought that there was a mole in Blix's outfit -- even suspected Blix or an aide the way he kept whitewashing everything. Now Blix wants back in Iraq -- to do what -- whitewash some more!

[Happygal]

If these items were innocent, why would there be a request to hide them?

Does anyone else around here smell cow manure permeating the air?

[Mister Baredog]

IRAQI scientists claim they were ordered to destroy bacteria and equipment and hide more in their homes before visits by United Nations weapons inspectors ahead of the war.

Obviously they were paid to lie by the wicked US forces

[txradioguy]

Hmmm, well that would explain why the Euphrates river was tested and had high levels of very dangerous chemicals in them.

[ruready4eternity]

If we let that donut coffee swelling liar Hands Blixed bnack in He will try to destroy everything the US and Brits did in bringing about liberation by claiming there was no WMD and this war was unnecessary. ANd so , Ill put my neck out on the line. The UN will relocate its headQuarters from NY to GUESS?? IRAQ "babylon" Lets see if that happens.

[priceofreedom]

Just one more reason for all the people with a 20 second attention span to pipe down about not finding anything and give us some more time to look for these carefully hidden WMD

[ruready4eternity]

I agree. But this path to finding them... umm... may lead the US to "other countries" if youknow where this is going to go. Pres Bush said that "we will hunt them down one by one" There is alot more coming up around the bend.

[priceofreedom]

Not to sound gleeful on the topic but I hope this does lead us to other nations and terrorist groups (which it undeniably will.) This is not a fight against one nation or people, it is a fight against an ideology which I liken to a spreading cancer. Hopefully we have the cure!

[ruready4eternity]

I agree this Idea of terror has to be killed. There resources to commit them and whatever means there may remain has to sought out and destroyed. But Jr Bush got it done in Pt 2 this time around. Now anyone who wants to dance is going to have to take a number . i have no idea about how many troops will stay in place in the Middle east? Do you know? Do you also knbow if the US will send in its own Inspectors?

[meenie]

At least the Iraqi scientists had the good sense to cover their posteriors by cooperating with the coalition on their role in hiding the weapons. Life in prison instead of hanging.

[priceofreedom]

I think that we have about 100,000 troops left inside Iraq...I might be wrong. I believe the U.S. already has inspectors in there and I have heard that we are attempting to hire former UN inspectors to come in as well.

[FollowingTheGrace]

If these items were innocent, why would there be a request to hide them?

I read a while back (sorry, don't remember source) that the WMD programs in Iraq were so segmented that individual scientists work on such a small part of the whole that they might not even have known that they were working on WMD projects.

[Clive]

Were there any French nationals in any of Blix's teams?

[bart99]

More like 200,000 troops, with special teams for bio/chem exploration...... about 1,000 personnel. Ex-UN inspectors from the US have been interviewed about joining these teams. But..... NOT Blix and company. The search will be a US activity - period. Bush has made that pretty clear.

[priceofreedom]

I agree in full that Blitz and his goons should have no opportunity to foul up again. It's nice to see GW sticking to his guns as far as keeping them out. I also hope we continue to shun France despite their efforts to make ammends (or atleast get in on the great thing we started.)