uwaiti security sources: report on the seizure of weapons was baseless.

Zawya ^ | Oct 2 | Reuters

[Ahura Mazda]

KUWAIT, Oct 2 (Reuters) - Kuwaiti authorities have seized archaeological artefacts and "other items" smuggled from Iraq into Kuwait, Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Sabah said in remarks published on Thursday.

"Kuwaiti security forces were able to seize some Iraqi artefacts smuggled to Kuwait," al-Sabah, who is also interior minister, was quoted as saying by al-Seyassah daily. He did not identify the other items.

Al-Sabah was responding to a question about a report the paper carried on Wednesday that Kuwaiti security forces had foiled an attempt to smuggle artefacts, chemical materials and biological warheads from Iraq to a European country via Kuwait.

Kuwaiti security sources told Reuters on Wednesday the report on the seizure of such weapons was baseless.

Asked about the report of seized biological warheads, al-Sabah also told al-Qabas newspaper: "Up to now we have not verified this...There are some artefacts that were seized which we are examining to see if they are real or fake."

Iraqi authorities estimate more than 10,000 artefacts are still missing from the Iraqi National Museum, including antiquities from the world's earliest civilisations. The museum was looted in April after the U.S.-led invasion toppled Saddam Hussein.

More than 400 items were also seized by Jordanian customs authorities at the border with Iraq.

"We are now going to present those (artefacts) to experts and specialists to check their authenticity. Other items have also been seized which we will examine and announce (the findings) soon," added al-Sabah.

Al-Sabah's remarks were made to reporters late on Wednesday after talks with Iraq's new interior minister Nouri Badran.

Badran, who discussed bilateral security issues with al-Sabah, was quoted as saying that many infiltrators into Iraq have been arrested recently, including Saudis and Syrians.

Official relations have warmed between Kuwait and Iraq after the ousting of Saddam, whose army invaded and occupied the tiny oil-rich country for seven months in 1990. ((editing by Alison Williams; Kuwait newsroom, +965 246 0350))

[mewzilla]

Wow. And I thought the hot Italian tiles explanation was creative...

[Support Free Republic]

A Recall AND a Fundraiser? I'm toast.

Let's get this over with FAST. Please contribute!

[Lee'sGhost]

Already posted. Is suspect report because it is Reuters.

FOX finally did report the orginial story last night. If this IS bogus the AP has yet to retract or correct the version they put out.

[AntiGuv]

Normally when a claim is retracted by it's original source and explicitly replaced by a corrected account, it's generally acknowledged that the correction is correct.....

[mewzilla]

Normally when a claim is retracted by it's original source and explicitly replaced by a corrected account, it's generally acknowledged that the correction is correct.....

Depends on who's doing the reporting and the retracting...at least for me :)

[AntiGuv]

Well, when David Kay testified yesterday that they'd found no WMDs thus far, do you suppose he meant no WMDs aside from this motherlode in Kuwait?

[mewzilla]

He spent two hours giving a briefing that we aren't privvy to. I'm content to wait. I'd be the happiest person in the world if we screwed up and Saddamn didn't have the stuff. But if he did, and he hid it or sent it out, and we don't know where yet, we'd be nuts to tip our hand and tell what we know. The stakes are too high to screw this up, considering what just a tiny amount of ricin, anthrax, or other WMD could do.

[AntiGuv]

You may very well be correct. We shall see.

[Sloth]

uwaitis? This could be series.

[AntiGuv]

you mock the uwaitis at your peril!

[epluribus_2]

Uwaitis - maybe hugh - just You Waitee.

[JohnGalt]

Tough week for the establishment.

[billbears]

You're telling me. Over here they've given up the 'wait for Kay's report' mantra and are now basing whole arguments on UK Sun editorials. Seems neocons can't get a break anywhere. Of course, it could be the fact that the whole WMD argument was baseless to begin with

[JohnGalt]

As we noted in June when David Kay (I labeled him a CIA errand boy)was appointed to "find weapons", perhaps he only exists to undermine the administration.

James Woosley (former CIA and one of the Cabal) was interviewed by Paula Zahn yesterday; his comments on L'Affair Wilson are worth reading.

http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0310/02/pzn.00.html

Woosley: And if they can find who leaked the information, if it was true and it was done knowingly, which is required in the statute, and she served abroad within the last five years, which is also required in the statute, then the personal ought to be prosecuted and punished.


Looks like the Establishment is hedging bets and maybe ready for a switch. Kay maybe in the process of switching sides and argue that there were no WMDs and drop the entire pretense of 'weapons programs.'

[coloradan]

Uwaities are from the country Uwait, known for it's long lines and slow traffic lights and internet connections. The national motto is "We've got all the time in the world."

[Rebelbase]

Didn't the story originate with the Hindustan Times?

Not a source I would trust.

[Lee'sGhost]

Correct. This was pretty much the focus on the orginal thread. Most people, me included, were/are hoping that there is something to it, but are waiting for credible sources.