The UNMOVIC weapons inspection team inspected two sites relating to biological weapons today. The IAEA team, comprising 9 inspectors and support staff, inspected two sites known for their dual-use capabilities as of 1998: Dhu Al Fiqar and Nassr Company located in the Taji area, north of Baghdad.
The UNMOVIC team inspected the Foot and Mouth Disease Vaccine Plant in Al Dawrah, which is situated about 15 km south of Baghdad. The site was decleared by Iraq as being used for production of biological weapons (BW) agent starting in 1990. Equipment declared to have been in the BW programme was destroyed under inspectors' supervision in 1996. However significant dual use production equipment remains. The UNMOVIC team comprised 14 weapons inspectors and support staff. The team was able to complete the inspections tasks that it had planned to carry out. A number of samples were taken. During the inspection, the team learned that some equipment had been transferred to another facility. This was immediately followed by activities at a small veterinary medicine facility about 20 km north of Baghdad.
Both teams left the Canal Hotel at 8:30 a.m. and returned in the course of the afternoon. They had no difficulty gaining immediate access to the sites as well as any locations within the sites.
Hiro Ueki
Spokesman for UNMOVIC and the IAEA in Baghdad