WASHINGTON – The head of the international team hunting for nukes in Iraq says Saddam Hussein’s weapons-free claim “cannot be taken at face value” because it’s recycled information.
And the State Department released a statement contradicting Iraq’s claim that it does not have weapons of mass destruction.
“We know that Iraq has weapons of mass destruction and has programs to create more,” the State Department said.
Sources said the 12,000-page report fails to explain what Iraq did with its large supply of VX nerve agent or its canisters of mustard gas, as required by the United Nations. The report also fudges on why Iraq purchased nuke equipment or how it previously transported and concealed its weapons.
Another omission, sources say, is any explanation by Iraq why it possesses components for missiles that travel farther than 150 miles, which are prohibited by the United Nations.
“Iraq has said they have not taken part in any nuclear weapons activities . . . We cannot take that statement at face value,” said Mohamed ElBaradei, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
He said 2,100 of the dossier’s 2,400 pages on nukes “is material we already had before.”