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CNN Saturday Morning News

Interview with Martin Janiak

Aired November 16, 2002 - 07:38   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


MARTIN O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The man in charge of the U.N. Weapons Inspection Team destined for Baghdad in a -- by Monday, we're told. Spoke to reporters in Paris just a few moments ago. You saw it here live on CNN, but for those of you just tuning in, Hans Blix didn't really offer up a lot of news.
He basically recapped what we've been hearing all along, that this is beginning, as he put it, of a new chapter in the world's relations with Iraq. He's talked a little bit about some f the new technologies that the team will be employing with them and we're going to talk to one of the people who developed some of those technologies in just a moment.

He also talked a little about the team, where they're headed -- they're headed specifically to Cyprus and then on to Baghdad. Let's listen in to Mr. Blix for just a moment.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HANS BLIX, CHIEF U.N. INSPECTOR: Tomorrow to Cyprus and from there together with my colleague the Director General of International Atomic Energy, Mr. ElBaradei, to Baghdad for a couple of days talk at the political level to initiate the new chapter of inspections. And of course we hope and expect to have full Iraqi cooperation. We shall leave...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: New chapter of inspections. Hans Blix on his way to Cyprus. Ultimately on his way to Baghdad. Along with a team of about 280. Not all of them will be there on Monday. But he says he'll be ready to begin inspections on November 27th.

Now when that team does begin its inspections, it's going to be using some technology, which was not available easily to the team, which was booted out of Iraq in 1998. After all, progress has changed things quite a bit. Things have gotten smaller, better, easier to use. Satellites are more powerful and so are some of the devices, which can sniff out weapons of mass destruction if you will. We'll ask this next guest if that's the correct term for it.

Martin Janiak is the chairman -- excuse me -- Chief Executive Office of Quantrad Sensors out of Madison, Wisconsin. He's here to tell us a little bit about some of the technology that is going to be employed in Baghdad. Good to have you with us, Martin. MARTIN JANIAK, QUANTRAD SENSORS: Hi, good morning, Miles.

O'BRIEN: All right, first of all. Sniffing it out -- is that what it's -- is that an accurate way to put it?

JANIAK: Well, no, not exactly. I wouldn't use that term.

O'BRIEN: All right; give us a better term.

JANIAK: Well, I'd say monitoring our ability to monitor and survey for nuclear materials in this particular case.

O'BRIEN: Now, nuclear materials -- we've been told by experts -- are actually a little easier to discover than chemical or biological. True or false?

JANIAK: That's correct.

O'BRIEN: OK. Tell us if you're mission is to go into Baghdad and Iraq and find nuclear facilities, how do you go about it and how would you use some of the technology you have.

JANIAK: Well there are a couple of particular devices which we supply and again you know the team has a very large suite of instruments -- measuring devices and technology available to it. What we actually select on the ground we don't know but these are among those available. There are two devices that I'd like to mention.

One of which is -- I'm just picking up and putting up in front of the camera now -- is a nuclear monitoring device, which we call The Ranger, and this particular device allows us to monitor the presence of radiation. It's very simple to use; as you can see it's small, compact. And one can carry this around in the field at site.

O'BRIEN: Now, how does that compare to what we in the lay public would just call a plain old-fashioned Geiger counter?

JANIAK: Well, in addition to your performing that function, this has some distinguishing features, which makes it very useful. Among those, number one, in addition to actually being able to monitor the presence of X-radiation, we can also detect the presence of neutrons. And as you know, that's an important distinguishing feature in determining fissile material.

But in addition that that...

O'BRIEN: So it can actually root out not just what's radioactive, but what is fissile?

JANIAK: Right, so you -- in this case, we can differentiate and distinguish what kinds of radioisotopes are present. This also has the capability of distinguishing other kinds of materials whether it's fissile materials as I mentioned or industrial radioisotopes or medical radioisotopes. So we can...

O'BRIEN: So it's pretty sophisticated Geiger counter, then? I mean, now can it be -- can it be spoofed or fooled in any way?

JANIAK: No, not really. No, because basically we're looking at the different kinds of energies that the radiation produces and then analyzing that and comparing it to a known database that's with -- contained inside the device itself.

O'BRIEN: All right, I'm going to warn you in advance we've got some news coming out of Baghdad. I want to get to this next device quickly and I want to ask you the question while you're talking about it as to the expertise of the people using it. How -- we do know that this team is not the most seasoned of weapons inspectors. Can they use these devices effectively without a lot of background?

JANIAK: I mean, I think hat's actually one of the key features of both of these devices -- they're very easy to use. Requires almost no training whatsoever. So it's kind of -- if you do -- if you will turn it on and point it and then you can take it from there.

O'BRIEN: All right, show us the other device, real quickly, and what it does.

JANIAK: The other device is this yellow device -- it's a little bit bigger. It's also portable. And this is a device that we actually put in contact with this vehicle. And it's used to actually determine the elemental composition. So the key here...

O'BRIEN: Can you hold it up a little bit more Mr. Janiak, I can't -- there you go -- just so we can see it. It kind of looks like something you'd take diving or something.

JANIAK: Right, exactly. A perfect analogy. But the whole point is this allows us to detect a base fill composition or elemental composition of materials...

O'BRIEN: So, in other words, you use that other device first, you find a location you want to go take a closer look and then you bring the yellow device in?

JANIAK: Well, this device free -- we can detect the presence of exotic materials. There are certain kinds of materials, for example, zirconium alloys which are used in weapons delivery systems. We can separate that from more mundane materials like stainless steel so whether or not we find the presence of radiation on a site, there may be other exotic materials that we can identify which infer that there were certain kinds of activity there. Whether or not this actual radioactive material.

O'BRIEN: So the beauty of this is you don't have to have radioactive material, you can have some of the other ancillary pieces that go in line.

JANIAK: Precisely. Precisely. And by inference, one can come up with a fairly clear idea of what activities will be conducted there.

O'BRIEN: And are they instant, pretty much? I mean, will you -- if you're in the field, do you start turning it on, will you see things right away?

JANIAK: Yes, I mean it depends on you know what you're looking for but you can do this in real time on site in the field in a facility that's -- and that's the key -- these are real-time measurements.

O'BRIEN: All right, one quick question before you get away -- and I'm probably asking the wrong guy this question though. Is there some concern generally that in relying on technology we overlook the human intelligence aspect of this mission?

JANIAK: Well, that's a difficult question -- I mean, the tools are -- you know w-- are there to assist and help analyze but obviously that's only part of the equation.

O'BRIEN: All right. That's a good way to leave it. Martin Janiak who is with Quantrad Sensors. Showing us just a couple of the tools that this team led by Hans Blix will be using. We're told as soon as November 27th. Thanks for being with us, sir. We appreciate it.

JANIAK: Thank you Miles.

O'BRIEN: All right -- Arthel.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired November 16, 2002 - 07:38   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The man in charge of the U.N. Weapons Inspection Team destined for Baghdad in a -- by Monday, we're told. Spoke to reporters in Paris just a few moments ago. You saw it here live on CNN, but for those of you just tuning in, Hans Blix didn't really offer up a lot of news.
He basically recapped what we've been hearing all along, that this is beginning, as he put it, of a new chapter in the world's relations with Iraq. He's talked a little bit about some f the new technologies that the team will be employing with them and we're going to talk to one of the people who developed some of those technologies in just a moment.

He also talked a little about the team, where they're headed -- they're headed specifically to Cyprus and then on to Baghdad. Let's listen in to Mr. Blix for just a moment.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HANS BLIX, CHIEF U.N. INSPECTOR: Tomorrow to Cyprus and from there together with my colleague the Director General of International Atomic Energy, Mr. ElBaradei, to Baghdad for a couple of days talk at the political level to initiate the new chapter of inspections. And of course we hope and expect to have full Iraqi cooperation. We shall leave...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: New chapter of inspections. Hans Blix on his way to Cyprus. Ultimately on his way to Baghdad. Along with a team of about 280. Not all of them will be there on Monday. But he says he'll be ready to begin inspections on November 27th.

Now when that team does begin its inspections, it's going to be using some technology, which was not available easily to the team, which was booted out of Iraq in 1998. After all, progress has changed things quite a bit. Things have gotten smaller, better, easier to use. Satellites are more powerful and so are some of the devices, which can sniff out weapons of mass destruction if you will. We'll ask this next guest if that's the correct term for it.

Martin Janiak is the chairman -- excuse me -- Chief Executive Office of Quantrad Sensors out of Madison, Wisconsin. He's here to tell us a little bit about some of the technology that is going to be employed in Baghdad. Good to have you with us, Martin. MARTIN JANIAK, QUANTRAD SENSORS: Hi, good morning, Miles.

O'BRIEN: All right, first of all. Sniffing it out -- is that what it's -- is that an accurate way to put it?

JANIAK: Well, no, not exactly. I wouldn't use that term.

O'BRIEN: All right; give us a better term.

JANIAK: Well, I'd say monitoring our ability to monitor and survey for nuclear materials in this particular case.

O'BRIEN: Now, nuclear materials -- we've been told by experts -- are actually a little easier to discover than chemical or biological. True or false?

JANIAK: That's correct.

O'BRIEN: OK. Tell us if you're mission is to go into Baghdad and Iraq and find nuclear facilities, how do you go about it and how would you use some of the technology you have.

JANIAK: Well there are a couple of particular devices which we supply and again you know the team has a very large suite of instruments -- measuring devices and technology available to it. What we actually select on the ground we don't know but these are among those available. There are two devices that I'd like to mention.

One of which is -- I'm just picking up and putting up in front of the camera now -- is a nuclear monitoring device, which we call The Ranger, and this particular device allows us to monitor the presence of radiation. It's very simple to use; as you can see it's small, compact. And one can carry this around in the field at site.

O'BRIEN: Now, how does that compare to what we in the lay public would just call a plain old-fashioned Geiger counter?

JANIAK: Well, in addition to your performing that function, this has some distinguishing features, which makes it very useful. Among those, number one, in addition to actually being able to monitor the presence of X-radiation, we can also detect the presence of neutrons. And as you know, that's an important distinguishing feature in determining fissile material.

But in addition that that...

O'BRIEN: So it can actually root out not just what's radioactive, but what is fissile?

JANIAK: Right, so you -- in this case, we can differentiate and distinguish what kinds of radioisotopes are present. This also has the capability of distinguishing other kinds of materials whether it's fissile materials as I mentioned or industrial radioisotopes or medical radioisotopes. So we can...

O'BRIEN: So it's pretty sophisticated Geiger counter, then? I mean, now can it be -- can it be spoofed or fooled in any way?

JANIAK: No, not really. No, because basically we're looking at the different kinds of energies that the radiation produces and then analyzing that and comparing it to a known database that's with -- contained inside the device itself.

O'BRIEN: All right, I'm going to warn you in advance we've got some news coming out of Baghdad. I want to get to this next device quickly and I want to ask you the question while you're talking about it as to the expertise of the people using it. How -- we do know that this team is not the most seasoned of weapons inspectors. Can they use these devices effectively without a lot of background?

JANIAK: I mean, I think hat's actually one of the key features of both of these devices -- they're very easy to use. Requires almost no training whatsoever. So it's kind of -- if you do -- if you will turn it on and point it and then you can take it from there.

O'BRIEN: All right, show us the other device, real quickly, and what it does.

JANIAK: The other device is this yellow device -- it's a little bit bigger. It's also portable. And this is a device that we actually put in contact with this vehicle. And it's used to actually determine the elemental composition. So the key here...

O'BRIEN: Can you hold it up a little bit more Mr. Janiak, I can't -- there you go -- just so we can see it. It kind of looks like something you'd take diving or something.

JANIAK: Right, exactly. A perfect analogy. But the whole point is this allows us to detect a base fill composition or elemental composition of materials...

O'BRIEN: So, in other words, you use that other device first, you find a location you want to go take a closer look and then you bring the yellow device in?

JANIAK: Well, this device free -- we can detect the presence of exotic materials. There are certain kinds of materials, for example, zirconium alloys which are used in weapons delivery systems. We can separate that from more mundane materials like stainless steel so whether or not we find the presence of radiation on a site, there may be other exotic materials that we can identify which infer that there were certain kinds of activity there. Whether or not this actual radioactive material.

O'BRIEN: So the beauty of this is you don't have to have radioactive material, you can have some of the other ancillary pieces that go in line.

JANIAK: Precisely. Precisely. And by inference, one can come up with a fairly clear idea of what activities will be conducted there.

O'BRIEN: And are they instant, pretty much? I mean, will you -- if you're in the field, do you start turning it on, will you see things right away?

JANIAK: Yes, I mean it depends on you know what you're looking for but you can do this in real time on site in the field in a facility that's -- and that's the key -- these are real-time measurements.

O'BRIEN: All right, one quick question before you get away -- and I'm probably asking the wrong guy this question though. Is there some concern generally that in relying on technology we overlook the human intelligence aspect of this mission?

JANIAK: Well, that's a difficult question -- I mean, the tools are -- you know w-- are there to assist and help analyze but obviously that's only part of the equation.

O'BRIEN: All right. That's a good way to leave it. Martin Janiak who is with Quantrad Sensors. Showing us just a couple of the tools that this team led by Hans Blix will be using. We're told as soon as November 27th. Thanks for being with us, sir. We appreciate it.

JANIAK: Thank you Miles.

O'BRIEN: All right -- Arthel.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com