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CNN Live Today
United Nations Weapons Inspectors Fan Out for Second Day of Searches
Aired November 28, 2002 - 10:29 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 SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: Now the latest from Iraq, where United Nations weapons inspectors fan out for a second day of searches. One stop, an old vaccine factory, an animal vaccine factory, that was once shut down for turning out biological weapons.
CNN's Nic Robertson is in Baghdad with the latest.
Any revelations today, Nic?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Marty, it seems like a day like yesterday, where the inspectors got the cooperation they were looking for from the Iraqi officials.
The other team, you talk about the plant on the south side of the city, the other team went on to a plant on the north, Al Nasser (ph). That is a site that U.N. inspectors have previously been to, monitoring it for the production of possible engine parts for missiles, and possible particular ballistic shells can be used in weapons of mass destruction. That was a heavy industrial complex.
The site that got our scrutiny more the south side of Baghdad, the Darwar (ph) facility. Former, in the 1980s, early 1990s, the Iraqis had used to produce hoof and mouth vaccine for animals.
Now, in 1996, U.N. weapons inspectors went there to close down what they believed was a botulin and toxin production facility. They took away formentors (ph) and smashed in piping there. That particular toxin is the most deadly of all the biological weapons available. It can kill within the space of perhaps 12 hours.
Now the inspectors who went there today were seen from the outside of the plant. They were seen taking soil samples inside. They spent about four hours on this site, going between the buildings, inspecting what appeared to be a high water tower as well before they left.
After they left, the journalists were allowed in. They were able to talk with the director of plant there. He says the inspector again had been able to see all they needed to see and had all the cooperation extended to them they needed to have. He did confirm that they had taken away samples, but he said, again, that his site had nothing to hide.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can see, you can see, you can enter inside and see, they are all destroyed. You can see. No one can do anything inside here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTSON: so day two, again, apparently a day where the cooperation needed for the inspectors to get on with their jobs seems to have been found -- Marty..
SAVIDGE: Good to know. Nic Robertson, live in Baghdad, thanks very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
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Aired November 28, 2002 - 10:29 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: Now the latest from Iraq, where United Nations weapons inspectors fan out for a second day of searches. One stop, an old vaccine factory, an animal vaccine factory, that was once shut down for turning out biological weapons.
CNN's Nic Robertson is in Baghdad with the latest.
Any revelations today, Nic?
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Marty, it seems like a day like yesterday, where the inspectors got the cooperation they were looking for from the Iraqi officials.
The other team, you talk about the plant on the south side of the city, the other team went on to a plant on the north, Al Nasser (ph). That is a site that U.N. inspectors have previously been to, monitoring it for the production of possible engine parts for missiles, and possible particular ballistic shells can be used in weapons of mass destruction. That was a heavy industrial complex.
The site that got our scrutiny more the south side of Baghdad, the Darwar (ph) facility. Former, in the 1980s, early 1990s, the Iraqis had used to produce hoof and mouth vaccine for animals.
Now, in 1996, U.N. weapons inspectors went there to close down what they believed was a botulin and toxin production facility. They took away formentors (ph) and smashed in piping there. That particular toxin is the most deadly of all the biological weapons available. It can kill within the space of perhaps 12 hours.
Now the inspectors who went there today were seen from the outside of the plant. They were seen taking soil samples inside. They spent about four hours on this site, going between the buildings, inspecting what appeared to be a high water tower as well before they left.
After they left, the journalists were allowed in. They were able to talk with the director of plant there. He says the inspector again had been able to see all they needed to see and had all the cooperation extended to them they needed to have. He did confirm that they had taken away samples, but he said, again, that his site had nothing to hide.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can see, you can see, you can enter inside and see, they are all destroyed. You can see. No one can do anything inside here.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ROBERTSON: so day two, again, apparently a day where the cooperation needed for the inspectors to get on with their jobs seems to have been found -- Marty..
SAVIDGE: Good to know. Nic Robertson, live in Baghdad, thanks very much.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
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