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U.N. Inspectors Search Military-Industrial Complex Close to Central Baghdad
Aired December 02, 2002 - 10:04 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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: From London, we go now inside Iraq today. Inspectors there went into the heart of Baghdad in their search for weapons mass destruction.
Our senior international correspondent Nic Robertson is standing by in the Iraqi capital this morning. He has been traveling with the inspectors. He joins us now with details on day 5 of the weapons hunt -- Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Leon, the inspection today at the al-Kamarah, a military-industrial complex close to central Baghdad, was the longest single inspection the inspectors have taken part in so far, over six hours. And this wasn't one of the biggest sites either. It was about half-a-mile by half-a- mile square.
Now, this site, previous U.N. teams had suspected of being involved in producing the al-Husayn missile. Now, that is an extended version of the SCUD, allowing the SCUD missile to go farther, as far as just over 400 miles. Now, according to U.N. resolutions, Iraq is not allowed to have missiles that go beyond 90 miles.
Now, the inspectors, when they left the site today, they left as the employees of the site left. Apparently, it seemed that their work had to end as the employees left.
When we were allowed to go onto the site, the director there told us that the inspectors had seen everything they wanted to see. He said that they had gone through documents on the site. Indeed, much of this site facility appeared to be more offices than industrial complex.
He said that this site was involved in missile production, but not of those long-range SCUD missiles, he said, only of the shorter missiles that are allowed under the U.N. resolution.
Now, the director again confirming that the inspectors getting all of the access to all of the areas that they needed -- Leon.
HARRIS: Nic, can you hear me right now? I understand they were having some problems with your ear piece. Can you hear me, Nic?
ROBERTSON: Absolutely, Leon. HARRIS: All right, let me ask you now what you may know about what's going to happen next. Is there another one of these potentially sensitive sites now on the list for targeting now by these inspectors? We understand that in recent days, they have gone to some of these sites that had been restricted and kept -- and they've been kept away from in the past. What about in the days to come?
ROBERTSON: Well, there are the super-sensitive sites. Now, those are the presidential palaces. So far, they haven't visited one of those. They haven't ruled it out, but so far that doesn't seem to be the way they're working.
They did, however, over the weekend, go to what's known as a sensitive site. This was al-Balat (ph). It was a chemical defensive facility just a little bit north of Baghdad.
Now, in the past, the U.N. inspectors would have only been able to send four team members into that site, because it was a sensitive site. But this time, they got full and comprehensive access, according to the inspectors, according to the Iraqi officials. At that time, everyone was able to see all that they wanted to see.
But, Leon, the bottom line is, the U.N. not telling anyone what type of site, what site they're going to visit next.
HARRIS: Understood, understood. Nic Robertson, thank you very much -- Nic reporting to us now from the early evening hours there in Baghdad.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
to Central Baghdad>
Aired December 2, 2002 - 10:04 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: From London, we go now inside Iraq today. Inspectors there went into the heart of Baghdad in their search for weapons mass destruction.
Our senior international correspondent Nic Robertson is standing by in the Iraqi capital this morning. He has been traveling with the inspectors. He joins us now with details on day 5 of the weapons hunt -- Nic.
NIC ROBERTSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Leon, the inspection today at the al-Kamarah, a military-industrial complex close to central Baghdad, was the longest single inspection the inspectors have taken part in so far, over six hours. And this wasn't one of the biggest sites either. It was about half-a-mile by half-a- mile square.
Now, this site, previous U.N. teams had suspected of being involved in producing the al-Husayn missile. Now, that is an extended version of the SCUD, allowing the SCUD missile to go farther, as far as just over 400 miles. Now, according to U.N. resolutions, Iraq is not allowed to have missiles that go beyond 90 miles.
Now, the inspectors, when they left the site today, they left as the employees of the site left. Apparently, it seemed that their work had to end as the employees left.
When we were allowed to go onto the site, the director there told us that the inspectors had seen everything they wanted to see. He said that they had gone through documents on the site. Indeed, much of this site facility appeared to be more offices than industrial complex.
He said that this site was involved in missile production, but not of those long-range SCUD missiles, he said, only of the shorter missiles that are allowed under the U.N. resolution.
Now, the director again confirming that the inspectors getting all of the access to all of the areas that they needed -- Leon.
HARRIS: Nic, can you hear me right now? I understand they were having some problems with your ear piece. Can you hear me, Nic?
ROBERTSON: Absolutely, Leon. HARRIS: All right, let me ask you now what you may know about what's going to happen next. Is there another one of these potentially sensitive sites now on the list for targeting now by these inspectors? We understand that in recent days, they have gone to some of these sites that had been restricted and kept -- and they've been kept away from in the past. What about in the days to come?
ROBERTSON: Well, there are the super-sensitive sites. Now, those are the presidential palaces. So far, they haven't visited one of those. They haven't ruled it out, but so far that doesn't seem to be the way they're working.
They did, however, over the weekend, go to what's known as a sensitive site. This was al-Balat (ph). It was a chemical defensive facility just a little bit north of Baghdad.
Now, in the past, the U.N. inspectors would have only been able to send four team members into that site, because it was a sensitive site. But this time, they got full and comprehensive access, according to the inspectors, according to the Iraqi officials. At that time, everyone was able to see all that they wanted to see.
But, Leon, the bottom line is, the U.N. not telling anyone what type of site, what site they're going to visit next.
HARRIS: Understood, understood. Nic Robertson, thank you very much -- Nic reporting to us now from the early evening hours there in Baghdad.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
to Central Baghdad>
