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CNN Live Today

Search for Iraq's Weapons

Aired May 08, 2003 - 11:08   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: In Baghdad, the issue is Iraqis stealing nuclear material. Experts are warning that anyone that took that material out of this research facility over there, they are putting their health at risk.
CNN's Karl Penhaul is working this story. He is in Baghdad and checking in live now -- Karl.

KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Leon.

Yes, not only their health, but their very lives at risk. This genuinely does seem to be a disaster waiting to happen. The research facility, a nuclear research facility, just south of Baghdad, called Tuwaitha (ph), and that's been reviewed under the sanctions, under the inspections by United Nations inspectors, the weapons inspectors that came in, were constantly visiting this site. The International Atomic Energy Agency officials have also repeatedly visited this plant, and they carried out a very extensive log of the materials that were held at this facility. And they are saying that several tons, tens of tons of naturally occurring uranium were stored there. About nearly two tons of low-grade, low enriched uranium was also there, and scores of kilos, scores of pounds of other radioactive material, stuff that maybe had been used in industrial X-ray machines, that type of thing.

What's happened is that looters have broken into the plant during the war and in the aftermath of the war, and they've taken some of these materials. Some of it was contained in shiny cylinders and what have you, so it might have been genuinely wanting something shiny. These things might be still in somebody's house, used as a doorstep, or on their mantelpiece, just because they happened to look pretty. But there is also risk that could have been used for more sinister purposes, and this stuff could end up in the hands of terrorists as some sort of radioactive dirty bomb.

But let's listen to the comments of one of the International Atomic Energy Agency spokesman, and he was talking about the risk that this poses.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARK GWOZDECKY, IAEA SPOKESMAN: We're concerned in four levels really. We're concerned about the potential for environmental contamination. We're concerned about the effects of radiation on the civilian population. We're concerned about the possibility of nuclear terrorism. This is a material that can be used for dirty bombs. And ultimately, we are responsible for preventing the proliferation of material that might be used in a nuclear weapons program. (END VIDEO CLIP)

PENHAUL: Now U.N. officials have asked for permission to come back to the country to see where some of this material has gone. So to carry out another thorough event (ph), so they can see what's missing and to track down some of the stuff that is missing.

So far, the U.S. has said they cannot come to a country, and so the situation is unresolved. This is, as I say, this is a disaster waiting to happen -- Leon.

HARRIS: Thank you very much, Karl Penhaul, reporting live for us from 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






Aired May 8, 2003 - 11:08   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: In Baghdad, the issue is Iraqis stealing nuclear material. Experts are warning that anyone that took that material out of this research facility over there, they are putting their health at risk.
CNN's Karl Penhaul is working this story. He is in Baghdad and checking in live now -- Karl.

KARL PENHAUL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Leon.

Yes, not only their health, but their very lives at risk. This genuinely does seem to be a disaster waiting to happen. The research facility, a nuclear research facility, just south of Baghdad, called Tuwaitha (ph), and that's been reviewed under the sanctions, under the inspections by United Nations inspectors, the weapons inspectors that came in, were constantly visiting this site. The International Atomic Energy Agency officials have also repeatedly visited this plant, and they carried out a very extensive log of the materials that were held at this facility. And they are saying that several tons, tens of tons of naturally occurring uranium were stored there. About nearly two tons of low-grade, low enriched uranium was also there, and scores of kilos, scores of pounds of other radioactive material, stuff that maybe had been used in industrial X-ray machines, that type of thing.

What's happened is that looters have broken into the plant during the war and in the aftermath of the war, and they've taken some of these materials. Some of it was contained in shiny cylinders and what have you, so it might have been genuinely wanting something shiny. These things might be still in somebody's house, used as a doorstep, or on their mantelpiece, just because they happened to look pretty. But there is also risk that could have been used for more sinister purposes, and this stuff could end up in the hands of terrorists as some sort of radioactive dirty bomb.

But let's listen to the comments of one of the International Atomic Energy Agency spokesman, and he was talking about the risk that this poses.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARK GWOZDECKY, IAEA SPOKESMAN: We're concerned in four levels really. We're concerned about the potential for environmental contamination. We're concerned about the effects of radiation on the civilian population. We're concerned about the possibility of nuclear terrorism. This is a material that can be used for dirty bombs. And ultimately, we are responsible for preventing the proliferation of material that might be used in a nuclear weapons program. (END VIDEO CLIP)

PENHAUL: Now U.N. officials have asked for permission to come back to the country to see where some of this material has gone. So to carry out another thorough event (ph), so they can see what's missing and to track down some of the stuff that is missing.

So far, the U.S. has said they cannot come to a country, and so the situation is unresolved. This is, as I say, this is a disaster waiting to happen -- Leon.

HARRIS: Thank you very much, Karl Penhaul, reporting live for us from 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