Iraqi Nuclear Gear Found in Europe
By Colum Lynch
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, April 15, 2004; Page A22
UNITED NATIONS, April 14 -- Large amounts of nuclear-related equipment, some
of it contaminated, and a small number of missile engines have been smuggled
out of Iraq for recycling in European scrap yards, according to the head of
the United Nations' nuclear watchdog and other U.N. diplomats.
Mohammed ElBaradei, the director general of the International Atomic Energy
Agency, warned the U.N. Security Council in a letter that U.N. satellite
photos have detected "the extensive removal of equipment and, in some
instances, removal of entire buildings" from sites that had been subject to
U.N. monitoring before the U.S.-led war against Iraq.
ElBaradei said an IAEA investigation "indicates that large quantities of
scrap, some of it contaminated, have been transferred out of Iraq, from
sites monitored by the IAEA." He said that he has informed the United States
about the discovery and is awaiting "clarification."
After the 1991 Persian Gulf War, U.N. inspectors discovered, inventoried and
destroyed most of the equipment used in Iraq's nuclear weapons program. But
they left large amounts of nuclear equipment and facilities in Iraq intact
and "under seal," including debris from the Osirak reactor that was bombed
by Israel in 1981. That debris and the buildings are radioactively
contaminated.
The U.N. nuclear agency has found no evidence yet that the exported
materials are being sold to arms dealers or to countries suspected of
developing nuclear weapons. But ElBaradei voiced concern that the loss of
the materials could pose a proliferation threat and could complicate efforts
to reach a conclusive assessment of the history of Iraq's nuclear program.
"It is not clear whether the removal of these items has been the result of
looting activities in the aftermath of the recent war in Iraq, or as part of
systematic efforts" to clean up contaminated nuclear sites in Iraq,
ElBaradei wrote. "In any event these activities may have a significant
impact on the agency's continuity of knowledge of Iraq's remaining
nuclear-related capabilities and raise concern with regards to the
proliferation risk associated with dual use material and equipment
disappearing to unknown destinations."
Richard Grenell, a spokesman for the U.S. mission to the United Nations,
said, "We have seen the reports and are obviously concerned, and as we told
the IAEA we are looking into the matter."
ElBaradei's letter is dated April 11 and was circulated privately this week
among members of the Security Council.
Evidence of the illicit import of nuclear-related material surfaced in
January after a small quantity of "yellowcake" uranium oxide was discovered
in a shipment of scrap metal at Rotterdam's harbor. The company that
purchased the shipment, Jewometaal, detected radioactive material in the
container and informed the Dutch government, according to the Associated
Press. A spokesman for the company told the news agency that a Jordanian
scrap dealer who sent the shipment believed the yellowcake came from Iraq.
ElBaradei did not identify the European countries where the materials were
discovered. But U.N. and European officials confirmed that IAEA inspectors
traveled to Jewometaal's scrap yard to run tests on the yellowcake. The
search turned up missile engines and vessels used in fermentation processes
that were subject to U.N. monitoring. The U.N. Monitoring Verification and
Inspection Commission informed the council about the finds in a letter,
according to diplomats. The IAEA, meanwhile, ordered up satellite images to
assess conditions at Iraq's former nuclear weapons sites. A senior U.N.
official said they discovered that two buildings at one former site had
vanished and that several scrap piles contained weapons-related materials
were also missing. "In Europe, stainless steel goes for $1,500 a ton," the
official said. "And that is worth transporting for the purpose of
recycling."
Staff writer Joby Warrick contributed to this report.
© 2004 The Washington Post Company
By Colum Lynch
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, April 15, 2004; Page A22
UNITED NATIONS, April 14 -- Large amounts of nuclear-related equipment, some
of it contaminated, and a small number of missile engines have been smuggled
out of Iraq for recycling in European scrap yards, according to the head of
the United Nations' nuclear watchdog and other U.N. diplomats.
Mohammed ElBaradei, the director general of the International Atomic Energy
Agency, warned the U.N. Security Council in a letter that U.N. satellite
photos have detected "the extensive removal of equipment and, in some
instances, removal of entire buildings" from sites that had been subject to
U.N. monitoring before the U.S.-led war against Iraq.
ElBaradei said an IAEA investigation "indicates that large quantities of
scrap, some of it contaminated, have been transferred out of Iraq, from
sites monitored by the IAEA." He said that he has informed the United States
about the discovery and is awaiting "clarification."
After the 1991 Persian Gulf War, U.N. inspectors discovered, inventoried and
destroyed most of the equipment used in Iraq's nuclear weapons program. But
they left large amounts of nuclear equipment and facilities in Iraq intact
and "under seal," including debris from the Osirak reactor that was bombed
by Israel in 1981. That debris and the buildings are radioactively
contaminated.
The U.N. nuclear agency has found no evidence yet that the exported
materials are being sold to arms dealers or to countries suspected of
developing nuclear weapons. But ElBaradei voiced concern that the loss of
the materials could pose a proliferation threat and could complicate efforts
to reach a conclusive assessment of the history of Iraq's nuclear program.
"It is not clear whether the removal of these items has been the result of
looting activities in the aftermath of the recent war in Iraq, or as part of
systematic efforts" to clean up contaminated nuclear sites in Iraq,
ElBaradei wrote. "In any event these activities may have a significant
impact on the agency's continuity of knowledge of Iraq's remaining
nuclear-related capabilities and raise concern with regards to the
proliferation risk associated with dual use material and equipment
disappearing to unknown destinations."
Richard Grenell, a spokesman for the U.S. mission to the United Nations,
said, "We have seen the reports and are obviously concerned, and as we told
the IAEA we are looking into the matter."
ElBaradei's letter is dated April 11 and was circulated privately this week
among members of the Security Council.
Evidence of the illicit import of nuclear-related material surfaced in
January after a small quantity of "yellowcake" uranium oxide was discovered
in a shipment of scrap metal at Rotterdam's harbor. The company that
purchased the shipment, Jewometaal, detected radioactive material in the
container and informed the Dutch government, according to the Associated
Press. A spokesman for the company told the news agency that a Jordanian
scrap dealer who sent the shipment believed the yellowcake came from Iraq.
ElBaradei did not identify the European countries where the materials were
discovered. But U.N. and European officials confirmed that IAEA inspectors
traveled to Jewometaal's scrap yard to run tests on the yellowcake. The
search turned up missile engines and vessels used in fermentation processes
that were subject to U.N. monitoring. The U.N. Monitoring Verification and
Inspection Commission informed the council about the finds in a letter,
according to diplomats. The IAEA, meanwhile, ordered up satellite images to
assess conditions at Iraq's former nuclear weapons sites. A senior U.N.
official said they discovered that two buildings at one former site had
vanished and that several scrap piles contained weapons-related materials
were also missing. "In Europe, stainless steel goes for $1,500 a ton," the
official said. "And that is worth transporting for the purpose of
recycling."
Staff writer Joby Warrick contributed to this report.
© 2004 The Washington Post Company
