UNMOVIC IAEA Press Statement on Inspection Activities in Iraq, 13 February 2003

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13 February 2003 -- The IAEA conducted an interview in private with an Iraqi Senior Engineer connected to Iraq's utilization of Aluminium tubes.

An UNMOVIC chemical team continued the destruction of chemical ammunitions filled with mustard gas at Al Mutanna. The team started to detoxify mustard from some of the shells by chemical means.

One UNMOVIC missile team inspected the Al Feda Factory that is involved in the production of missiles launchers. Another UNMOVIC missile team inspected the Bader State establishment that is involved in the manufacturing of dies and moulds for missile components.

An UNMOVIC biological team inspected an airfield approximately 45 km north of Baghdad. Another team held discussions at the Iraqi National Monitoring Directorate (NMD) relating to documents supplied by Iraq to the Executive Chairman of UNMOVIC during his last visit to Baghdad.

An UNMOVIC multidisciplinary team inspected the Ibn-Roshd State Company, a quality control center, adjacent to the Mechanical Engineering Design Center, 25 km southwest of Baghdad. The team continued to verify Iraq's declarations and to determine any cooperation for the military industry.

One IAEA team conducted a car-borne radiation survey at the Saddam facility and in the Falluja area 50 km west of Baghdad. A second IAEA team performed an inspection at the Ibn Al-Haytham north of Baghdad.

A Mosul-based multidisciplinary team carried out a preliminary inspection of the Hadr Ammunition Storage Facility. This facility is a military (Army) storage site and primarily contains all types of small arms and artillery munitions over an area of 100 square km. The team inspected a number of selected bunkers and warehouses.