4.2 |
Iraq WMD assessments, July to September 2002
575.
The dossier
also stated:
“UNSCOM
established that Iraq considered the use of mobile biological
agent
production
facilities. In the past two years evidence from defectors has
indicated the
existence
of such facilities. Recent intelligence confirms that the Iraqi
military have
developed
mobile facilities.”307
576.
Summarising
the section on chemical and biological weapons, the dossier
stated:
“Intelligence
shows that Iraq has covert chemical and biological
weapons
programmes
… and has continued to produce chemical and biological
agents.
Iraq has:
•
chemical
and biological weapons available, both from pre-Gulf War
stocks
and more
recent production;
•
the
capability to produce the chemical agents …
•
a
biological agent production capability … Iraq has also developed
mobile
facilities
to produce biological agents;
577.
The dossier
stated that Iraq’s aim pre-1991 “was to produce a missile
warhead
with a
20-kiloton yield and weapons designs were produced for the simplest
implosion
weapons”.309
Iraq had
pursued a number of programmes to produce highly
enriched
uranium,
for the warhead. The enrichment programmes had made little
progress
before the
Gulf Conflict, but the nuclear programme was supported by a large
body of
expertise,
programme documentation and databases and manufacturing
infrastructure.
578.
In respect of
nuclear weapons, the Executive Summary stated:
“Iraq
had:
•
tried
covertly to acquire technology and materials which could be used in
the
production
of nuclear weapons;
•
sought
significant quantities of uranium from Africa, despite having no
active
civil
nuclear power programme that could require it;
•
recalled
specialists to work on its nuclear programme”.310
307
Iraq’s
Weapons of Mass Destruction. The Assessment of the British
Government, 24
September 2002,
page
22.
308
Iraq’s
Weapons of Mass Destruction. The Assessment of the British
Government, 24
September 2002,
pages
23-24.
309
Iraq’s
Weapons of Mass Destruction. The Assessment of the British
Government, 24
September 2002,
pages
13-14.
310
Iraq’s
Weapons of Mass Destruction. The Assessment of the British
Government, 24
September 2002,
page
6.
223