4.4 | The
search for WMD
211.
Mr Watkins
reported that the US was planning to expand and better
co-ordinate
the
existing Coalition effort by bringing together current WMD and
other post-conflict
activities
under the ISG. The draft mission for the ISG was to:
“Organise,
direct and apply capabilities and expertise in Iraq to discover,
take
custody of,
exploit, disseminate and disable, eliminate information and
material on
individuals,
records, NBC samples, weapons systems, materials, facilities,
networks,
and
operations relative to:
•
Terrorism
•
Iraqi
intelligence
•
WMD (Main
Effort)
•
Individuals
associated with the Iraqi regime/leadership with WMD
•
Individuals
detained by the Iraqi regime
•
War crimes
and crimes against humanity.”
212.
Mr Watkins
reported that the UK would be providing the Deputy
Commander,
Brigadier
John Deverell, who would “be running all ISG operations, with Maj
Gen Dayton
addressing
external and higher level ISG issues”. The UK would:
“… also
assign to the ISG the UK WMD related units already in theatre or
about to
arrive,
including:
The DIS
Battlefield Intelligence Recovery Team
The Joint
Forces Interrogation Team
7630
(HUMINT) Sqn RauxAF [Royal Auxiliary Air Force]
A Document
Exploitation Team.
“We are
also investigating the most effective use of the joint NBC Regiment
and
other
assets in theatre … DIS liaison staff in Washington will be
reinforced to
support ISG
work, with a view to providing a UK presence in the ISG Fusion Cell
in
Washington.
The DIS is also providing individual reinforcements to ISG in
theatre.
“We are
also actively recruiting a cadre of UK ex-UNSCOM and
ex-UNMOVIC
inspectors,
and others …”
213.
Mr Watkins
wrote that the UK needed to keep up the pressure on the US
to
ensure WMD
detection received the attention it deserved. There also needed to
be
more work
on public handling. There had been problems with US briefings in
theatre
and in
Washington not being properly cleared with the UK. The UK had taken
steps to
ensure
co-ordination was as good as possible. There was also a more
general need for
Whitehall
to develop a “coherent and proactive PR strategy” for the ISG’s
work.
467