4.4 | The
search for WMD
Thurengiensis]
that would
have been directly applicable to anthrax, and one
scientist
confirmed that the production line for Bt could be switched to
produce
anthrax in one
week if the seed stock were available.”
•
Sufficient
evidence had been discovered “to conclude
that the Iraqi
regime was
committed
to delivery system improvements that would have, if
Operation
Iraqi
Freedom had not occurred, dramatically breached UN
restrictions …
in 2000
Saddam ordered the development of ballistic missiles with ranges of
at
least 400km
and up to 1,000km and that measures to conceal these
projects
from
UNMOVIC were initiated in late 2002 … several sources contend
that
Saddam’s
range requirements for the missiles grew from 400-500km in 2000
to
600-1,000km in
2002.”
•
The ISG had
found documents describing “a
high level
dialogue between
Iraq and
North Korea that began
in December 1999 and included an October
2000
meeting in Baghdad. These documents indicate Iraqi interest in
the
transfer
of technology for surface-to-surface missiles with a range of
1,300km
… and
land-to-sea missiles with a range of 300km. The documents quote
the
North
Koreans as understanding the limitations imposed by the UN, but
being
prepared ‘to
co-operate with Iraq on the items it specified’.”
•
“Even in
the area of CW
… there is
evidence of Iraqi interest in restarting
production.”
•
“Dr Kay
told the press that one
scientist was ‘assassinated
literally hours
after
meeting’
an ISG member,
killed by a single shot to the back of his head
outside his
apartment.”
570.
The paper
appears not to have been shown to Mr Blair.315
571.
In an
interview with the British Forces
Broadcasting Service (BFBS), reported
in
the media
on 16 December, Mr Blair stated:
“… the Iraq
Survey Group has already found massive evidence of a huge system
of
clandestine
laboratories, workings by scientists, plans to develop long range
ballistic
missiles.
Now frankly, these things weren’t being developed unless they
were
developed
for a purpose …”316
572.
On
18 December, The Washington
Post reported that
US Government officials
had
confirmed that Dr Kay intended to leave the ISG before it completed
its work.317
The
newspaper
also reported: “The insurgency has forced the Pentagon to divert
personnel
from Kay’s
team to help commanders identify and question
insurgents.”
315
Manuscript
comment Rycroft on Minute Cannon to Prime Minister,
15 December 2003, ‘Iraq: Key Points
from the
ISG Report’.
316
BBC
News,
16 December 2003, Blair’s
appeal to Saddam’s men.
317
The
Washington Post,
18 December 2003, Kay Plans
To Leave Search for Iraqi Arms.
537