The Report
of the Iraq Inquiry
•
Iraq had
provided a report on its analysis of samples from special
warhead
fragments.
•
Iraq had
claimed that VX contamination of missile fragments from
special
warheads,
found by a US laboratory, was the result of a deliberate act
of
tampering
with the samples.
•
Iraq had
refused to allow missile engine components to be removed for
analysis.
•
Iraq did
not provide specific documents requested by a biological
inspections
team and
had not responded to a request for new, substantial information on
its
biological
weapons programmes.
•
There had
been some difficulties in interviews with students in a
university
where
declarable research on biological weapons had taken
place.
641.
In relation to
monitoring inspections:
•
Iraq was
reconsidering its refusal since 5 August to provide data
collected by
Iraq during
tests on indigenously produced missiles and rocket
engines.
•
Iraq had
placed unacceptable conditions on photographs during a
chemical
inspection
on 5 December.
•
Undeclared
dual-capable items and materials subject to chemical and
biological
monitoring
had been discovered.
•
A team had
been refused access on 11 December in line with Iraq’s policy
of
facilitating
entry “during the working days of the week, except
Fridays”.
642.
In relation to
disarmament inspections, Mr Butler reported that, “In the
light of clear
evidence
that Iraq had taken advance actions at certain of the locations
planned for
inspection”,
he had “decided not to conduct the full range of inspections the
team had
planned”.
The examples given included:
•
There had
been some difficulties negotiating access at one site designated
as
sensitive
which resulted in Iraq’s introduction of new requirements,
including a
formal
letter of request indicating what was being sought at the
site.
•
At the
former headquarters of the Special Security Organisation, the
building
had been
emptied and Iraq would not disclose where the materials were
held.
•
At the
management offices of the Military Industrialisation Corporation,
the site
“had been
prepared to avoid any disclosure of relevant materials and the
team
assessed
Iraq had expected their arrival”.
643.
Mr Butler
reported that Iraq had still not taken action to enact the
required
legislation
to prohibit activity which was prohibited by Security Council
resolutions and
to enforce
such legislation.
644.
Mr Butler
concluded that it was “evident” from the report that Iraq had not
provided
the full
co-operation promised on 14 November, and:
144