IRAQ: UN arms inspectors found an empty chemical warhead at a military depot near Baghdad yesterday, a day before the United States reveals evidence it says proves Iraq is hiding banned weapons.
Mr Hiro Ueki, spokesman for the UN inspection teams, said the warhead was of the same type as 12 undeclared empty warheads found at another location last month.
"An empty Sakr-18 chemical warhead was found at the Al Taji Ammunition Depot. The warhead was tagged and secured," Mr Ueki said. "This is the same type of chemical warhead as was found at the Ukhaider Ammunition Storage area on January 16th." Shortly after the January 16th find, Iraq said it had found four more such warheads at Taji and handed them over to the inspectors.
Chief UN inspector Dr Hans Blix told the Security Council in a report on January 27th that Iraq should have declared the warheads and said the find could be the "tip of an iceberg".
Iraq said the incident was a simple oversight.
On Monday, inspectors found a missile mould and the warhead of a 70-km-range missile. Iraq said the find was insignificant.
Mr Ueki said missile experts from the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) inspected Al Rafah test stand, involved in the static testing of missile engines, 130 km southwest of Baghdad.
Other missile teams visited al-Harith missile maintenance workshop north of Baghdad and the al-Mamoun factory of the al- Rasheed State Company, 60 km south of Baghdad.
UNMOVIC chemical teams visited two sites - the water purification station in Doura on the outskirts of Baghdad and an agricultural supply company in Waziriya in Baghdad.
A biological team called at the State Establishment for Heavy Engineering Enterprises plant on the outskirts of Baghdad.
The facility designs and manufactures a range of equipment, including large storage and mixing tanks used by the food processing, chemicals and petroleum industries.