Iraq used massive oil smuggling to pay N. Korea for strategic weapon aid
Special to World Tribune.com
MIDDLE EAST NEWSLINE
Friday, June 9, 2000
LONDON [MENL] -- Iraq and North Korea are believed to be cooperating in
restoring Baghdad's medium-range missile and nuclear weapons capability.
Western intelligence sources said Iraq has used revenues from massive
oil smuggling to pay North Korea. They said Baghdad appears to be moving
toward the level of strategic weapons capability deployed on the eve of the
1991 Gulf war.
Former United Nations chief arms inspector Richard Butler was the latest
expert to raise this concern. Butler, who angered Iraq with his aggressive
pursuit of weapons concealed by President Saddam Hussein, said Israel could
be a prime target of a future Iraqi attack.
"Were I living in Israel would I be concerned about Saddam's escape from
monitoring, his continuing possession of the relevant weapons of mass
destruction? Yes I would be concerned," Butler told the BBC.
U.S. officials assert that a range of countries, including North Korea,
Russia and Yugoslavia, are peddling weapons and technology to Baghdad. They
said Saddam is determined not to allow the return of UN inspectors to ensure
that the West is kept in the dark regarding Baghdad's progress in restoring
its strategic weapons capability.
Experts said one prospect is that Iraq will cooperate with terrorist
groups to deliver chemical or biological weapons in planned attacks against
Israel or the West. They said such an attack could be launched with
cooperation of Saudi billionaire fugitive Osama Bin Laden.
"We have proof that nerve gas was found in a farm near Amman - with a
group of suspects linked to Bin Laden," said Israeli terrorism expert Yael
Haran. "Now we know that the border between Iraq and Jordan is extremely
porous -- conventional weaponry passes easily. Anthrax could pass in the
pocket of somebody."
Western intelligence sources said nuclear material is being smuggled
from the former Soviet Union to Pakistan and parts of the Middle East.
Shipments of nuclear material have been seized heading toward Pakistan and
nuclear material contained in canisters with Russian markings have been
offered for sale in the Middle East.
Iraqi oil revenues have risen dramatically over the last year, the
sources said. They said Baghdad plans to raise its oil exports from 2.5
million barrels to 3.2 million barrels a day. This would exceed Iraqi
production in 1990 when Saddam invaded Kuwait.
On Wednesday, the UN Security Council again urged Iraq to cooperate with
its weapons inspectors, who plan to be ready for work in August. The council
was briefed by Hans Blix, director of the UN Monitoring, Verification and
Inspection Commission.
"We have enough recruited staff and trained staff to undertake some
inspections, but for larger-scale inspections we need more staff," Blix
said.
The UN inspector said his agency has targeted many suspected Iraqi
weapons sites. He said the inspections would seek to determine whether Iraq
violated restrictions on developing missiles beyond the 150 kilometer limit
as well as the development of biological weapons.
"Biological weapons do not take very much space so inspectors on the
ground," Blix said. "Going into buildings, is a very important thing."
In Jerusalem, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak expressed concern over
the transfer of Russian technology to Iran and Iraq. He said this included
the "continued flow of nuclear technology to Iran."
In a related development, U.S. intelligence sources have expressed
concern over Russian refusal to disclose details of 200 suspected
underground nuclear sites. One of them is a massive complex that is
suspected to house a nuclear research or survival headquarters for Russian
military and government officials.
Friday, June 9, 2000
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