Missile factory discovered in Iraq

NICOSIA - Germany has confirmed a report that its intelligence agency has discovered a missile factory close to Baghdad.

The Al Mamoun factory was discovered about 40 kilometers southwest of Baghdad with 250 technicians producing short-range missiles, a spokeswoman from the German Bundesnachrichtendienst said.

German intelligence officials said that the factory is producing the Arabil-100 flight-tested solid-fuel short-range missiles with a range of 150 kilometers. Although the missiles do not violate United Nations sanctions, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein continues to build-up Iraq's missile program, intelligence sources said.

"There is a real danger that sooner or later Germany will be within range of these kind of weapons," the Hamburg-based daily Bild quoted the intellegence agency as saying. "The Iraqi will and the personnel for developing missiles still exists."