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IRAQI PROGRAMMES - THE CURRENT THREAT

Intelligence plays a key role in informing government policy towards Iraq's WMD and ballistic
missile programmes . These reports are extremely sensitive. Details cannot be made public
because great care has to be taken to protect our sources . But taken with $2ket~~,l ~_
record and the evidence from UN weapons inspections) the intelligence builds a compelling
pictwe of Saddam's capabilities .
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This section sets out what we now know of Saddam's tagpLprogrammes, drawing on all the
available evidence . The main conclusions are that : -

" Iraq has a useable chemical and biological weapons capability, in breach of UNSCR
687. And it is able to make more despite sanctions;

" Iraq can deliver chemical and biological agentstNsia an extensive range of artillery
shells, free-fall bombs, sprayers and ballistic missilestaq also has a capability to
use unconventional delivery mean3

Iraq continues to work on developing nuclear weapons, in breach of its obligations

under the Non-Proliferation Treaty, and in breach of UNSCR 687. Effective
sanctions are hindering this programme although it is impossible to prevent all
technology and materials,r~crkt~ tr~ztt

Iraq possesses extended-range versions of the SCUD ballistic missile, capable of

reaching Israel and Gulf States in breach of UNSCR 687. It is also developing longer
range ballistic missiles to improve it`s capability to target neighbouring countries ;

Iraq's current military planning specifically envisages the use of chemical and
biological weapons;

" Iraq's military forces maintain the capability to use weapons of mass destruction,
with command, control and logistical arrangements in place;

" Iraq's WMD and ballistic missiles are not short of funds, despite the parlous state of
the Iraqi economy. -

WHY ARE WE CONCERNED?

While the successful enforcement of the sanctions regimes and the UN arms embargo have
impeded Iraq's efforts to reconstitute its weapons of mass destruction, they have not halted
them. Much of Iraq's missile infrastructure has been rebuilt, the nuclear weapons programme is
being reconstituted ; and Iraq continues to have the capability to produce chemical and
biological weapons, and has probably already done so. Since the withdrawal of inspectors in
1998, monitoring of Iraqi attempts to restore a WMD capability has become more difficult.

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Recent intelligence indicates that Saddam attaches great importance to the possession of
weapons of mass destruction and that he is committed to using them ~rq to help him
dominate his neighbours. Intelligence also confirms that Iraq has'chemical and biological
weapons and is committed to using them in the event of a military conflict and also indicates
that Saddam is prepared to use them against any internal rising by the Shia population . We
know that Iraq has begun to disperse its most sensitive WMD equipment and material . Saddam
is determined not to lose the capabilities that he has been able to develop in the 4 years since
inspectors left Iraq . This intelligence exposes the lie and deception surrounding Saddam's claim
that Iraq does not possess weapons of mass destruction .

CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS

We judge that Iraq has a covert chemical weapons programme, in breach of UN Security
Council Resolution 687. We also judge that :

° Iraq has some chemical agents and weapons available, either from pre-Gulf War
stocks or more recent production,

" Iraq has the capability to produce the chemical agents sulphur mustard, tabun, sarin,
cyclosarin, and VX;

° Iraq military forces maintain the capability to use these weapons, with command,
control and logistical arrangements in place.

We cannot be sure how many CW-filled munitions have been destroyed, degraded-or remain at
the disposal of the Iraqi government, and declarations to UNSCOM deliberately obscure the
picture. But, whatever the fate of these stocks, we judge that Iraq has retained some production
equipment and at least small amounts of chemical agent precursors . In addition, Iraq
repeatedly claims that if they had retained any agents they would have deteriorated sufficiently
to render them harmless . But we know Iraq had the knowledge and capability to add stabilisers
to nerve agent, which would prevent the decomposition . In 1997 UNSCOM examined some
munitions that had been filled with mustard gas prior to 1991 and found that they remained
very toxic and showed little sign of deterioration.

During the Gulf War a number of facilities which intelligence reporting indicated were directly
or indirectly associated with Iraqis CW effort were attacked and damaged . Following the
ceasefire UNSCOM destroyed or rendered harmless, facilities and equipment used in Iraq's CW
programme But some equipment was released for civilian use either in industry or academic
institutes, where it was tagged by UNSCOM and regularly inspected and monitored by
UNSCOM, or else placed under camera monitoring, to ensure that it was not being misused .
However, capabilities remain and although al-Muthanna was completely destroyed by
UNSCOM and has not been rebuilt, other plants formerly associated with the CW programme
such as Fallujah 2 have been rebuilt, including the chlorine plant (Chlorine is a dual-use
chemical, but it can be used in the chlorination of organic chemicals - part of the process of
manufacturing certain chemical warfare agents).

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Other dual use facilities have been rebuilt, probably to a more modern standard and re-
equipped . New chemical facilities have been built, some with illegal foreign assistance, and are
probably fully operational or ready for production . For example, Iraq has built a large new
chemical complex, Project Batji, m the desert in north west Iraq at Ash Sharqat. This site is a
former uranium enrichment facility, which was damaged during the Gulf War, and rendered
harmless under supervision of the IAEA. Part of the site has been rebuilt, with work starting in
1992, as a chemical production complex. Intelligence indicates the site will be a carbon copy
of, and under the control of, A1 Qa'Qaa State Company, Iraq's foremost chemical
establishment . Despite the site being far away from populated areas it is surrounded by a high
wall with watch towers and guarded by armed guards Intelligence reports indicate that it will
produce nitric acid, which can be used in explosives, missile fuel, chemical agent production
and in the purification of uranium. (What is the date and nature of the reporting related to the
role of this facility, when do we believe it will become operational? Action - DIS)

Parts of the al-Qa'Qaa complex damaged m the Gulf jVar have also been repaired and are
operational. Of particular concern, elements of the phosgene production plant at Al Qa'Qaa
which was severely damaged during the Gulf War, and dismantled under UNSCOM
super-vision, have since been rebuilt . Phosgene can be used by itself as a chemical agent or as a
precursor for nerve agents .

Iraq also retained the expertise for CW research, agent production and weaponisation . The
bulk of the personnel previously involved m the programme remain in country . Indeed,
intelligence indicates that Haidar Husain Taha, recently reported in the media as being the
factory manager of the Fallujah 2 plant, is almost certainly the same individual who from 1984
until the end of the Gulf war worked at Iraq's CW programme at Muthanna State Establishment
researching Mustard Gas. While UNSCOM- found a number of -technical manuals (so called
"cook books") for the production of agents and critical precursors, Iraq's claim to have
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unilaterally destroyed the bulk of the documentation cannot be confirmed and is almost
certainly untrue Recent intelligence am indicates that Iraq is still discussing methods of
concealing such documentation in order to ensure that it is not discovered by any future UN
inspections

We judge that Iraq has a biological weapons programme in breach of UN Security Council
Resolution 687. We also judge that .

" Iraq has biological agents available, either from pre-Gulf War stocks or more recent
production ;

" Iraq has a biological agent production capability and can produce at least anthrax,
botulinum toxin, aflatoxin and ricin.

" Iraq has sought to develop mobile facilities to produce biological agent

Iraq has claimed that all its biological agents and weapons have been destroyed, although no
convincing proof of this has been offered. UN inspectors could not account for up to 20 tonnes
of growth media (nutrients required for the specialised growth of agent) procured for biological
agent production, enough to produce over three times the amount of anthrax Iraq admits to
having manufactured . Reports that Iraq has conducted research on smallpox and a number of
toxins cannot be corroborated However, Iraq admitted conducting research into using
camelpox as a biological agent, which has similar properties (correct terminology?) to
smallpox .

We know that Iraq is self-sufficient in the technology required to produce biological weapons .
As with some CW equipment, UNSCOM only destroyed equipment that could be directly
linked to BW production . Iraq also has its own engineering capability, and some dual-use
equipment has been purchased under Oil for Food regime This newly purchased equipment
and others previous subject to monitoring could be used in a resurgent BW programme.
Facilities of concern include; the Castor Oil Production Plant at Fallujah, the residue from the
castor bean pulp which could be used in the production of ricin biological agent either here or
at any small laboratory elsewhere, and the Al-Daura Foot and Mouth Disease Vaccine Plant,
which was involved in BW agent production and research before the 1991 Gulf War.
Intelligence also indicates that Iraq has sought to develop mobile facilities to produce biological
agent, to conceal and protect biological agent production from military attack or UN inspection .

Iraq has a variety of delivery mea'n's available for both chemical and biological agents, some of
which are very basic. These include :

" free fall bombs - Iraq acknowledged to UNCOM the deployment of free fall bombs
filled with biological agent during 1990-91 to 4 sites . These bombs were filled with
anthrax, botulinum toxin and aflatoxin Iraq also acknowledged possession of four types
of aerial bomb with various fills including sulphur mustard, tabun, sarin, cyclosarin, and
VX

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artillery shells and rockets - Iraq made extensive use of artillery munitions filled with
chemical agents during the Iran-Iraq War . Mortars can also be used for chemical agent
delivery . Iraq also claimed to have tested the use of ~shells and rockets filled with
biological agents . Over 20,000 artillery munitions remain unaccounted for by
UNSCOM,

helicopter and aircraft borne sprayers - Iraq carried out studies into aerosol
dissemination of biological agent using these platforms prior to 1991. UNSCOM was
unable to account for many of these devices and we judge that it is probable that Iraq
retains a capability for aerosol dispersal of both chemical and biological agent;

A1 Hussein ballistic missiles (range 650km) - Iraq told_UNSCOM that it filled 25

warheads with anthrax, botulinum toxin and aflatoxin. Iraq also developed chemical
agent warheads for A1 Hussein Iraq also admitted to producing 75 CW warheads for AI
Hussein which were intended for the delivery of a mixture of sarin and cyclosarin . We
judge Iraq retains up to 20 A1 Husseins;

A1 Samoud/Ababil 100 ballistic missiles (range 150km plus) - It is unclear if chemical

and biological warheads have been developed for these systems, but given their
experience on other missile systems, Iraq has the technical expertise to do so :

L-29 remotely piloted vehicle programme - we judge that the modification of the L-29
jet trainer could allow it to be used for the delivery of chemical and biological agents .
The L-29 was subject to UNSCOM inspection for this reason ;

Special Forces (SF) - Iraqi SF roles include sabotage/terrorist action abroad, hence the
delivery of chemical and biological agents by SF outside Iraq cannot be discounted .

NUCLEAR WEAPONS

We assessed in 1991 that Iraq was less than three years away from possessing a nuclear
weapon. After the Gulf War, Iraq's nuclear weapons infrastructure was dismantled by the
IAEA . But we judge that Iraq is still working to achieve a nuclear weapons capability, in
breach of its NPT obligations and UN Security Council Resolution 687 Much of its former
Gas Centrifuge Uranium Enrichment expertise has been retained Intelligence has
Uranium in the form of uranium hexafluoride is indicated that specialists were recalled to
separated into its different isotopes in rapidly spinning
work on a nuclear weapons programme in
rotor tubes of special centrifuges Many httndreds or
thousands of centrifuges are connected in cascades to the autumn of 1998. We judge that the
enrich uranium . If the lighter U235 isotope is enriched to present Iraqi programme is based on gas
more (ban 90% it can be used m the core of a nuclear centrifuge uranium enrichment, which was
weapon .
the route Iraq was following for producing
fissile material before the Gulf War. But
Iraq needs certain key equipment, such as gas centrifuge components, and materials for the -
production of the fissile material necessary before a nuclear bomb could be developed .
Following the expulsion of weapons inspectors in 1998 intelligence indicates that Iraq has
increased covert efforts to acquire technology and materials with nuclear applications . This
includes vacuum pumps ], magnets ~~

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filament, winding machine

and balancing machines ~~,All are needdto
manufacture gas centrifuges. It also includes specialised alu"minium, -which is subject to
international export controls because of its potential application in gas centrifuges used to
enrich uranium Although this material has applications m a range of other weapon systems .

There is also compelling evidence that Iraq has sought the supply of significant quantities of
uranium from Africa . However before such material can be used in gas centrifuges it has to be
purified and converted into uranium hexafluoride . This conversion process requires the use of
chemicals such as nitric acid, anhydrous hydrogen fluoride (AHF) and fluorine gas AHF is
commonly used in the petrochemical industry and Iraq frequently imports significant amounts .
The diversion of some of this AHF would be virtually impossible to detect .

So long as sanctions continue to hinder the import of crucial goods, Iraq would find it difficult
to produce a nuclear weapon . After the lifting of sanctions we assess that Iraq would need at
least five years to produce a weapon Progress would be much quicker if Iraq were able to buy
suitable fissile material .

BALLISTIC MISSILES

Since the Gulf War, Iraq has been openly

developing two short-range missiles up to
a range of 150km, which are permitted
under UN Security Council Resolution
687. The AI-Samoud liquid propellant
missile has been extensively tested, has
appeared on public parade in Baghdad
and is judged to be in the early stages of
deployment . In the absence of UN
inspectors, intelligence indicates Iraq has
FIGURE] ABABII .nNI

also worked on extending its range to at least

200km Testing of the solid propellant Ababil-100
(Figure 1) is also underway, with plans to extend its
range to at least 200km. Compared to liquid
propellant missiles, those po,r,Iered by solid
propellant offer greater ease of storage, handling
and mobility . They are also quicker to take into and
out of action and can stay at a high state of
readiness for longer periods. Any extension of a
missile's range to beyond 150km would be in
breach of UN Security Resolution 687.

Intelligence suggests that Iraq has retained up to 20

A1 Hussem missiles (Figure 2),_ in breach of UN
.
Security Council Resolution 687. These missiles FIGURE 2 AL HUSSeIN
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were either hidden from the UN as complete systems, or could have been re-assernbled using
illegally retained engines and other components We judge that the engineering expertise
available would allow these missiles to be maintained effectively We assess that some of these
missiles could be available for use Although not very accurate when used against Iran, Israel
and Saudi Arabia, they are still an effective system, which could be used with a conventional,
chemical or biological warhead

Reporting has confirmed that Iraq's priority is to develop longer-range missile systems, which
we judge are likely to have ranges over 1000km, enabling it to threaten regional neighbours,
Israel and some NATO members These programmes employ hundreds of people. Imagery
(Figure 3) has shown a new engine test stand being constructed (A), which is larger than the
current one used for A1 Samoud (B), and that formerly used for testing SCUD engines (C)
which was dismantled under UNSCOM supervision This new stand will be capable of testing
engines for missiles with ranges over 1000km, which are not permitted under UN Security
Council Resolution 687 Such a facility would not be needed for systems that fall within the
UN permitted range of 150km The Iraqi's have recently taken measures to conceal activities at
this site

FLBR0.1$Y-I602

FIGURE 3. AL RAFAHISfiAHIYAT LIQUID PROPELLANT

ENGINE STATIC TEST STAND

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Iraq is also working to obtain improved guidance technology to increase missile accuracy . The
success of UN restrictions means the development of new longer-range missiles is likely to be a
slow process. These restrictions impact particularly on the : ,

" availability of foreign expertise ;

" conduct of test flights to ranges above 150km;

" acquisition of guidance and control technology .

Saddam remains committed to developing longer-range missiles . We assess that, if sanctions

remain effective, Iraq could achieve a missile capability of over 1000km towards the end of the
decade, and possibly within 5 years (Figure 4 shows the range of Iraq's various missiles). To be
confident that it has successfully developed a longer-range missile Iraq would need to conduct
a flight-test. Current UN Security Council Resolutions do not permit tests of over 150km.

Iraq has managed to rebuild much of the missile production infrastructure destroyed in the Gulf
War and in Operation Desert Fox in 1998 . New missile-related infrastructure is also under
construction . Some aspects of this, including rocket propellant mixing and casting facilities at
the A1 Mamoun Plant, appear to replicate those linked to the prohibited BADR-2000
programme that were destroyed in the Gulf War or by UNSCOM . A new plant for indigenously
producing ammonium perchlorate, which is a key ingredient in the production of solid
propellant rocket motors, is also underway . This was obtained through an Indian chemical
engineering firm with extensive links in Iraq.

Despite a UN embargo, Iraq has also made concerted efforts to acquire additional production
technology, including machine tools and raw materials, in breach of UN Security Council
Resolution 1051 . The embargo has succeeded in blocking many of these attempts, but, despite
the dual use nature of some of the items, we know from intelligence that some items have
found their way to the Iraqi ballistic missile programme and will inevitably continue to do so.
Over the last few years Iraqi procurement agents and front companies in third countries have
been undertaking a global drive to illicitly acquire propellant chemicals for Iraq's ballistic
missiles, including aluminium powder unsymmetrical
dimethylhydrazine (UDMH) and hydrogen peroxide We judge
this is intended to support production and deployment of the A1 Samoud an A a il-100 and
development of longer range systems.

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REFENENCE

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FI(1URF4 Cr1RRFNTANnPIANNEDlPOTftNTIAI .BAI .LISI'IChfiCSnFS

ILLICIT INCOME GENERATION AND WMD FUNDING

Iraq generates income legally under the UN Oil For Food Programme (OFF) established by
UNSCR 986, whereby the proceeds of oil sold through the UN is used to buy humanitarian
supplies for Iraq This money remains under UN control, and cannot be used for military/WMD
procurement .

However, the Iraqi regime continues to generate income outside UN control, either in the form
of hard currency, or barter goods (which in turn means existing Iraqi funds are freed up lo be
spent on other things) . We believe that Iraq's illicit earnings amounted to around USD 3 billion
during 2001 Of this, illegal oil exports may have been Worth around USD 2 billion . A further
USD 1 billion may have been gencrated through abuses of OFF, including placing a surcharge
on every barrel of oil sold, and charging commissions for contracts either to lift Iraqi oil or
supply Iraq with humanitarian goods. Iraq also generates further income through the export of
non-oil goods We assess that Iraq will generate up to a further USD 3 billion during 2002 .

These illicit earnings go to the Iraqi regime . In addition to being hoarded in personal bank
accounts, this money may be used for patronage and buying off the political and military elite,
building new palaces, as well as purchasing luxury goods and other civilian goods outside of
OFF Some of these funds are also used by Saddam to maintain his armed forces, and to
-develop or acquire military equipment, including for WMD programmes . There is no-Indication
as to what proportion of these funds may be used in this fashion . However, the income illicitly
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generated by Iraq is outside of UN control, so it can be used (at least in part) to fund Saddam's
WMD programmes . We are not aware of shortage of funds being a factor in any milttary/WMD
procurement. -

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