Inspectors' Accomplishments

April 2003
Press Contacts: Daryl Kimball, Executive Director, (202) 463-8270 x107 Paul Kerr, Research Analyst, (202) 463-8270 x102

UN weapons inspectors began their work in Iraq November 27 and left March 18. Iraq submitted a declaration containing information about its weapons of mass destruction December 7, as required by UN Security Council Resolution 1441. IAEA inspectors conducted 237 inspections at 148 sites, including 27 sites not previously inspected. As of February 28, UNMOVIC inspectors had conducted approximately 550 inspections at 350 sites, including 44 sites not previously inspected.

The IAEA found no evidence that Iraq is pursuing a nuclear weapons program, but UNMOVIC found and/or supervised the destruction of some items related to proscribed weapons programs.

The UNMOVIC inspectors:

• Supervised destruction of 72 prohibited al Samoud-2 missiles and 47 associated warheads. Iraq declared 76 of these missiles and 118 warheads to UNMOVIC.
• Supervised destruction of three al Samoud-2 missile launchers. Iraq declared nine launchers to UNMOVIC.
• Supervised destruction of two casting chambers capable of producing motors for prohibited missiles.
• Discovered 231 illegal Volga missile engines.
• Discovered 14 empty 122-millimeter rocket warheads that could be used to deliver chemical weapons.
  
• Discovered a component of a cluster sub-munition designed to deliver chemical or biological weapons.
• Discovered fuel spray tanks modified for possible use in delivering chemical or biological agents.
  
• Found and destroyed one liter of a precursor chemical for the production of mustard agent.