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Iraqi nuclear scientists quizzed
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- U.N. weapons inspectors have stepped up their search in Iraq and have begun interviewing Iraqi nuclear scientists, the International Atomic Energy Agency says. "We are moving from an information-gathering phase to a more probing, investigative phase," IAEA spokesman Mark Gwozdecky said on Tuesday. Gwozdecky, speaking in Vienna, Austria, said the scientists would be interviewed in Iraq. He did not reveal "when or how many or with whom" the interviews would take place. He indicated the interviews and questions would be more targeted, based on information the inspectors had already gathered, enabling "one-on-one interviews in a more strategic way." Scientists would be interviewed outside Iraq as well but "the Agency has not moved to exercise its authority under Security Council mandate to conduct (those) interviews," Gwozdecky said. There are other considerations for interviews conducted outside of Iraq as well such as individual consent and protection for the Iraqi scientists including possible asylum in other countries. On Tuesday, the inspectors visited Baghdad University of Technology where they questioned Dr. Sabah Abdul Noor, a scientist who worked in Iraq's nuclear program. Noor said the inspectors asked that they be allowed to interview him alone, but he said he refused and asked that members of his team be present. The inspectors, he said, wanted to know "all the progress that has been made after 1998 until now. I explained to them all that I know." Noor described the atmosphere as "very friendly, actually." He said he was not asked to leave the country. Noor said: "I was a member of the nuclear program." He told reporters he headed a "powder technology center" which did research and development of materials. He said the inspectors wanted to know about the university's programs and "equipment that can be used or misused." University officials said inspectors had been to at least three universities. "They now exactly what we have been doing in the past," said Noor. "They have the details." He said the main interest of the inspectors was "any progress since 1998." Meanwhile, inspectors visited eight other sites Tuesday, with plans to maintain a heavy schedule on Christmas Day. A baby milk factory was among the sites inspectors visited Monday. In 1991, the factory was bombed by the United States amid U.S. claims it was a dual use facility which also produced chemical weapons. Officials on both sides of the Iraqi inspection process said Monday they want to see evidence of weapons of mass destruction that the U.S. says it has. (Story) On Sunday, Iraq's top government scientist said his country would welcome "someone from American intelligence" to show U.N. weapons inspectors where President Bush believes Iraq is hiding its weapons programs. (Story)
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