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U.N. inspectors quiz Iraqi scientist
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- U.N. weapons inspectors interviewed an Iraqi scientist Friday about a "possible prelude to a clandestine nuclear program," a spokesman for the inspectors said. The Iraqi Foreign Ministry identified the scientist as Qadhem Jamil of the al-Raya Co., part of the nation's Military Industrialization Commission. "He is specialized in the use of aluminum pipes used in manufacturing 81-millimeter missiles with a range of 10 kilometers," a statement from the Iraqi Foreign Ministry said. "The British prime minister had accused Iraq of using (the aluminum pipes) for the purposes of centrifuge to produce depleted uranium." Iraq insists it has no weapons of mass destruction and is not seeking to develop nuclear weapons. The inspectors' spokesman, Hiro Ueki, did not name the scientist and gave no details of the program. Nor did he say whether the program involves possible current or past efforts by Baghdad to develop nuclear capability. Ueki, in a statement, said the scientist is "a metallurgist from a high-visibility state company. He provided technical details of a military program. "This program has attracted considerable attention as a possible prelude to a clandestine nuclear program." Iraq said the interview lasted an hour and that a representative of the Iraqi National Monitoring Directorate was present at the request of the scientist, an Iraqi official said. It took place at the Al Rasheed Hotel, the government said. The hotel is a base of operations for many members of international news organizations. The interview was conducted by inspectors with the International Atomic Energy Agency, the U.N. organization charged with searching for evidence that Iraq is trying to develop nuclear weapons capability. Ueki said the scientist's "answers will be of great use in completing the IAEA assessment." Inspectors are interviewing key Iraqi scientists to get information on the nation's chemical, biological, and nuclear activities. The IAEA began interviewing scientists this week and started with professors at Technology University in Baghdad. The inspectors also checked equipment tagged by previous inspection teams at a laboratory of the chemical engineering department. The dean, Mazen Joumaah, told reporters the inspectors were "highly professional and knew what they wanted." The inspectors are under U.S. pressure to take scientists and their families out of Iraq for interviews. U.S. officials have said they believe the scientists would speak more freely if they were assured that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein could not retaliate. The U.N. Monitoring and Verification and Inspection Commission, which is searching Iraq for evidence of chemical or biological weapons or high-powered missiles, has not yet conducted interviews with scientists. A U.N. official said several issues need to be worked out before that can be done, including arrangements for secure interview facilities. Also, UNMOVIC is awaiting Iraq's handover of a list of scientists involved in weapons-related programs, the official said.
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