Fake documents and exaggeration
The claims
By
Sheelagh Doyle
20 April 2003
Nuclear
Claim President Bush said satellite photographs show Iraq rebuilding facilities at sites that were part of its nuclear programme in the past, so "the threat is real" of continuing nuclear activities.
Reality Satellite photos were believed to be of Iraq's former nuclear complex at Tuwaitha. The IAEA, which repeatedly inspected the site, said Tuwaitha "now conducts civilian research in the non-nuclear field".
Claim The British Government said that if Iraq obtained fissile material and other essential components from foreign sources, "Iraq could produce a nuclear weapon in between one and two years".
Reality The claim seemed accurate. However, controls on fissile material and the presence of international experts inside Iraq meant the risk of Iraq developing a nuclear device was very low.
Claim Britain said Iraq sought "significant quantities of uranium from Africa." The US identified the source as Niger.
Reality The IAEA concluded documents on which UK/US claims were based were fake.
Claim Britain and US warned several times that Iraq had made repeated attempts to import 60,000 specialised aluminium tubes and other equipment used to enrich uranium for nuclear weapons.
Reality The IAEA finds "no indication" that Iraq tried to import the tubes for use in centrifuge enrichment.
Chemical
ClaimThe US said Iraq had continued to rebuild and expand facilities that could be quickly diverted to chemical weapons production, such as chlorine and phenol plants.
Reality Iraq's chemical site at Al-Qaqaa was bombed in the first Gulf War, and remaining stocks were removed and destroyed by the UN experts. There was no indication that its production of chlorine and phenol had a military purpose.
Claim Secretary of State Colin Powell released satellite shots of a weapons factory at Taji purporting to show that the site had been cleaned up before the arrival of UN inspectors.
Reality The chief UN weapons inspector, Hans Blix, said the photos could show routine movement at the plant.
Biological
Claim US releases picture of a drone which, if fitted with a spray tank, could "deliver biological agents" to Iraq's neighbours or even the US if transported to other countries.
Reality Iraq dismantled a drone following its discovery by UN inspectors – who were not convinced the unmanned aircraft was a proscribed item.
Claim Mr Powell said "we know from Iraq's past admissions" that it has successfully weaponised ricin.
Reality The UN inspectors said a single test was carried out in November 1990, but it was considered a failure and the project was abandoned.
Claim Mr Powell said Saddam had the "wherewithal to develop smallpox".
Reality UN inspectors did not consider smallpox to be a matter of concern and did not mention it except to report that there was "no evidence" of Iraq engaging in smallpox research.
Fake documents and exaggeration
The claims
By
Sheelagh Doyle
20 April 2003
Nuclear
Claim President Bush said satellite photographs show Iraq rebuilding facilities at sites that were part of its nuclear programme in the past, so "the threat is real" of continuing nuclear activities.
Reality Satellite photos were believed to be of Iraq's former nuclear complex at Tuwaitha. The IAEA, which repeatedly inspected the site, said Tuwaitha "now conducts civilian research in the non-nuclear field".
Claim The British Government said that if Iraq obtained fissile material and other essential components from foreign sources, "Iraq could produce a nuclear weapon in between one and two years".
Reality The claim seemed accurate. However, controls on fissile material and the presence of international experts inside Iraq meant the risk of Iraq developing a nuclear device was very low.
Claim Britain said Iraq sought "significant quantities of uranium from Africa." The US identified the source as Niger.
Reality The IAEA concluded documents on which UK/US claims were based were fake.
Claim Britain and US warned several times that Iraq had made repeated attempts to import 60,000 specialised aluminium tubes and other equipment used to enrich uranium for nuclear weapons.
Reality The IAEA finds "no indication" that Iraq tried to import the tubes for use in centrifuge enrichment.
Chemical
ClaimThe US said Iraq had continued to rebuild and expand facilities that could be quickly diverted to chemical weapons production, such as chlorine and phenol plants.
Reality Iraq's chemical site at Al-Qaqaa was bombed in the first Gulf War, and remaining stocks were removed and destroyed by the UN experts. There was no indication that its production of chlorine and phenol had a military purpose.
Claim Secretary of State Colin Powell released satellite shots of a weapons factory at Taji purporting to show that the site had been cleaned up before the arrival of UN inspectors.
Reality The chief UN weapons inspector, Hans Blix, said the photos could show routine movement at the plant.
Biological
Claim US releases picture of a drone which, if fitted with a spray tank, could "deliver biological agents" to Iraq's neighbours or even the US if transported to other countries.
Reality Iraq dismantled a drone following its discovery by UN inspectors – who were not convinced the unmanned aircraft was a proscribed item.
Claim Mr Powell said "we know from Iraq's past admissions" that it has successfully weaponised ricin.
Reality The UN inspectors said a single test was carried out in November 1990, but it was considered a failure and the project was abandoned.
Claim Mr Powell said Saddam had the "wherewithal to develop smallpox".
Reality UN inspectors did not consider smallpox to be a matter of concern and did not mention it except to report that there was "no evidence" of Iraq engaging in smallpox research.
