“Got Into Iraq and Performing An Operation for 4 Months”

Prior to the deadline (January 27) for submitting the weapons inspection report against Iraq, the UN Weapons Inspectors did a strong movement to confine high Iraqi officials including the Iraqi Ambassador to the UN while inspecting a chemical producing company and the neighboring buildings in Baghdad.

The Inspectors did a sudden inspection against a chemical producing company, the Al Bassel, and closed the nearby Iraqi National Investigation Committee building at the same time. Therefore, Iraqi high officials including the Iraqi Ambassador to the UN Mohamed Al Duri, who was visiting the National Investigation Committee at that time, and the Chair of the Iraqi National Investigation Committee Hosam Mohamed Amin had to be confined in a closed building for 6 hours.

The Inspectors also searched the personal belongings of the Iraqi people in the neighboring buildings of the Al Bassel, and did a strong inspection by searching cars and buildings and taking pictures of them. This kind of strong inspection seems to be the result of strong pressure from America.

The Chair Amin criticized after being released, “It was an extreme invasion.” However, he seemed to worry that he might be misunderstood to disturb the inspection, and stated that he would not raise an official complaint.

The British BBC reported that the Inspectors inspected around 230 facilities up to date; however, they could not find the weapons of massive destruction hiding place.

In the meantime, in preparation for the attack of Iraq, Israel succeeded the mock test of firing 4 `Arrow` interceptor missiles and shooting down the mock Iraqi missiles on the 5th.

The Boston Glove reported on the 5th that around 100 agents of the US Special Forces and around 50 agents of the CIA already got into Iraq and were performing an operation.

Ki-Tae Kwon kkt@donga.com