Memorandum from Dr Thomas David Inch
SOME QUESTIONS
PROMPTED BY
THE IRAQ
DOSSIER[1]
As requested below are some questions that could
be asked to help establish the strength and margin for error or
risk of misinterpretation of intelligence data. It is possible
that all the interpretations are correct and well founded but
as the report is written there are too many unconvincing points
which now in a post war situation should be clarified.
P17 para 2. Was there any evidence that
the attempts at procurement were successful?
P18 para 3. What was the evidence that mustard
could be made in weeks and nerve agents in months?
This statement suggests the intelligence source knew
the facilities to be used and how the facilities would be used.
P19 para 5. It is important to find what
the raw data actually said about 45minutes.
P19 para 8. If it is known that Iraq continued
to produce nerve agent then it should be known where that was
when the intelligence was obtained. Post event chemical analysis
of the site should be able to confirm the allegation.
P20 para 8. Similarly analysis should reveal
whether there was misuse of the precursor chemicals at Fallujah2.
P20 para 9. More information should be sought
on the suppliers of the illegal equipment and whether the Inspectors
visited this complex on their return last year.
P22 para 12. More information is required
on whether Iraq has a legitimate castor oil industry. Also we
need to know whether the plant construction would allow the easy
production of ricin.
P22 para 14. I am puzzled by the importance
given in the dossier to aflatoxins. The materials are not particularly
acutely toxic and in solution may not have been weaponised in
high concentration. For the sake of the overall credibility of
the dossier some indication o0f the real significance of this
information would be helpful.
P24 para 16. The summary groups anthrax,
botulinum, aflatoxins and ricin together and suggests a common
biological agent production capability.This seems odd since the
biological agent anthrax is very different from the others which
are chemical toxins . Also ricin is very different since it is
not cultured but harvested from a cultivated crop.
Dr Thomas Inch
June 2003
1 Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction: The Assessment
of the British Government. Back
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