Iraq raids under new cloud

Reporters had pressed Ueki earlier about remarks by an Iraqi official, Hussein Hammudeh, who said he had prior notice of a visit to his facility by IAEA experts. Ueki had said 8216;8216;the inspectors arrive unannounced8217;8217; and that the UN does 8216;8216;not notify Iraqis8217;8217; of planned visits. But he added that it was not surprising if officials of specific sites expected visits since such sites had been marked for inspection by the former UN experts who pulled out of the country in 1998 ahead of US and British air strikes on Iraq.

Meanwhile, western planes attacked an oil installation in Basra in southern Iraq on Sunday, killing four people and wounding several others, residents said.

8216;8216;US and British warplanes raided the Southern Oil Company in Basra. Four people were killed and several others wounded during the raid,8217;8217; one resident, who asked not to be identified, said There was no immediate comment from the United States.