Iraq says it will refute any evidence given by Powell to UN

Iraq said on Monday it would ask UN weapons inspectors to check any evidence presented to the Security Council by US Secretary of State Colin Powell on weapons of mass destruction. President Saddam Hussein’s Chief scientific adviser Amir al-Saadi said the ‘‘so-called evidence’’ would not show a ‘‘smoking gun’’, because if the US had credible evidence, it would have given the information to the inspectors on the ground. ‘‘I don’t see why Powell takes it to the Security Council and shows it in public,’’ Saadi said. ‘‘It is not the Cuban missile crisis, is it?…They should give it directly and quickly (to the inspectors) so that this question be settled.’’

Saadi, referring to the inspection teams of the UNMOVIC and IAEA, said Iraq would react quickly after Wednesday’s presentation to refute the claims.

‘‘I can’t prejudge what he is going to present, but we’ll certainly react and ask the two agencies to check it if it is in their competence,’’ he said. ‘‘If it is not in their competence, then we’ll do our utmost to refute those allegations because we are on firm grounds and we have nothing to hide.’’