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Journalism of Courage
Initial tests have detected nerve and blistering agents in a barrel of chemicals found by US forces in northern Iraq, ABC News reported.
A special forces reconnaissance team found 14 unmarked barrels, at least a dozen missiles and 150 gas masks at a site east of Baiji, 112 miles northwest of Baghdad, on Friday, ABC News said in a report on its web site on Sunday.
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Now, arms chief in net
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| CAMP AS SAYLIYA: US-led forces said on Sunday that they were holding General Hussam Mohammad Amin al-Yasin, the head of Iraq’s National Monitoring Directorate and a key figure in UN weapons inspections. He was no 49 on a US list of the 55 most wanted members of Saddam Hussein’s administration. (Reuters) |
A platoon of chemical weapons experts from the Army’s 1-10 Cavalry was sent to the area and tests on one of the 55-gallon barrels were conducted on Saturday, it said.
‘‘The preliminary tests showed it to be a mixture of three chemicals, including a nerve agent and blistering agent,’’ ABC News said.
The US said destroying Iraq’s alleged chemical arms and other weapons of mass destruction was one of its main goals when it invaded Iraq last month. Some chemicals previously found by US Forces and initially suspected of being chemical weapons materials turned out to be pesticides.
‘‘Officials were stressing caution on the Baiji discovery, particularly in light of earlier false alarms,’’ ABC said.
Citing Pentagon officials, ABC News said any material found would be sent to Maryland for testing as the military does not have testing equipment to eliminate all pesticides.
