Subject: NUCLEAR-RELATED DESIGN CENTER IN BAGHDAD  

Not Finally Evaluated Intelligence 

 

TO FACILITATE ELECTRONIC ACCESS, THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN 

REFORMATTED TO ELIMINATE INFORMATION THAT DOES NOT PERTAIN 

TO GULF WAR ILLNESS ISSUES OR THAT IS CLASSIFIED. A COPY OF 

THIS REDACTED DOCUMENT, IN ORIGINAL FORMAT, IS AVAILABLE ON 

REQUEST. 

 

CIA 848896 

CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY 

DIST:           1991 

 

COUNTRY: IRAQ 

 

SUBJ: 1. LOCATION AND LAYOUT OF NUCLEAR-RELATED DESIGN 

CENTER IN BAGHDAD; 

            2. DESIGN CENTER WORK ON OBSCURING NUCLEAR 

FUNCTION OF AL-ATHEER NUCLEAR SITE PRIOR TO VISITS BY UN AND 

IAEA INSPECTION TEAMS 

 

        DOI:                        1991 

                     DESIGN CENTER HAYAT AL-TASAMIM, WHICH 

WAS ASSOCIATED WITH THE IAEC'S "PC-3" NUCLEAR WEAPONS 

PROJECT, IS LOCATED IN AN EIGHT STORY BUILDING ON YAFA 

STREET.  ACROSS FROM THE AL-RASHID HOTEL IN BAGHDAD, IRAQ. 

           3. A LIBRARY     CONTAINS DESIGN DRAWINGS FOR 

        THE PC-3'S AL-ATHEER PLANT, A NUCLEAR SITE INTENDED 

FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS, INCLUDING 

HYDRODYNAMIC HIGH EXPLOSIVES TESTS FOR DEVELOPING A NUCLEAR 

WEAPONS DESIGN. 

 

           4.                           OTHER PROJECTS FOR 

WHICH THE 

        DESIGN CENTER WAS RESPONSIBLE INCLUDED THE REDESIGN 

OF THE AL-ATHEER PLANT IN ANTICIPATION OF INSPECTIONS BY 

TEAMS FROM THE UNITED NATIONS AND THE INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC 

ENERGY AGENCY. 

                 THE FACILITY WAS REDESIGNED TO APPEAR AS 

THOUGH IT HAD NO NUCLEAR FUNCTION.  THIS INCLUDED THE 

REMOVAL OF INCRIMINATING LABELS ON NUCLEAR-RELATED AREAS 

WITHIN THE SITE AS WELL AS NAME PLATES FROM PIECES OF 

EQUIPMENT. ENGINEERS AT THE 

        DESIGN CENTER HAVE TWICE REARRANGED AL-ATHEER.  THE 

FIRST REARRANGEMENT OCCURRED IN                              

1991 TIME FRAME, 

        THE SECOND TOOK PLACE FROM                             

FOR THE SECOND REDESIGN, ENGINEERS AT THE CENTER WORKED LATE 

HOURS TO ACCOMPLISH THE JOB. 

           5.                  STATED THAT NUCLEAR MATERIALS 

HAD BEEN STORED AT THE DESIGN                                  

CENTER OBSERVED TWO FLAT-BED, VOLVO TRUCKS PARKED AT THE 

CENTER FOR APPROXIMATELY 20 DAYS.  THE TRUCKS WERE 

TRANSPORTERS FOR TWO CONCRETE VESSELS EACH.  THE VESSELS 

WERE ABOUT THREE METERS BY THREE METERS SQUARE, NARROWING AT 

THE BOTTOM.  THE VESSELS ON ONE OF THE TRUCKS MAY HAVE BEEN 

EMPTY BECAUSE THE LIDS WERE AJAR AND NO SPECIAL SECURITY 

PRECAUTIONS TAKEN AROUND THIS TRUCK.  THE VESSELS ON THE 

OTHER TRUCK, HOWEVER, WERE COVERED WITH A TARP.  A CO-WORKER 

WHO WAS