Iraqi BW

Filename:077pgv.91d
Subject: Iraqi BW

2335/15FEB91
[    b.2.    ]

[   (b)(1) sec 1.3(a)(4)   ]
Question:  When did DlA first locate a biological facility at 
Latifiya?
   DlA Answer:       During the first week of February 1991.

       Question:  Is this, in DIA's assessment, the facility which 
the fermentation   equipment was destined for?
   DIA Answer:      It is possible but we do not know with 
certainty at this time.
   More research and analysis is necessary before DIA can be more 
definitive.

       [      (b)(1) sec 1.3(a)(4)    ]




       Question:  What is the exact geolocation of the site?
   DIA Answer:      330058N/0441317E

[      (b)(1) sec 1.3(a)(4)    ]



   Question:  Was the facility utterly destroyed?
   DIA. Answer:     The large process/production/filling building 
was severely damage-to-destroyed and would not be possible to operate.
The administration/lab building is very severely damaged.  The 
building resembling the fire station at Salman Pak is totally destroyed.
One of two of the 2100 cubic meter buildings is destroyed.  All four
large cooling units have been destroyed  Overall the facility could
not operate as intended.

      Question:      Would also appreciate a summary of the damage 
at the following production sites: Salman Pak, Taji, and Abu Gharib
(clostridium vaccine facility)
   DIA Answer:      At Salman Pak, the P3/P4 building is very 
severely damaged and heavy damage to the H-shaped building nearby.
In the research and engineering section of Salman Pak, the T-shaped
building has heavy damage, the high-bay building just to the south of
the T-shaped building is severely damaged, and the third building in
the area with a high-bay section on the north side of the building
has also been heavily damaged.  In the area with new construction at
Salman Pak, one large building near the fire station is totally 
destroyed.  Two other large buildings have received heavy damage.
All major buildings at Salman Pak are considered inoperable.  The
suspect BW production building at Taji has been totally destroyed.
The liquid nitrogen facility at Taji has been severely damaged and
rendered inoperable.  The Abu Gharib clostridium plant has been
totally destroyed.

    Question:  What is your assessment of the Iraqi capability to 
employ BWA in the present war in light of the massive damage caused
to the production and storage facilities in the bombing?
    DIA Answer: We are in the position of not knowing how much 
BW agent has been destroyed during attacks and therefore can not 
judge with certainty how much remains and in what form (bulk or 
munitions).  We must operate from the point of view that BW agent 
remains in the inventory and act accordingly.

    Question:  Is it possible that bombs/warheads armed with 
anthrax agent are stored, ready for use, outside the cooled facilities:
    DIA Answer:       Prior to the outbreak of hostilities DIA 
considered the Iraqis to have two confirmed BW agents--anthrax and 
botulinum toxin which we believed to
to placed in weapons.  We must emphasize that the weaponization of 
BW agents is assessment and not based upon positive information. 
If such weapons exist and contain anthrax spores, they would be 
stable for long periods of time without refrigeration.

POC: [b.6]