Iraq's Smoking Gun, At Last

Saw a story on FreeRepublic this evening. It comes from the The Indian Times. Here's the reason to read it:

NEC Engineering Private Ltd. used phoney customs declarations and other false documents, as well as front companies in three countries, to export 10 consignments of raw materials and equipment that Saddam Hussein’s regime could use to produce chemical weapons and propellants for long-range missiles, according to court records.

The shipments, valued at nearly $800,000, took place between September 1998 and February 2001. The exports—specialised supplies such as atomised aluminum powder and titanium centrifugal pumps—ostensibly went to Jordan and Dubai.

The story takes pains to note that US officials have been involved in uncovering this as well. The story goes on to point out that the plants for which these supplies were bought are supposedly closed, and that they produced chlorine (which is necessary for certain poisonous gasses).

Hope this gets more play in the American press, but somehow I doubt it will. ABC News, tonight, was broadcasting live from Baghdad and it was the farce you'd expect. Peter Jennings, accompanied by Iraqi security, went "into the streets" to talk to regular Iraqis. It was stage-managed from both sides and a waste of everyone's time.

Anyway, you should read it.