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Greetings to all, This refers to "PG's" posting of "Memo to Mr Blair." Somewhat ironically, anyone who is interested in a quick guide to centrifuge equipment and the science behind it need look no further than the "Goods Review List" of May 2002, pages 68 and following. Hussein Kamil's interview in 1995 also refers to the progress Iraq made. Interesting to note also is that one of the parts hidden in Mahdi Shukur Obeidi's garden and handed to the CIA recently, appears to have been part of a bottom bearing assembly for a centrifuge. Until 1991, Obeidi was responsible for Iraq's centrifuge programme. He and his family have been removed from Iraq and given protected sanctuary in the USA. CNN interviewed him. Short video clips of that interview are available. Obeidi buried the parts and drawings "in a barrel" in 1991 on instructions from Saddam's son and son-in-law, Kussai and Hussein Kamil. Unfortunately, Obeidi's own words in respect of the revival of the Iraqi nuclear programme are not reported or included in the CNN video clips. However, what is beyond doubt is that in the 12 years since he buried the centrifuge parts and associated technical drawings, Obeidi was never asked to retrieve them or to resume work on the programme. I have seen a report that the CIA removed website photos of the parts, quoting security concerns. From a limited look at the video, I would hazard that the aluminium tubes Iraq sought to purchase (81 mm diameter), were significantly too small in diameter for the bottom bearing assembly shown. What did Jack Straw say on the subject (Today programme - 14th July) "May I just say that one of the things which has happened since the fall of Baghdad has been the discovery in Baghdad of technical documentation and centrifuge parts which are necessary for the enrichment of uranium which were buried at the home of an Iraqi nuclear scientist in Baghdad. Now people don?t bury technical documents, still less parts of centrifuges unless they have a purpose in doing so and it?s difficult to believe there was any purpose in doing so except that the preparations were being made for further development of a nuclear programme." (My underlining of "were" - Jack Straw's emphasis) Judge for yourself the degree of spin. Kind regards, Mark Galloway _______________________________________________ Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk