Baghdad downs a US reconnaissance; Iraqi scientists questioned
Iraq-USA, Politics, 12/24/2002

Washington and Baghdad stressed yesterday the downing of an American reconnaissance pilotless plane by the Iraqi air force in the southern so called "no fly zone" in Iraq.

Chief of staff of the US joint forces Richard Mayors said that the incident is "not an escalation and falls in the context of the Iraqi aggression" against the coalition planes.

Meantime, the UN inspectors responded to the American demands in starting to interrogate Iraqi scientists who are acquainted with the nuclear weapons programs.

The director of the International Agency for atomic Energy Muhammad al-Barade' said yesterday that the UN inspectors who are currently working in Iraq started to interrogate certain scientists "but not separately," noting that efforts continue also to arrange for taking out some of those scientists to outside Iraq to be interrogated and that will not be made unless they would find a resort if they decide to stay outside Iraq or to ensure their safety if they decide to return back to Iraq. He explained that this matter is under consultation with members of the UN Security Council.

The spokesman for the UN inspectors Hero Yuwaki explained that the hearing sessions to testimonies of the Iraqi scientists have not officially started, adding that wat al-Barade' meant was preparations to inquire from the scientists.

On another development, a spokesman for the US defense department said that the leadership lost contacts with the downed plane after launching fire.

The spokesman for the US central leadership in Florida Dan Jidj said that Iraq opened fire at coalition planes 32 times since November 8th, the date when UN security council resolution 1441 was issued, noting that Iraq opened fire at the coalition planes 500 times in the year 2002.

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