CIA disclose cooperation with UK and Libya; Libya cancels Arab Maghreb meet
Officials in the CIA disclosed that a joint team representing the American and British intelligence paid secret visits to Libya for two weeks during October and December.
The joint team visited nine locations which have links to nuclear activities in various parts of Libya, as well as scores of positions relating to chemical and biological programs. The Libyan authorities permitted members of the intelligence team to take data and photos, and to make interviews with Libyan scientists. They also met with the Libyan leader.
The American sources said that the Libyan side showed support and encouragement that "surprised the intelligence team."
The officials said that what they had found confirms information the CIA have on the untraditional weapons programs in Libya. The American sources added that regarding other weapons programs, the inspectors visited sites of scores of tons of al-Khardal (mustard), produced by al-Rabta factory for chemicals ten years ago, where hundreds of bombs dropped from air were prepared with each weighs 250 Kg to disseminate this gas. Mustard gas is said to be a World War I type of weapon, which hints at how advanced Libya was in the fashionable term used "weopons of mass destruction," and the strength of allegations against Libya of it being a threat.
The American intelligence explained that it found chemical items for dual use that can be used for nerve gas production. Dual use is a term when items can be used for military or civilian purposes. A knife for example, is a civilian item, yet, it can be stated to be a military weapon. The US and UK made endless similar accusations against Iraq, when they enforced the sanctions on Iraq, and aimed to halt imports to its industrial needs.
Meantime, the British press sources disclosed new details in the agreement of Libya's giving up the banned weapons programs. The British Sunday Telegraph said that the Libya vows came after a secret American operation during which showed evidence proving Tripoli's attempts to develop banned weapons. It is not clear why the chemicals are illegal, in light of the fact that Libya, according to new reports, had not signed treaties on banning chemical weapons.
The British Observer unmasked that Tripoli also gave information to the American intelligence about hundreds of al-Qaida organization members.
In practical measures, Tripoli hurried immediately to take practical measures to carry out its obligations to Washington and London. Libyan officials yesterday met in Vienna the director general of the general agency for atomic energy and several experts from the agency on Libya's cooperation with the agency.
For his part, son of the Libyan leader said that the Libyan decision will improve its relations with the US and other major powers in the world.
Meatime, with the ongoing events surrounding the US, and UK regarding Libya, the seventh summit of the Arab Maghreb Union (AMU), initially scheduled for December 23-24, was postponed upon Libya's request.