MEP provides evidence against Iraq
A European member of Parliament may have provided UN weapons inspectors with fresh evidence that Iraq has materials which could be used to create weapons of mass destruction.
Member of an official Parliamentary delegation visiting the UN in New York and possibly later going to Iraq, Baroness Nicholson - a Liberal democrat MEP - has reportedly delivered evidence to UN weapons inspector Dr Hans Blix which has come from Iraq in the past few days and is alleged to be new.
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Baroness Nicholson told reporters, "The evidence I gave to Dr Blix identified at least two places where weapons of mass destruction materials are stored, as my informant told me, places that have not been identified before, and other associated material."
The UN are not yet ready to comment on the utility or importance of the information although it is expected that weapons inspectors will now search the sites.
Ms. Nicholson, the vice-chair of the Parliaments Foreign Affairs Committee, is due to travel to Iraq along with the rest of the official delegation from the European Parliament if the go-ahead is given over the next few days. According to one of Saddam Hussein advisors, she can receive a warm welcome in Baghdad.
"We welcome anybody who claims that he has evidence that we are hiding something or attempting something proscribed," said Amer Saadi.
Head of the visiting delegation, Elmar Brok, German Christian Democrat MEP has stated that they will report their findings to the European Parliament on their return and weighed in with his own contribution to the debate saying "Iraqi authorities would have to bear the responsibility for war if they fail to fully co-operate with UN arms inspectors."
