Iraqi WMD 'possibly in Syria'

2003-03-31 16:33

Jerusalem - Iraqi chemical and biological weapons may be hidden in Syria, a senior Israeli intelligence officer told a parliamentary committee here on Monday, Israeli public radio said.

"It is possible Iraq transferred missiles and weapons of mass destruction into Syria," General Yossi Kupperwasser told the committee.

He said the transfer could be one explanation as to why US-led forces scouring suspect sites in western Iraq had found nothing so far, the radio said.

His remarks came as US Secretary of State Colin Powell warned both Syria and Iran to stop what he called their backing for terrorists.

States warned to steer clear of war

Last Friday US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld warned the two Arab states to steer clear of the Iraq war, saying that military supplies crossing from Syria were a "hostile act".

Rumsfeld said that equipment including night vision goggles had passed through Syria and that Tehran-backed Iraqi rebels had been seen crossing the border from Iraq.

In December, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said he had information that Iraq had transferred weapons of mass destruction to Syria.

"There is information we are verifying. But we are certain that Iraq has recently moved chemical or biological weapons into Syria," he said.

"Saddam Hussein wanted to hide his weapons, and I think that the Americans know that," said the Israeli leader, who strongly backs the US-led campaign to topple the Iraqi leader's regime over its alleged weapons of mass destruction programmes.

- AFX