IAEA: We hope to visit site of IAF strike on Syria

By Yoav Stern
January 7, 2007
Haaretz and Reuters
Source: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/objects/pages/PrintArticleEn.jhtml?itemNo=942425

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has no information on any Syrian nuclear plans, but does hope to pay a visit soon to the Syrian site bombed by the Israel Air Force in September, IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei told the London-based Arabic-language newspaper Al-Hayat on Monday.

ElBaradei said the IAF strike three months ago, which foreign media has reported targeted a nascent nuclear facility, set a bad precedent. 

ElBaradei also said that an information network established by the Pakistani scientist Abd al-Qadir, which reportedly stretched over 30 countries, aided Libya, Iran and possibly North Korea with obtaining nuclear technologies. 

However, he did not mention Syria in this context.

In the interview, ElBaradei also expressed his concern over attempts made by terrorist organizations to produce a radioactive or dirty bomb that would potentially explode in a crowded city, spreading radioactive radiation. 

Hundreds or even thousands could die [from the radioactive bomb], ElBaradei said, adding that it would have severe long-term economic ramifications. 

ElBaradei warned that such a scenario would be far worse than the attack of September 11, and that it was in the interest of extremist groups, who are more likely to execute such an attack than obtain nuclear weapons. 

ElBaradei to visit Tehran

The IAEA will visit Iran on January 11-12 to help resolve outstanding questions about Iran's disputed atomic program, an spokeswoman from the agency said on Monday. 

ElBaradei would be making the rare trip at the invitation of the Islamic Republic, following diplomatic reports late last month that Iran's staged plan for transparency agreed with the UN watchdog agency was getting bogged down.

The Director-General will visit Tehran on Friday and Saturday. During the visit he will meet with a number of high officials, IAEA spokeswoman Melissa Fleming said.

[ElBaradei] hopes that the visit will develop ways and means to enhance and accelerate implementation of (nuclear) safeguards in Iran, with a view of resolving all remaining outstanding issues and enabling the agency to provide assurance about Iran's past and present nuclear activities, she said in an emailed statement.