Former Iraqi Commander Unveils More Secrets About Iraq-Iran War
March 15, 1998 - 0:0
TEHRAN A former Iraqi commander trying to reinforce militarily the opposition to Saddam Hussain, has unveiled more secrets about Iraq-Iran War particularly relating with biological and chemical weapons used by both sides, an IRNA report from London said. General Vafeq al-Samerayi, the former head of Iraqi Army's Information Service who later joined the opposition camp in 1994, has confessed that Iraq had plans to raid Tehran with missiles equipped with chemical warheads, the report added.
According to an IRNA report the English language daily, Independent quoted Samerayi as saying that Iraqi commanders were worried a raid on Iran with chemical weapons may not be successful because the toxix gas is heavier than air and the people will not be effected if they stay inside their homes and close their windows. He further said that at one time Iraqi army planned to raid Tehran with simple bombs and shatter the windows before launching missiles with chemical weapons to achieve the desired results.
The former Iraqi Commander told daily Independent that during the Iraq-Iran war about 90,000 Iranians were exposed to chemical weapons and about 10 percent of them have already died after being inflicted with deep Iran has said that the number of those who lost their lives because of chemical was 50,000. A UN research team at that time carried out an investigation and blamed both sides for using chemical weapons in their attacks against each other but they prepared their report without visiting the most crucial site, the twon of Halabche. The West, however, maintained a complete silence after that over the issue of chemical weapons used by the Iraqi forces.
Samerayi, currently busy with bringing together the military opposition, said Iraq army is equipped with 40 groups of chemical missiles. The UN statistics based on information provided by former Soviet Union Intelligent Service pointed out that Iraq had two groups of chemical missiles before the Persian Gulf war. Most of these missiles are assembled with Russian parts and or those produced in Iraq, he added.
Samerayi said that at least one hundred different germs are used by Iraq in its biological war heads of the missiles. The daily independent wrote that Samerayi was a link between Iraq and CIA who in American Embassy in Iraq used to monitor satellite information about Iran. The CIA through satellite pictures provided Iraq with strategic military survelience about Iran's military movements.
The daily Independent further said that Saddam Hussain brought an end to his close cooperation with the CIA in 1989. Samerayi said that at present Iraqi crisis would not be solved through political means. If an air raid on Iraq had taken place, a large number of Iraqi commanders would have joined the opposition forces, the report said adding that Kofi Annan's mission to Baghdad had vanished these hopes.
Samerayi also met and held talks with Iraqi Kurd leaders in Arbil and Suleymania in January. Although Iraqi opposition forces enjoy financial support from U.S. Congress, but they have no save heaven in Iraq.
According to an IRNA report the English language daily, Independent quoted Samerayi as saying that Iraqi commanders were worried a raid on Iran with chemical weapons may not be successful because the toxix gas is heavier than air and the people will not be effected if they stay inside their homes and close their windows. He further said that at one time Iraqi army planned to raid Tehran with simple bombs and shatter the windows before launching missiles with chemical weapons to achieve the desired results.
The former Iraqi Commander told daily Independent that during the Iraq-Iran war about 90,000 Iranians were exposed to chemical weapons and about 10 percent of them have already died after being inflicted with deep Iran has said that the number of those who lost their lives because of chemical was 50,000. A UN research team at that time carried out an investigation and blamed both sides for using chemical weapons in their attacks against each other but they prepared their report without visiting the most crucial site, the twon of Halabche. The West, however, maintained a complete silence after that over the issue of chemical weapons used by the Iraqi forces.
Samerayi, currently busy with bringing together the military opposition, said Iraq army is equipped with 40 groups of chemical missiles. The UN statistics based on information provided by former Soviet Union Intelligent Service pointed out that Iraq had two groups of chemical missiles before the Persian Gulf war. Most of these missiles are assembled with Russian parts and or those produced in Iraq, he added.
Samerayi said that at least one hundred different germs are used by Iraq in its biological war heads of the missiles. The daily independent wrote that Samerayi was a link between Iraq and CIA who in American Embassy in Iraq used to monitor satellite information about Iran. The CIA through satellite pictures provided Iraq with strategic military survelience about Iran's military movements.
The daily Independent further said that Saddam Hussain brought an end to his close cooperation with the CIA in 1989. Samerayi said that at present Iraqi crisis would not be solved through political means. If an air raid on Iraq had taken place, a large number of Iraqi commanders would have joined the opposition forces, the report said adding that Kofi Annan's mission to Baghdad had vanished these hopes.
Samerayi also met and held talks with Iraqi Kurd leaders in Arbil and Suleymania in January. Although Iraqi opposition forces enjoy financial support from U.S. Congress, but they have no save heaven in Iraq.