Chemical suits ‘prove intention’

BRITISH troops have discovered more than 100 bio-chemical protection suits in a command post abandoned by Iraqi troops, it was reported yesterday.

Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon initially claimed the find offered categorical proof that Iraq was preparing to use weapons of mass destruction. He was later forced to concede the evidence was “obviously not conclusive”.

The suits were found by troops of the Royal Irish Regiment occupying the oilfields of southern Iraq. Also abandoned were conventional equipment and paperwork.

Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Michael Boyce said the suits were effective and in good working order.

“Although no chemical or biological materials were found, we have to ask ourselves why Iraqi commanders felt that infantry in this part of Iraq should be issued with weapons of mass destruction equipment and protection,” he said.

Mr Hoon added: “It’s clearly indicative of an intention. Otherwise why equip his own forces to deal with a threat which he knows we do not have?”

Meanwhile, chief UN weapons inspector Hans Blix yesterday said he had no evidence from US-led forces Baghdad had used any banned weapons of mass destruction.

“So far we have not identified or heard from the Allies that anything that was proscribed would have been used,” he told reporters.

Blix said there were reports from Kuwait that Iraq fired illegal Scud missiles into that neighbouring country but he believed these had turned out to be al-Fatah missiles, which do not exceed the permissible UN range of 90 miles.

Among those levelling the charges was Kuwait, whose UN ambassador, Mohammad Abulhasan, wrote to the 15-nation UN Security Council to complain Iraq had fired 11 missiles at it.