Iraqi Dirty Bomb Not Likely

September 17, 2003

Iraqi scientists minimized the danger of terrorists using looted radioactive material from their country to build a dirty bomb, saying most of what was stolen was low in radiation and has been recovered.

One of the scientists also said it was unlikely that Saddam Hussien revived efforts to build nuclear weapons after his program was destroyed by U.N. teams after the 1991 Gulf War because his experts did not have the resources.

"There was no way to revive those attempts," said Abbas Balasem, now a senior official in the ministry of technology of the U.S. led Iraqi administration. "There was nothing left."

This comment was in line with a report that was recently presented to the agency's board of governors by IAEA Director General Mohamed ElBaradei.