Washington, 1 August 2003 (RFE/RL) -- An adviser to the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has said "progress" is being made in the search for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. David Kay, the CIA's special adviser for the weapons search, said in Washington yesterday that Iraqi scientists who were involved in the former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein regime's arms programs are "collaborating and cooperating" in the U.S. search.
But he said evidence will not be made public until "solid proof" has been assembled, so that there will not be need for any retractions.
Kay, a former top weapons inspector for the United Nations, also said new evidence has been uncovered about how the Iraqis misled UN inspectors. No details were available.
The alleged presence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq was the Bush administration's main argument for war, but no such weapons have been found so far. Questions have been raised about the quality of the pre-war intelligence.
But he said evidence will not be made public until "solid proof" has been assembled, so that there will not be need for any retractions.
Kay, a former top weapons inspector for the United Nations, also said new evidence has been uncovered about how the Iraqis misled UN inspectors. No details were available.
The alleged presence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq was the Bush administration's main argument for war, but no such weapons have been found so far. Questions have been raised about the quality of the pre-war intelligence.