THE IRAQI CHEMICAL WEAPONS PROGRAM

File: cia_70602_70602_01.txt
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Total Pages: 1
Subject: THE IRAQI CHEMICAL WEAPONS PROGRAM 
Not Finally Evaluated Intelligence 
 
TO FACILITATE ELECTRONIC ACCESS, THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN 
REFORMATTED TO ELIMINATE INFORMATION THAT DOES NOT PERTAIN 
TO GULF WAR ILLNESS ISSUES OR THAT IS CLASSIFIED. A COPY OF 
THIS REDACTED DOCUMENT, IN ORIGINAL FORMAT, IS AVAILABLE ON 
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CITE CIA 761407 
 
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY 
 
NOT FINALLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE. 
 
 
 
JULY 1991 
 
COUNTRY: IRAQ 
 
SUBJ: HISTORY AND STATUS OF THE IRAQI CHEMICAL WEAPONS 
PROGRAM 
 
TEXT 1. THE HISTORY OF THE IRAQI CHEMICAL WARFARE PROGRAM 
AND ON THE STATUS OF THE PROGRAM AS OF JUNE 1991. 
THE INITIAL IRAQI CHEMICAL WARFARE PROGRAM WAS BASED ON A 
STUDY PRODUCED IN THE MID 1980S   COMPANIES HAD BEEN 
INVOLVED IN THE LATE 1970S AND EARLY 1980S WITH BUILDING THE 
CHEMICAL FACILITIES-USUALLY UNDER THE GUISE OF INSECTICIDE 
OR CIVILIAN CHEMICAL PLANTS.  ONE OF THE EARLY, MAIN 
CHEMICAL WARFARE DEVELOPMENT FACILITIES WAS LOCATED AT A 
SITE 80 KILOMETERS NORTHWEST OF BAGHDAD NEAR BUHAYRAT (LAKE) 
THARTHAR WEST OF SAMARRA. THERE WERE 27 CHEMICAL REACTORS 
WHICH WERE UTILIZED FOR THE CREATION OF CHEMICAL WEAPONS.  
DURING THE MID 1980S.  BUILT NINE ADDITIONAL CHEMICAL 
REACTORS FOR WEAPONS PURPOSES AT A SITE CONCEALED IN A 
CIVILIAN CHEMICAL FACTORY ON THE NORTHWEST OUTSKIRTS OF 
BAGHDAD. 
 
 
1 DURING THE MID 1980S    BUILT AN ADDITIONAL SIX 
UNDERGROUND CHEMICAL REACTORS FOR WEAPONS DEVELOPMENT AT A 
SITE LOCATED SOUTH OF SINJAR MOUNTAIN IN NORTHWESTERN IRAQ.  
ANOTHER CHEMICAL WEAPONS REACTOR SITE WAS LOCATED BETWEEN 
TIKRIT  AND BA'UI, IRAQ NEAR THE TIGRIS RIVER. 
 
3. DURING DECEMBER 1990.  THE IRAQI LEADERSHIP M ORDERED 
THE DISBURSEMENT OF THE CHEMICAL REACTORS AND RELATED 
EQUIPMENT TO A VARIETY OF SITES 
 
 
                                                                       
COALITION BOMBING WAS EFFECTIVE IN DESTROYING CHEMICAL 
WEAPONS STORAGE AREAS. 
                                                AND SOME 
CHEMICAL DEVELOPMENT REACTORS AND BUILDINGS