Inspectors step up number of visits

The scale and pace of the United Nations arms inspections in Iraq moved to a new intensive phase yesterday with a number of raids rising from the usual two to 10.

On their busiest day so far, the international monitors searched sites in and around Baghdad, including a new one, and drove six hours across the desert to check a uranium mining plant near the Syrian border.

Al-Tuwaitha, Iraq's biggest nuclear establishment was visited for a fourth time by inspectors. They are completing an inventory of the 125-acre plant and taking samples.

Other teams from UNMOVIC (the UN Monitoring and Verification Commission) and IAEA (the International Atomic Energy Agency) also searched the Saddam Centre For Biotechnology in Baghdad, which allegedly researches into communicable diseases, and has not been visited before.

Among the other sites visited were an explosives plant at Al Qaqa, an electronics factory in Baghdad, and a chemical plant at Al Furat.

The drumbeat of war continued with United States and British war planes attacking a mobile surface-to-air missile system at Al Amarah, approximately 165 miles south east of Baghdad. This was the first raid by coalition aircraft this week. The US central command in Florida stated the attack took place in the southern "no fly'' zone following, "Iraqi threats against the planes".

UN officials said yesterday that there was still no sign of the crucial list of scientists involved in the alleged weapons of mass destruction programme which Saddam Hussein's government is due to provide under the new resolution. Unlike the declaration about its chemical, biological and nuclear capabilities there is no timeframe for Iraq to produce the list of names.

The inspection team, which has been enlarged in the last few days, said they were waiting "anxiously'' for the list. In particular they would like to interview those who were involved in the programme from 1998 – the time the international monitors have been away from Iraq.

UN officials also admit privately that they face tremendous difficulties in getting information from scientists and technical officers. The chief inspector, Dr Hans Blix, has said that the UN "was not an abduction agency'', and will not have the power to force people to talk either within Iraq, or outside.