Al Qaeda-connected terror chief Abu Musab al-Zarqawi (search) and other terrorists are apparently trying to recruit Iraqi weapons of mass destruction experts and resources for possible future attacks against the U.S.-led coalition, the head of the Iraq Survey Group (search) told FOX News Thursday. In an exclusive interview with FOX Newsâ Brit Hume, Charles Duelfer (search) â whose ISG is leading the hunt for weapons of mass destruction â said terrorists in Iraq are âtrying to tap into the Iraqi WMD intellectual capital.â âWhen we have investigated certain labs and contacted certain former experts in the WMD program, we have found that they are being recruited by anti-coalition groups,â Duelfer told FOX News. âThey are being paid by anti-coalition groups. Weâre seeing interest in developing chemical munitions.â The same process seems to be happening in Afghanistan, he said.
He also told Fox News that about 10 or 12 sarin and mustard gas shells have been found in various locations in Iraq. The shells are all from the first Gulf War era and thus weakened, though intelligence sources say theyâre still dangerous. Duelfer said the ISG is closely monitoring the terroristsâ solicitation of chemical weapons gurus. âWe are tracking that very carefully,â he told FOX News. âWhat we are finding is that there are some networks that are seeking to tap into this expertise and try to use it against the United States. And we are very concerned about that. That is a problem.â He sidestepped a question about whether or not terrorist cells have been successful in obtaining the information theyâre after.âIâm just going to say that weâre keeping a very close eye on some anti-regime people, and we know of course that Zarqawi has expressed an interest in chemical weapons in the past,â Duelfer said. âSo we want to follow that very closely. This is one bad apple. And if he gets his hands on it, heâll use it.â |