Iraq destroys more banned missiles - UN

Iraq continued UN-supervised work to destroy banned Al-Samoud 2 missiles today, a UN spokesman said.

Iraq continued UN-supervised work to destroy banned Al-Samoud 2 missiles today, a UN spokesman said.

"The teams have gone out to continue to supervise the destruction of al-Samoud 2 missiles," Mr Hiro Ueki, spokesman for the UN disarmament inspections in Iraq, told AFP.

Twenty-eight Al-Samoud 2 missiles have been scrapped since the destruction process started Saturday in line with UN disarmament demands. Two warheads, two casting chambers, a launcher and five engines have also been destroyed by bulldozer.

Iraqi officials say the country has produced about 100 Al-Samoud 2 missiles.

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But Washington and London have said that even destroying all of them would not be proof that Iraq is disarming and continue to mass troops in the Gulf region.

Yesterday, President Saddam Hussein said there was no justification for a UN order to destroy Iraq's Al-Samoud 2 missiles and insisted he was not afraid of the United States.

Hussein said the real objective in ordering the scrapping of the missiles was to "undermine the will of the Iraqi people" ahead of a conflict with the United States.

AFP