One of the most compelling aspects of the US's evidence of Iraqi non-compliance was the telephone conversations intercepts presented by Colin Powell to the Security Council. Below are the translations of the intercepts provided by the US authorities.
Intercept 1
Mr Powell said this conversation took place on 26 November 2002. An Iraqi colonel is asking a Republican Guard general what to do with a "modified vehicle" from the al-Kindi company if inspectors ask to see it.
Mr Powell said the al-Kindi company was "well-known to have been involved in prohibited weapons activity".
Colonel:Peace. We have just a few questions.
General:Yeah.
Colonel:About this committee that is coming...
General:Yeah, yeah.
Colonel:...with Mohamed ElBaradei [director, International Atomic Energy Agency].
General:Yeah, yeah.
Colonel:Yeah.
General:Yeah?
Colonel: We have this modified vehicle.
General:Yeah.
Colonel:What do we say if one of them sees it?
General: You didn't get a modified... You don't have a modified...
Colonel:By God, I have one.
General:Which? From the workshop...?
Colonel:From the al-Kindi company.
General: What?
Colonel: From al-Kindi.
General:Yeah, yeah. I'll come to you in the morning. I have some comments. I'm worried you all have something left.
Colonel:We evacuated everything. We don't have anything left.
General: I will come to you tomorrow.
Colonel:Okay.
General: I have a conference at headquarters, before I attend the conference I will come to you.
Intercept 2
Mr Powell said the second intercept was recorded on 30 January 2003, and was a conversation between Republican Guard headquarters and an officer in the field.
Headquarters:Sir.
Field officer:Yeah.
Headquarters:There is a directive of the [Republican] guard chief of staff at the conference today.
Field officer:Yes.
Headquarters:They are inspecting the ammunition you have, yes?
Field officer:Yes.
Headquarters:For the possibility there are forbidden ammo?
Field officer:Yes.
Headquarters:For the possibility there are by chance forbidden ammo?
Field officer:Yes.
Headquarters:And we sent you a message yesterday to clean out all of the areas, the scrap areas, the abandoned areas. Make sure there is nothing there.
Field officer:Yes.
Headquarters:After you have carried out what is contained in the message, destroy the message.
Field officer:Yes.
Headquarters:Because I don't want anyone to see the message.
Field officer:OK, OK. Thanks.
Headquarters:Goodbye.
Intercept 3
Mr Powell said the third intercept was taken in late January and shows a captain in the Second Corps of the Republican Guard being ordered by a colonel to "remove the expression 'nerve agents' from wireless instructions".
Colonel:Hello.
Captain:Hello.
Colonel:Hello.
Captain:May I help you sir?
Colonel:Who is this?
Captain:Captain Ibrahim.
Colonel:Captain Ibrahim. How are you?
Captain:God bless you sir.
Colonel:How is your health?
Captain:May God preserve you.
Colonel:How are you?
Captain:Good, praise God sir.
Colonel:Captain Ibrahim.
Captain:Yes sir.
Colonel:Write this down.
Captain: Yes sir.
[Long pause]
Captain:Hello.
Colonel:Hello.
Captain:Go ahead sir.
Colonel:Hello Ibrahim.
Captain:Yes sir.
Colonel:Captain Ibrahim.
Captain:I am with you sir.
Colonel:Remove.
Captain:Remove.
Colonel:The expression.
Captain:The expression.
Colonel:Nerve agents.
Captain:Nerve agents.
Colonel:Whenever it comes up.
Captain:When it comes up.
Colonel:In the wireless instructions.
Captain:In the instructions.
Colonel:Wireless.
Captain:Wireless.
Colonel:OK buddy.
Captain:Done sir.
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