3 NUKES IN IRAQ: HOT RUMOR THREAD AT FREE REPUBLIC

SOMEWHERE BETWEEN A RUMOR, A WISH, AND A STORY a thread tonight on Free Republic states: Iraqi paper reports discovery of nuclear warheads

Al Sabah (Iraqi paper) | 21 July, 2004 | Al Sabah
Posted on 07/20/2004 11:14:11 PM PDT by propertius

Al Sabah, the Iraqi newspaper funded by the Coalition Provisional Authority, reports on its front page this morning that a former senior Ba'ath party activist has led coalition troops to three nuclear warheads hidden in a bunker.

Will post translation when we have it.

Needless to say, this thread immediately goes to Defcon One, with many wanting to believe but most waiting on some shred of confirmation. The links to the English version of the Iraq paper only bring up yesterday's news.

A bit later, propertius, who says he is a Brit in the Red Zone, posts the following translation of the story "in the Arabic version of today's paper, a copy of which is sitting in front of me in my office in Baghdad. That is why there are no links...:" Translation:

Here is story in full:

Headline: Khidhur (or Khidhir) al-Douri, back from the dead, reveals three nuclear missiles

Sources in the Interior ministry and the National Security Advisor's Office refused to comment on news reports that three missiles with nuclear warheads had been seized during the arrest of Khidhur al-Douri, the former Ba'ath party member.

Iraqi political sources, who requested anonimity, inisisted that Iraqi security authorities arrested al-Douri and seized the missiles.

The same sources told al-Sabah that al-Douri, who held meany Ba'ath party positions during the former regime, was falsely pronounced dead on its demise. Forged death certificates had been circulated.

He was arrested in an area between Oja and al-Dour, in Salahidine province.

The same sources said three missiles were found with nuclear heads attached in a tunnel six metres underground.

A cement layer six metres thick had been built over the tunnel to hide it from scientific ray detection that could detect the radiation emitted by the nuclear heads.

The tunnel leading to the three missiles is connected to a small hole that opens out on the main road between Ouja and Dour.

The sources said al-Douri was arrested after sending an email, specifying the location and a meeting place in Tikrit.

Authorities analysed the message. Iraqi forces then moved into the area, laying a trap that snared al-Douri and his son.

Al-Douri then revealed the location of the missiles. Various light weapons and money was also seized during the operation.

ENDS

As of 12:45 AM, Pacific Time, I'm placing this one in the Rumor bin, mindful that if something seems to good to be true, it usually is too
good to be true.
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UPDATE: The item has been picked up by UPI and posted its affiliate the Washington Times @ Nuclear arms reportedly found in Iraq - (United Press International). The story essentially repeats with some
embellishment the original report in Iraqi newspaper -- which now has a somewhat stilted English translation online HERE

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Now at the top of DRUDGE ,but not enough action to register on the news search engines at Google. It will be interesting to see if and when it does.

INSTAPUNDIT picked up the same item, and would like confirmation, thank you, but says "A reader at Reuters says this story is bogus, and that the American and Iraqi authorities are denying it."

That Reuters reader must have been thinking of Iraq Interior Ministry Says Report on Nukes 'Stupid'

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq's Interior Ministry dismissed as "stupid" a report in a local newspaper on Wednesday that said three nuclear missiles had been found near the town of Tikrit.

A senior U.S. military official told reporters he had no information on the report in the newspaper al-Sabah. He said officials were checking the report.

Asked by Reuters about the report, a spokesman at the Interior Ministry said: "It's stupid."

Terse and to the point.

And third in the headline stack at Drudge.

But, stupid or rumor or not, it can still move the dollar:

Bloomberg.com:
U.S.

The dollar rose to its high for the day of $1.2265 per euro after United Press International, citing a report in the Iraqi newspaper al-Sabah, said Iraqi security forces had found missiles carrying nuclear warheads northwest of Baghdad.

7:30 PST memeorandum is now tracking the blogsphere's reaction to the story.

Wrapup: Died the death of a denied story. Some pickup but no traction. Not happening... today.

But we will get a winner one of these days.

Posted by Vanderleun at July 21, 2004 12:42 AM