January 17, 2003	Friday	Ziqa'ad 13, 1423

BAGHDAD, Jan 16: UN weapons inspectors in Iraq on Thursday found empty warheads designed to carry chemical warfare agents, a UN spokesman said in Baghdad.

It was not immediately clear whether the warheads had ever contained banned chemicals.

The United States has made clear it is ready to invade if the inspectors find Iraq has lied in assuring the United Nations that it no longer possesses chemical, biological or nuclear weaponry.

UN spokesman Hiro Ueki did not expand on the significance of the find during an inspection of the Ukhaider ammunition storage area, which lies 120kms south of Baghdad.

“During the course of their inspection, the team discovered 11 empty 122mm chemical warheads and one warhead that requires further evaluation,” he said in a statement. —Reuters