The London tabloid the Sun reported on an alleged plot to smuggle anthrax-based substances into Britain. That the new inspections deal now seems in serious trouble comes as no surprise to David Kay, who headed the first U.N. weapons inspection team in Baghdad. The Sun reported that Iraq had planned to hide anthrax in duty-free goods like cosmetics, perfume and alcohol and smuggle it into Britain. Iraq denies it, the British government says they have no evidence of it, but still put ports and airports on alert. Oh, I don't know.
British tabloids are British tabloids.
A plot like this is certainly unexpected from Saddam at a time when he's trying to break out of the international sanctions. But we know the Iraqis have the capability, and that's what is really frightening. The Iraqis have engaged in terrorism, but I don't know of any evidence of their using BW or chemical agents for it. But Saddam, as we've seen, runs just incredible risks. Unfortunately, these are the sorts of threats we are now going to have to start taking seriously, even when the info is sketchy.