UN weapons inspectors examined Iraq's Al Samoud missiles today which were declared in a key UN report last week to have violated the world body's resolutions by exceeding the permitted range.
The inspectors pushed ahead with a hunt for banned weapons, visiting at least 10 sites across Iraq following the report to the UN Security Council on Friday by top weapons inspectors Dr Hans Blix and Dr Mohamed ElBaradei.
Dr Blix reported that Baghdad was stepping up its cooperation and called for more time for his inspectors. He also said that engine design documents showed Al Samoud could fly around 40 km (25 miles) over the allowed range of 150 km (93 miles).
A missile team went to military stores in the Taji area, 40 km (25 miles) north of Baghdad, where they were led to four Al Samoud missiles. The experts were seen studying the projectiles closely.
Iraqi officials at the site said the military had in coordination with the inspectors moved the missiles to the facility last night to allow the team a closer look.
Other inspection teams, some using helicopters, inspected at least nine other sites, including military bases, state industrial companies and a college. Iraq this month conceded on three sticking points that won it some credit in Dr Blix's report.
It enforced a law banning any dealing in weapons of mass destruction or materials used in them, and it agreed to private interviews with scientists and to surveillance flights by U-2 spy planes over its territory.