World digest 5/15/03

U.S., British intelligence question Iraqi scientists

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- More than a month after Baghdad fell, American and British intelligence officers are knocking on the doors of top Iraqi scientists and asking whether Saddam Hussein's Iraq had chemical, biological and nuclear weapons programs.

According to some of the scientists who once oversaw production of nerve agents and other programs -- and who no longer need fear Saddam -- the answer is a resounding no.

So far, the U.S.-led weapons search has turned up no unconventional weapons, and officials continue to say success will depend on help from Iraqi scientists and engineers. But both those in custody and others who are free have insisted to American officials that Iraq's unconventional weapons and programs were destroyed years ago.

The Associated Press spoke with two scientists who said they met with coalition intelligence officials on three separate occasions last week. The scientists said two visits were with five Americans, but were unsure whether they were from the Defense Department's intelligence wing or the CIA.

A third meeting, they said, was with three British agents who said they were from MI6, the CIA's British counterpart.

Israelis mount incursion into Palestinian area

JERUSALEM -- Dozens of Israeli tanks rolled into northern Gaza early Thursday, entering Palestinian territory near the town of Beit Hanoun, witnesses said, in one of the largest operations in recent months.

The Israeli military would say only that an operation was in progress in the area. Military sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the goal was to stop the firing of homemade rockets from the area.

The operation came as Israeli and Palestinian officials planned for a meeting between their prime ministers, the first summit in nearly three years, set for Saturday night.

Israeli forces were in control of Beit Hanoun, a town in the northeast corner of Gaza, closest to Israel, witnesses said, and tanks moved to surround the nearby town of Beit Lahiya and the Jabaliya refugee camp between Beit Lahiya and Gaza City.

British ports to begin screening for dirty bombs

LONDON -- British seaports and airports are being equipped with devices to detect radioactive material in an effort to prevent so-called "dirty bomb" attacks, customs officials said Wednesday.

The devices soon will be installed or available at points of entry throughout Britain. The detectors have been tested at three British ports -- Dover, Felixstowe and Portsmouth.

Prime Minister Tony Blair said in February that the al-Qaida terrorist network was trying to develop a dirty bomb, an explosive device containing radioactive materials.

-- From wire reports