IAEA: Target of Israeli Raid Likely A Syrian Nuke Facility

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Well, the International Atomic Energy Agency, the UN's nuclear watchdog agency has come out and said that it strongly thinks that Syrian target blown up by Israeli fighter jets in 2007 was a secret nuclear plant.

While the IAEA hasn't yet presented hard proof that the site was a nuke facility, it did find prelimary evidence of a nulcear program (uranium particles that Syria claims are from Israeli missiles) when it visited in 2008; after which it was banned from returning by the Syrians who could face action from the UN if found to have had a nuclear program. Keep in mind the U.S. has also come out and said that it thinks the site may have been a Syrian nuke facility being built with North Korean help.

From the AP:

The finding by the International Atomic Energy Agency backs U.S. findings and sets the stage for potential U.N. Security Council action against Syria.

Syria says the nearly finished building had no nuclear uses. It has repeatedly turned down IAEA requests to revisit the site after allowing an initial 2008 inspection that found evidence of possible nuclear activities.

Diplomats have told The Associated Press that a strong IAEA opinion that the Syrians were trying to build a nuclear reactor secretly would likely result in a Western push to report Syria to the Security Council.

A senior Western diplomat said Tuesday that push would come next month at the next meeting of the 35-nation IAEA board, with the initiative likely to get majority backing.


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