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Missing Shoulder-Fired Anti-Aircraft Missiles in Iraq Elevate Concern Over Transfer to Terrorist Groups

(New York Times) Raymond Bonner - The U.S. military has been unable to locate a large number of shoulder-fired antiaircraft missiles that were part of Saddam Hussein's arsenal, compounding the security risks for airports and airlines in Iraq and around the world. The lack of accounting for the missiles - officials say there could be hundreds - is the primary reason Baghdad International Airport has not yet reopened to commercial traffic. Portable missiles were fired at incoming planes several times in recent weeks, one senior official said. Most of those incidents have not been reported to the public. There is a vibrant international black market for missiles, in which an SA-7 can fetch as much as $5,000 - far more than the $500 the U.S. military is offering. The SA-7 was developed by the Soviet Union in the late 1960s, and there are Chinese versions as well. In the last 15 years, more than 50,000 missiles have been sold to governments of developing countries, according to Clive Williams, director of terrorism studies at the Australian National University in Canberra. At least 30 insurgent and terrorist groups possess this kind of missile, Jane's Terrorism Intelligence Center reported in August.
2003-10-08 00:00:00
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