Report: Turkey intercepts material for chemical weapons on Iranian trucks

Turkish media outlets say trucks seized on Syria border carried four six-meter-long cylindrical tanks, heat-resistant materials and 66 tons of sodium sulfate

Ynet|Published: 01.21.12 , 14:58

Four Syria-bound Iranian trucks that were intercepted by Turkish authorities two weeks ago were carrying material for manufacturing missiles and chemical weapons, Turkish media reported Saturday.

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According to reports, the trucks, which had Iranian license plates, were stopped by customs officials at the Oncupinar border crossing into Syria after police received information about their cargo.

Although the contents of the trucks were not publicized by customs officials, the Taraf newspaper stated that on Friday it obtained reports confirming the trucks' dangerous load. According to the daily, one of the trucks was carrying four six-meter-long cylindrical tanks and heat-resistant materials, while the other three were carrying 66 tons of sodium sulfate, all of which were on their way to Syria possibly to be used in the making of chemical missiles.

Turkey has dispatched a scientific team to study the materials and the UN's nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), has also requested to be informed of the contents of the trucks' loads, Taraf reported.

Details on the documents obtained from the trucks suggested that the materials belonged to a leather company in Tehran and that they were being delivered to a person in Aleppo, Syria, for leather production.

Taraf has claimed that the same materials can be used in the production of chemical weapons and that the leather company is likely a cover up, recalling that thousands of people were killed by chemical weapons in Syria in 1982.