U.N. Releases Iraqi ‘Supergun’ Photos; Device to Be Destroyed

U.N. officials on Friday released the first photos of Iraq’s 170-foot-long “supergun” and said experts will draw up plans for its demolition.

Iraq, which earlier denied building superguns, admitted in July that it was developing the modified artillery with extra-long barrels so it would be capable of firing chemical, biological or nuclear weapons up to 1,000 miles--striking targets in Tel Aviv, Tehran or Cairo.

Under terms of the Gulf War cease-fire, Iraq was required to disclose all of its chemical, biological and nuclear weapons, as well as its Scud-type and other ballistic missiles.

Iraq admitted to U.N. inspectors that it had a 170-foot-long gun with a 14-inch-diameter barrel at a site 110 miles north of Baghdad. It said the gun had been tested.

It also admitted having other massive steel tubes, including one intended to be used as part of a separate 39-inch diameter gun. If that were assembled, it would be the largest artillery piece in the world.

Only the 14-inch-diameter gun has been assembled.

The cease-fire requires that a U.N. commission inspect all of Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction and research programs and that it destroy or eliminate certain weapons. Some ballistic missiles already have been destroyed and the supergun and components also are to be eliminated.

Western intelligence officials have said that the smaller, 14-inch gun could have a range of hundreds of miles, while the larger, 39-inch muzzle could fire weapons 1,000 miles.