[AIN] MAZZETTI INFORMATION ON CHIVERS' ARTICLE

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06380009
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: March 8, 2023
• Document Release Date: October 4, 2019
• Case Number: F-2014-00434
• Publication Date: January 27, 2015

Approved for Release: 2019/10/01 C06380009
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Tuesday, January 27, 2015 3:03 PM
[AIN] Mazzetti Information on Chivers' Article
CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED
Sir,
Per our discussion, below please find the email that Mark Mazzetti sent us
yesterday. We are running the traps internally. He said article is not
running tomorrow but if you find out differently, please do let us know. Thank
you. Regards,
Mazzetti EMAIL
My colleague Chris Chivers has been working on a number of pieces about old
chemical munitions found in Iraq since 2003, and there's a follow up piece I'm
helping him with.
It's his understanding that in the 2005-2006 timeframe, there was a program
to buy back a number of rockets containing nerve agents from an Iraqi source.
The rockets, hundreds in all, were bought in batches from an Iraqi source. He
believes they were Borak (122mm) rockets, many of which contained Sarin and
possibly other nerve agents.
Here's why I'm reaching out: we're hearing that the program was run by the
agency, which had the direct contact with the Iraqi source. The agency would
make contact with the source, who would then bring the rockets to a meet up
spot and the military would take ownership of them.
It's unclear at the moment how much the source was paid for getting the
rockets off the street.
I think the plan is to run the story sometime this week, so I wanted to see
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what more could be learned about the program. When did it start? When did it
end? How many total rockets were picked up as part of the program? Roughly how
much was spent? Was this just one part of a larger buy back program of other
aged chem weapons?
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