A diplomatic source close to the IAEA has said that Iraq's nuclear sites were not dismantled by looters, rather they were taken apart by experts with
heavy machinery. The amounts of materials and equipment, even whole buildings removed could not have been the results of looters.
VIENNA (Reuters) - The removal of Iraq's mothballed nuclear facilities took around one year and was carried out by experts with heavy machinery and
demolition equipment, diplomats close to the U.N. said on Thursday.
But several diplomats close to the IAEA said that this was not the result of haphazard looting.
They said the removal of this dual-use equipment -- which prior to the war was tagged and closely monitored by the IAEA to ensure that it was not
being used in a weapons program -- was planned and executed by people who knew what they were doing.
"We're talking about dozens of sites being dismantled," a diplomat said on condition of anonymity. "Large numbers of buildings taken down,
warehouses were emptied and removed. This would require heavy machinery, demolition equipment. This is not something that you'd do overnight."
The fact remains
looting has occured and because of the lack of records no one knows what's exactly is missing or how much. 
