debkafile Exclusive: Nuclear watchdog chief Mohammed ElBaradei asks Washington and Israel for satellite images of nuclear activity in Syria

Dr. ElBaradei put in the request before his outburst Sunday, Oct. 28, against the US and Israel “for taking the law into their own hands” by bombing Syria’s nuclear compound.
“That to me is very distressful,” said the chief nuclear inspector, “because we have a system: if countries have information that the country is working on a nuclear-related program, they should come to us. We have the authority to go out and investigate.”
debkafile reports Dr. ElBaradei requested any imagery, data or other evidence of such activity in Syria. He also turned to Russia and China for any information garnered by their military satellites and to Sweden where private firms maintain high-quality satellites in orbit over the Middle East. He asked them all for any pictures attesting to a nuclear project in Syria. But when none acceded to his request, he lost his temper and lashed out.
debkafile‘s sources in Vienna adds: The US and Israel have used the Syrian episode as an opportunity to demonstratively do their own respective things in their policies on nuclear issues, having reached a parting of the ways with the International Atomic Energy Agency. They will not hand over to ElBaradei the evidence collected attesting to Syria’s nuclear activities as long as the chief nuclear inspector refuses to say how he means to use it. Had he offered to send a team of inspectors to examine the suspect installation, the evidence would have been given him. Neither Washington nor Jerusalem will take the risk of ElBaradei, after receiving the materials, stating that the Israeli strike was unwarranted.