Al-Hasakah facility prompts speculation about Syria's nuclear weapons facility development

摘要

Jane's Has Obtained GeoEye satellite imagery taken over Syria's Al-Hasakah "Cotton Spinning Company" on 14 August. In an AP report published on 1 November, an International Atomic Energy Agency-based source revealed that satellite imagery over the cotton facility revealed "striking similarities" to plans for a nuclear complex that were provided to the Libyan government by Pakistani scientist AQKhan. On 1 November, an AP reporter told Jane's those Libyan plans have not been made publicly available. The facility is located at 36.510N latitude by 40.777E longitude at the northeastern edge of the town of Al-Hasakah. It consists of several production and support buildings within a 500 m by 430 m enfenced complex. There are apparent observation posts at the northeast corner of the complex and on the eastern and southern fence lines.