UN inspectors head for nuclear probe

Senior UN inspectors left for Syria yesterday to investigate US allegations that Damascus built a nuclear reactor in secret for nuclear weapons purposes before the site was destroyed in an Israeli air strike.

Syria denies the accusations, saying the remote desert target was an ordinary military building under construction.

Washington says the project at al-Kibar was camouflaged to hide its nature and Western nuclear analysts say satellite pictures taken since the bombing show it was bulldozed in an apparent effort to remove incriminating evidence.