U.S. offers reward for Iraq missiles

BAGHDAD, Iraq — U.S. authorities are offering rewards of $500 apiece to Iraqis who turn in shoulder-fired antiaircraft missiles, a U.S. military spokesman said Wednesday.

Military spokesman Lt. Col. George Krivo said 320 antiaircraft missiles had been turned in so far, and "we continue to get more every day."

"The number does not include the many hundreds that we have found and destroyed as a result of patrols, raids and other military operations," Krivo said.

He said the military was offering $500 per system, including the grip stock and the missile, and $250 for the separate parts.

The New York Times reported Wednesday that the U.S. military has been unable to locate a large number of Iraqi shoulder-fired missiles, compounding security risks for airports and airlines in Iraq and around the world. The newspaper said the number of missing missiles could be in the hundreds.

U.S. officials are uncertain how many shoulder-fired antiaircraft weapons were in Iraq’s inventory when the war began March 20, but some estimates put the figure at about 1,500.

The presence of large numbers of shoulder-fired missiles represents a significant threat for coalition aircraft and has raised concern over the security of flights in and out of Baghdad International Airport. Such missiles have been fired at least three times at U.S. military aircraft at the airport, but no planes have been hit.

The most recent attack took place Sept. 6 when two surface-to-air missiles were fired at a coalition aircraft as it left the airport.

Coalition authorities had hoped to open Baghdad airport to commercial service by mid-July. But only one company — a Jordanian charter firm — currently operates flights to Baghdad because the airport still comes under sporadic mortar fire.

Some of the weapons may have made their way to the international arms market. Hundreds and perhaps thousands of Soviet-style SA-7s — heat-seeking rockets that can hit low-flying aircraft within three miles — are already believed available on the worldwide arms market, representing a significant aviation threat.