Bombing (Bihac) (Hansard, 20 December 1994)

§ Mr. Austin Mitchell
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 1 December,Official 1181W Report, columns 913–14, concerning the dropping of napalm bombs, whether the United Nations military observers identified the maker of the unexploded bomb.

§ Mr. Soames
From markings found on the unexploded bomb, the weapon has been identified as having been manufactured in the former Yugoslav Republic.

§ Mr. Austin Mitchell
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 1 December,Official Report, columns 913–14, concerning the dropping of napalm bombs, what was the nationality of the UN military observer who reported the incident and that of the UNMOs who collected evidence at the impact points; and what was the evidence which they collected.

§ Mr. Soames
It is not UN policy to release information on the nationalities of individual UN military observers involved in incidents. A cluster bomb casing, an unexploded bomb, unexploded and exploded bomblets and unburnt weapon material were found at the site.

§ Mr. Austin Mitchell
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many cluster bombs were dropped on Bihac; what was the estimated weight of explosive used in all bombs falling on Bihac; and what assessment he has made of their country of manufacture.

§ Mr. Soames
Two cluster bombs were dropped in Bihac on 18 November. Each bomb had an estimated weight of explosive of 32 kg. It is assessed that the cluster bombs were British manufactured BL755 munitions, which were purchased by the former Yugoslavia prior to the outbreak of the present conflict.

§ Mr. Austin Mitchell
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 2 December,Official Report, columns 945–6, what assessment he has made of the factors underlying the absence of photographic evidence in relation to the bombing in Bihac; and what assessment he has made of casualties or damage to buildings in the Bihac area.

§ Mr. Soames
The decision as to whether or not to gather photographic evidence in relation to the bombing in Bihac rested with the UN. We have no information as to the casualties caused by the air attacks on 18 November. We are only aware of some minor damage to an old warehouse and to a football field.

§ Mr. Austin Mitchell
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 1 December,Official Report, column 913, whether the loss of one of the two aircraft observed in the vicinity of Bihac was reported at the time; if the aircraft was totally destroyed with its pilot; and why the United Nations military observers did not photograph the wreckage for identification purposes.

§ Mr. Soames
The loss of one of the aircraft observed in the vicinity of Bihac was reported at the time the aircraft was destroyed and the pilot killed. The decision not to photograph the wreckage rested with the UN.

§ Mr. Austin Mitchell
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 2 December,Official Report, columns 945–46, what were the initial reports of the damage inflicted by the bombing of Bihac; and if these were consistent with the dropping of an unexploded napalm bomb and an unspecified number of cluster bombs.

§ Mr. Soames
Initial reports of the bombing of Bihac on 18 November indicate that the munitions used in the attack caused only minor damage to an old warehouse and to a football field. Although some sub-munitions of the1182W cluster bombs exploded, available evidence suggests that neither of the two weapon types operated as designed.