An angry Iraqi scientist accused "Mafia-like" U.N. inspectors Saturday of using his wife's illness in an attempt to lure him abroad for interrogation about Baghdad's nuclear programs. "Never, never will I leave my country," he said. Physicist Faleh Hassan was one of two scientists whose homes inspectors visited Thursday. It was the first unannounced visit to private residences as the United States increased pressure on the U.N. teams to try to take scientists abroad for questioning about possible prohibited weapons-building by the Iraqis.

Hassan, director of the Al-Razi military industrial site, said the documents were from his own research work and from graduate theses of students whom he has advised.

"They're old documents, not worth photocopying," he said.

However, Chief UN inspector Mohammad AlBradeie on Saturday, voiced concern about the documents apparently relating to nuclear technology which were found in Mr. Hassan's home.

The documents, numbering 3,000 pages, appear to focus on laser enrichment - a way to modify uranium for nuclear use .

'No Smoking Gun', Says ElBaradei, 'But Iraq Needs to Have a Change of Heart'

ElBaradei on Saturday defended the inspectors' seizure of the documents. "Why are you keeping documents at the private home, official documents at the private home?" he asked in an interview with CNN in Cyprus..

He also denied Hassan's claims that the inspection of his home was disrespectful.

It is not that we have discovered a smoking gun. I want to be very clear about that. But it raises the whole question of transparency," said Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

"Iraq needs to have a change of heart. Iraq needs to shift gear from passive co-operation to active co-operation to demonstrate through us to the international community that they are clean," he told the BBC's News Hour programme.

Mr ElBaradei said it was too early to tell what the documents were for certain, but he will ask for further details when he and chief UN weapons inspector Hans Blix meet Iraqi officials in Baghdad on Sunday.

The inspectors are charged with verifying Iraq's claims that it has eliminated all its nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, as well as long-range missiles. The United States and Britain insist Iraq retains such weapons and have threatened military action unless its government cooperates fully with the inspectors.

Under a tough new U.N. sanctions regime, inspectors are allowed to speak to Iraqi scientists in private and even take them outside the country for interviews - requirements Washington hopes will prompt scientists to reveal hidden arms programs.

Inspectors have spoken with engineers and experts at sites they have searched and have reported two formal interviews with Iraqi scientists, both on nuclear programs.

Both scientists who were formally interviewed told reporters they wanted to be interviewed with Iraqi officials in attendance and were. Iraqi officials have said they do not believe it is necessary for scientists to be taken out of the country but will allow it if a scientist consents.

Iraqi officials said Hassan is not on the list of 500 scientists and other specialists connected with nuclear, biological and chemical programs submitted to the United Nations last month.

After speaking to reporters, Hassan brought out members of his family.

"It was an attack on our home and the sanctity of our home," said his wife, Nazeera. She said one female inspector hugged her during the inspection. "It was not out of affection, but she thought I was concealing something."

Hassan, who received his doctorate at Edinburgh University in Scotland, was not at home when the inspectors arrived Thursday morning. He said his wife's blood pressure rose when she found the inspectors and their cars around their home, and that the experts searched their bedroom and went through personal belongings.

PHOTO CAPTION

Iraqi scientist Faleh Hassan speaks to journalists in front of his Baghdad home Saturday, Jan. 18, 2003. Hassan called U.N. inspectors 'Mafia-like' and accused them of using his wife's illness in an attempt to lure him abroad for interrogation about Baghdad's nuclear programs. (AP Photo)