Further reinforcing the notion that a few looters couldn't make off  with huge amounts of banned nuclear material, conventional explosives, or entire 'research facilities,' a Multi—National Force — Iraq (MNF—I) press release publishes an interview  with the commander of the unit that first seized the Al—Qaqaa bunker complex.

The article notes that Army Col. David Perkins, commander of the 2d Brigade of the 3d Infantry Division (Mechanized),

...said it is "highly improbable" that the enemy was able to take the explosives out any time after U.S. forces arrived in the area.  It would require "that the enemy sneaks a convoy of 10—ton trucks in and loads them up in the dark of night and infiltrates them in your convoy and moves out," he said.  "That's kind of a stretch too far."

Perkin's unit fought a two—day battle with 'several hundred' enemy soldiers and elements of the Saddam Fedayeen.  After the area was secured, Perkin's men,

...concentrated on looking for weapons of mass destruction, especially chemical weapons.  They found suspicious white powder and reported that through the chain of command.  A chemical unit arrived, tested the powder and determined it was safe.  The soldiers did not find the IAEA— sealed explosives. [emphasis mine]

The brigade's mission was to immediately push on to Baghdad, so the unit handed over the area to the 101st Airborne Division, which remained there until April 11, 2003.  Later, the 75th Exploitation Task Force, the forerunner of the Iraqi Survey Group (ISG), went to the bunker complex on May 7, May 11 and May 27. 

 'They found no IAEA material during any of these visits.' [emphasis mine]

As the campaign progressed, the highways in the area were used as Main Supply Routes (MSRs) for service support units transporting supplies to the frontline units.  That is,

...they [the highways] were jammed with U.S. vehicles at all times.  There is no evidence, Pentagon officials said, that there was any large—scale movement of explosives — or anything else for that matter — from the facility.

Douglas Hanson   10—28—04