CERTIFICATIONS
I, Robert S. Kapito, certify that:
1. I have reviewed this report on Form N-CSR of BlackRock Income
Opportunity Trust, Inc.;
2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
necessary to make the statements made, in light of the
circumstances under which such statements were made, not
misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;
3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other
financial information included in this report, fairly present in
all material respects the financial condition, results of
operations, changes in net assets, and cash flows (if the
financial statements are required to include a statement of cash
flows) of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in
this report;
4. The registrant's other certifying officers and I are responsible
for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and
procedures (as defined in rule 30a-2(c) under the Investment
Company Act of 1940) for the registrant and have;
a designed such disclosure controls and procedures to ensure
that material information relating to the registrant,
including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us
by others within those entities, particularly during the
period in which this report is being prepared;
b evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure
controls and procedures as of a date within 90 days prior to
the filing date of this report (the "Evaluation Date"); and
c presented in this report our conclusions about the
effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures
based on our evaluation as of the Evaluation Date;
5. The registrant's other certifying officers and I have disclosed,
based on our most recent evaluation, to the registrant's auditors
and the audit committee of the registrant's board of directors
(or persons performing the equivalent functions):
a all significant deficiencies in the design or operation of
internal controls which could adversely affect the
registrant's ability to record, process, summarize, and
report financial data and have identified for the
registrant's auditors any material weaknesses in internal
controls; and
b any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management
or other employees who have a significant role in the
registrant's internal controls; and
6. The registrant's other certifying officers and I have indicated
in this report whether or not there were significant changes in
internal controls or in other factors that could significantly
affect internal controls subsequent to the date of our most
recent evaluation, including any corrective actions with regard
to significant deficiencies and material weaknesses.
Date: 06/30/03
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/s/ Robert S. Kapito
---------------------------
Robert S. Kapito
Trustee, President,
Principal Executive Officer
CERTIFICATIONS
I, Henry Gabbay, certify that:
1. I have reviewed this report on Form N-CSR of BlackRock Income
Opportunity Trust, Inc.;
2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
necessary to make the statements made, in light of the
circumstances under which such statements were made, not
misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;
3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other
financial information included in this report, fairly present in
all material respects the financial condition, results of
operations, changes in net assets, and cash flows (if the
financial statements are required to include a statement of cash
flows) of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in
this report;
4. The registrant's other certifying officers and I are responsible
for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and
procedures (as defined in rule 30a-2(c) under the Investment
Company Act of 1940) for the registrant and have;
a designed such disclosure controls and procedures to ensure
that material information relating to the registrant,
including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us
by others within those entities, particularly during the
period in which this report is being prepared;
b evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure
controls and procedures as of a date within 90 days prior to
the filing date of this report (the "Evaluation Date"); and
c presented in this report our conclusions about the
effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures
based on our evaluation as of the Evaluation Date;
5. The registrant's other certifying officers and I have disclosed,
based on our most recent evaluation, to the registrant's auditors
and the audit committee of the registrant's board of directors
(or persons performing the equivalent functions):
a all significant deficiencies in the design or operation of
internal controls which could adversely affect the
registrant's ability to record, process, summarize, and
report financial data and have identified for the
registrant's auditors any material weaknesses in internal
controls; and
b any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management
or other employees who have a significant role in the
registrant's internal controls; and
6. The registrant's other certifying officers and I have indicated
in this report whether or not there were significant changes in
internal controls or in other factors that could significantly
affect internal controls subsequent to the date of our most
recent evaluation, including any corrective actions with regard
to significant deficiencies and material weaknesses.
Date: 06/30/03
--------------
/s/ Henry Gabbay
-----------------------------------------
Henry Gabbay
Treasurer and Principal Financial Officer