MM aa gg aa zz ii nn ee Journal on Chemical and Biological Wepons CBW Volume 9 Number 1-2 Jan-Jun 2016 ISSN: 0974-0619

EDITORIAL 3 INVITED ARTICLE 4 Preparations for the Eighth Review Conference to the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention John Hart COVER STORY 8 Investigating the use of Chemical Weapons in Syria Cindy Vestergaard SPECIAL FEATURE 11 PrepCom: Setting the Stage for the 'Eighth' Review Conference of the Biological Weapons Convention Animesh Roul OPINION 13 India’s Policy towards WMD Weapons: Status and Trends Chandreyee Chakraborty FOCUS 17 North Korea and Prospects for Chemical Weapons Disarmament Kapil Patil KALEIDOSCOPE 20 Chemical Weapons are just as dangerous as ever! Elaheh Pooyandeh CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL NEWS 23 BOOK REVIEW 54 Neuroscience and the Future of Chemical-Biological Weapons by Malcolm Dando, (2015) Arul R

Jan-Jun 2016 1 Journal on Chemical and Biological Weapons 2 Editorial

Executive Editor he Preparatory Committee Meeting for Tthe Eight Review Conference scheduled Ajey Lele in November 2016, was concluded in April. The follow up meeting will take place in August 2016. Keeping this in focus, Animesh Roul in this issue of the CBW Magazine Assistant Editor discusses what the important agendas are for the upcoming Review Conference. John Gunjan Singh Hart emphasizes on the preparations towards the Eighth Review Conference and argues the importance of maintaining the treaty norms. Cindy Vestergaard in her article discusses the success of the three investigative mechanisms undertaken to explore the truth about the use of chemical weapons in Syria. North Korea's possession and probable use of chemical weapons against the United States and South Korea with the help of delivery platforms has been highlighted by Kapil Patil. Chandreyee Chakraborty traces the differences in Indian response towards WMD regimes. This issue also comprises other regular features like the Book Review, Kaleidoscope and Chemical and Biological News. With our readers' feedback, we wish to publish issues in the future that focus on a subject of particular concern. Contributions and feedback are welcome and can be addressed to: [email protected]

Jan-Jun 2016 3 Invited Article

umerous planning documents and Preparations for Npolicy statements are being generated in the lead-up to the Eighth Review the Eighth Conference to the 1972 Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) for which Review Ambassador György Molnár of Hungary is the President-Designate. The Preparatory Conference to Committee (PrepCom) is being held in two sessions: 26-27 April and 8-12 August, while the Biological the Review Conference itself will take place on 7-25 November in Geneva. The treaty and Toxin currently has 174 States Parties. Of the non- Weapons parties, eight are signatories.1 The April session of the PrepCom elected the Convention Review Conference officials and adopted the Review Conference agenda. The two John Hart* PrepCom Vice Chairmen are Ambassador Michael Biontino of Germany and The author is a Senior Ambassador Boujemâa Delmi of Algeria. Researcher and Head of the During the Review Conference, they will Chemical and Biological serve as the Chairman of the Committee of Security Project within the the Whole (CoW) and the Chairman of the SIPRI Arms Control and Non- Drafting Committee, respectively. The proliferation Programme, Review Conference will also have 20 Vice- Stockholm. Presidents distributed geographically as follows: 10 from the Group of Non-Aligned Summary Movement and Other States, 6 from the The States Parties to the 1972 Western Group and 4 from the Eastern Biological and Toxin Weapons European Group. Geographically balanced Convention are preparing for the workshops and consultations are being Eighth Review Conference in convened this year to help facilitate the November. Their focus remains on process of ensuring a successful Review institutional capacity and exchange of Conference outcome. Such an outcome will views and information, rather than on probably entail a fourth series of annual possible specific compliance concerns. inter-sessional political and technical Consultations and proposals are meetings (i.e., until the 9th Review reviewed. Treaty norms and Conference) with revised agenda items. appropriate capacity must be maintained. The criteria for a successful outcome include ensuring:

* The views expressed are the author’s (a) the principle of not harming the regime and do not necessarily reflect those of (perhaps inadvertently) is observed; SIPRI.

Journal on Chemical and Biological Weapons 4 (b) preparations are well managed (e.g., relevant actors for the implementation of the through constructive consultations World Health Organization’s (WHO) among relevant actors, and the timely International Health Regulations (IHR) availability of relevant documents); and (revised 2005), and the relevant goals of the G7 Global Partnership Against the Spread (c) the Review Conference outcome of Weapons and Materials of Mass maintains and strengthens the relevance Destruction. The EU supports putting in (perceived and actual) of the regime, place ‘more frequent and focused including to the broader public, assessments’ of relevant science and international actors and government technology developments which could, in communities. principle, incorporate ‘a standing science and technology advisory function’ in the Notable developments in the third inter- Implementation Support Unit (ISU). Finally, session process which ended in December the EU supports a comprehensive review of 2015 include discussions and papers on confidence-building measure (CBM) compliance, including a joint Belgium- formats, including moving the regime Luxembourg-Netherlands peer review towards a position where annual CBM forms system to assess national implementation of act as ‘the regular declaration tool’ which the Convention based, in turn, on a December inform consideration of the Convention’s 2013 pilot-peer review exercise hosted by ‘implementation and compliance’. This France and involving the participation of implies that the parties should eventually experts from Canada, China, Germany, make CBMs legally binding. India, Mexico, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States. The Russia has expressed continued support for Benelux peer review proposal is being a reconsideration of compliance issues that implemented in two phases: (a) a written takes into consideration the work of the Ad consultation based on 2015 CBM Hoc Group of Governmental Experts to submissions (Form A and Form E) of these Identify and Examine Potential Verification states, and (b) an ‘event’ in which this Measures from a Scientific and Technical information is discussed which is then Standpoint (VEREX). In December 2015 followed by on-site visits to ‘installations Armenia, Belarus, China and Russia tabled a declared in Form A in the host country’. proposal for inclusion in the final document of the 8th Review Conference (The proposal The EU maintains that verification ‘remains does not include visits (i.e. routine a central element of a complete and effective inspections), which was one of the most disarmament and non-proliferation regime’. difficult issues during negotiations on a It has also noted the importance of protocol to strengthen compliance with the strengthening the operational capabilities of Convention between 1995 and 2001.) They the UN Secretary-General’s mechanism for proposed that an open-ended working group investigating alleged chemical and/or elaborate on a consensus basis ‘appropriate biological weapon use by expanding the pool measures and draft proposals’ to strengthen of qualified experts, as well as carrying out the Convention as a legally binding training, table-top and field exercises. The instrument. Such a working group shall EU has also pledged to support consider: implementation of Article X by inter alia supporting the development of the (a) the incorporation of existing and Cooperation and Assistance Database, the potentially further enhanced confidence

Jan-Jun 2016 5 building and transparency measures, as ‘liaise’ with the ISU in order to assist it to appropriate, into the regime; prepare for further annual inter-sessional meetings. It also called for the parties to (b) measures to achieve effective national agree on the parameters or guidelines to implementation of the Convention; inter-sessional annual meetings of the states parties, which should be able to take (c) measures for considering the decisions (e.g. with respect to the implications of developments in areas implementation of the ISU Cooperation and of science and technology relevant to Assistance Database). (The ISU has worked the Convention and agreeing in that to establish a database with offers and regard appropriate steps to enhance the requests for assistance in accordance with a effective implementation of the decision by the Seventh Review Conference Convention; in 2011.)

(d) measures for strengthening Also in 2015, eighteen states parties international cooperation for peaceful provided views and proposals concerning purposes in accordance with Article X implications of the spread of technology and of the Convention; disease outbreak, including the proposal that ‘States Parties should agree to discuss the (e) procedures and mechanisms for role of the BWC and the Implementation assistance and protection against Support Unit in an investigation determining biological weapons in accordance with whether a disease outbreak’ is naturally Article VII of the Convention; and occurring or deliberate. The same year another grouping of states parties (f) mechanism for investigating alleged use encouraged all the parties to submit of biological weapons (to be initiated by comprehensive annual CBMs and to build ‘an the affected State and conducted on its operational capability (i.e. through a select territory) pursuant to Article VI of the list of experts) that could be called upon to Convention. assist in responding to a biological incident, in the absence of a full-time inspectorate’. In 2015 China proposed that the Review Finally, Switzerland outlined structural and Conference develop a template for a cost elements employed at the international biological scientists’ code of conduct. China level for science and technology expert-led also recommended that a ‘non-proliferation processes, in order to facilitate export control regime under the framework understanding and possible future action on of the BWC’ be incorporated into the strengthening the institutional capacity of the international cooperation agenda at the treaty regime. Review Conference and that the resources of existing international regimes and There has been periodic interaction between organizations, including the 1540 actors supporting the BTWC and the Committee and the Australia Group, be Chemical Weapons Convention, respectively. fully utilised. Both treaties cover toxins. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons In 2015, the United States proposed that (OPCW), including its Scientific Advisory the Review Conference establish a Steering Board (SAB), continues to monitor changes Group comprising of the Chairman, Vice- in the chemical industry that involve the use Chairmen and leaders of expert groups to of biological and biologically-mediated

Journal on Chemical and Biological Weapons 6 processes, as well as the modalities for how iii. What political cross-linkages are such developments can or should be known or likely? incorporated into the treaty’s routine declaration and verification system. iv. Are such linkages constructive? How can they be managed? In 2015 the Director-General of the OPCW outlined procedures to implement the (b) the balance and nature of Review recommendations made by the SAB in its Conference outcomes. For example, the latest report on verification. While the science balance between process or capacity- and technology (S&T) developments oriented activity versus specific highlighted by the SAB are less relevant to outcomes that more closely accord to the BTWC regime, a number of the standard understandings of a ‘decision’; implementation strategies—some of which are process-oriented, and principles for (c) exploration of the feasibility of focusing measuring outcomes/results could serve as the planning process on 2-3 a useful basis for informal consultations in operationally-relevant activities that are the lead-up to the Review Conference (e.g., of most relevance to Articles I and X. in the context of sampling and analysis of The results could then inform prioritization best practices, nomenclature standards, and and analysis with a view towards ensuring peer review consultative strategies directly that the regime possesses appropriate relevant to CBMs). At the April 2016 operational capacity and that treaty norms PrepCom Russia and other countries are maintained. expressed support for the establishment of a BTWC ‘scientific advisory committee.’ Endnotes: Russia has also proposed making available biomedical units to help protect against 1 The signatories are: Central African Republic, biological threats (e.g., to investigate Egypt, Haiti, Liberia, Nepal, Somalia, Syria, allegations of weapon use). and Tanzania.

If the States Parties wish to agree a further inter-sessional process for 2017-2020, a short list of operational activities could be developed that are mainly focused on Article I and Article X as a basis for consultations with governments and other relevant actors.

Such consultations could be structured according to:

(a) a general discussion and exchange of views reviewing basic questions such as:

i. What is the state of the treaty regime?

ii. What are preferred Review Conference outcomes?

Jan-Jun 2016 7 Cover Story

Investigating the use of Investigating the chemical weapons

use of Chemical he first inquiry into the use of chemical Tweapons (CW) in Syria was the United Weapons in Nations Secretary-General’s Mechanism (SGM) for Investigation of Alleged use of Syria Chemical and Biological Weapons. Adopted Cindy Vestergaard by the UN General Assembly in 1987, and endorsed by the Security Council (Resolution 620) a year later, the SGM enables the The author is Non-resident Secretary-General to carry out Fellow, Managing Across investigations in response to any UN Boundaries, Stimson Center, Member State reporting possible violations Washington, D.C. of the 1925 Protocol or other relevant rules of customary international law. Global Prohibition Regimes: Theoretical Refinement and The SGM was trigged in March 2013 after Empirical Analysis (GA13- Syria (a State Party to the Geneva Protocol) 26485S). reported allegations of CW use in the Khan al-Asal area of the Aleppo Governorate, for Summary which Syria’s government and opposition Since 2013, there have been three blamed each other. A team from the investigative mechanisms employed Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical to examine allegations of the use of Weapons (OPCW) and the World Health chemical weapons in Syria. Are we Organization (WHO) was assembled and any closer to finding out whodunit? remained on standby in Cyprus until the terms of reference between the UN and Syria were agreed on. The holdup was a difference Funding for this research of opinion on the scope of the investigation: provided by Czech Global the UN argued that all credible claims of CW Prohibitions Regime project. use reported by other Member States should also be investigated while Syria argued that only the March 19 Khan al-Asal attacks should be examined. In the end, the SGM team was dispatched to Syria in August 2013 to investigate Khal al-Asal and two other incidents at Sheik Maqsood and Saraqueb.1 Three days after their arrival, allegations of CW use in the Ghouta area of Damascus led the team to prioritise the most recent allegations.

In its first report issued on 16 September 2013,2 the team concluded that chemical

Journal on Chemical and Biological Weapons 8 weapons, specifically nerve agent sarin, had opposition, was believed to have possessed.5 been used on a relatively large scale- The United States and France claimed the marking the end of what had become the Syrian government was responsible while world’s longest reprieve from CW use in Syria and Russia pointed the finger at rebels. conflict in a century. The international response was swift and unprecedented; Similarly, the FFM reports made mention leading to Syria’s accession to the Chemical of witness accounts of helicopters dropping Weapons Convention (CWC) and the barrel bombs containing chlorine. The United establishment of a joint mission of the UN States and others noted that only the Bashar and the OPCW which successfully removed al-Assad regime had helicopters while Russia all of Syria’s declared chemical weapons. This maintained that the regime’s helicopters was no small feat to carry out during an were coincidentally flying in the area at the active conflict and it was done exceptionally time.6 In an interview with the BBC in well: within 13 months of the Ghouta attacks, February 2015, Assad denied that 96% of Syria’s declared stockpile had been government forces had used chlorine as a destroyed. weapon and went further to say “We have bombs, missiles and bullets... There is [are] The removal of Syria’s stocks however did no barrel bombs, we don’t have barrels.”7 not end allegations of CW use. In April 2014 as the UN and OPCW cooperated to remove Investigating Whodunit Syria’s stockpiles, more allegations of CW use (this time chlorine) emerged. Unlike In August 2015, after almost two years of previous allegations Syria was now a State numerous allegations, investigations and Party to the CWC, prompting the OPCW to UNSC resolutions stressing those establish a Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) to responsible should be held accountable,8 the investigate. The FFM issued three reports UNSC finally and unanimously called for an concluding ‘with a high degree of confidence’ official inquiry to identify culpability. that chlorine gas had been used as a weapon Resolution 2235 gave a one-year mandate against the villages of Talmenes (on 21 April to an OPCW-UN Joint Investigative 2014), Al Tamanah (29-30 April and 25-26 Mechanism (JIM) to identify those involved May 2014) and Kafr Zita (11 and 18 April in cases “where the OPCW FFM determines 2014). or has determined that a specific incident in [Syria] involved or likely involved the use of Although both the SGM and FFM concluded chemicals as weapons…”9. In other words, that chemical weapons had been repeatedly only incidents considered by the FFM are to used in Syria’s ongoing conflict; neither was be included in investigating blame. The mandated to investigate blame. The SGM’s large-scale use of sarin in the 2013 Ghouta report did state that samples collected in the attacks that had been confirmed by the SGM Ghouta area provided “clear and convincing was excluded. evidence that surface-to-surface rockets containing the nerve agent Sarin were used.” According to the OPCW’s first report on the 3 Moreover, inspectors were able to calculate JIM, the FFM reports mention 116 alleged the trajectories of the rockets “with a incidents of CW use in Syria over the course sufficient degree of accuracy.”4 The rocket of 2014 and 2015 of which 23 it confidently dimensions provided suggest they were determined involved exposure to a chemical adapted 330mm surface-to-surface artillery substance. 10 From these, the OPCW rockets which the Syrian military, not the narrowed the list down to six potential cases

Jan-Jun 2016 9 for further investigation with a seventh Endnotes: added during the UNSC’s meeting on the 1 JIM report in February 2016.11 The seven Sheik Maqsoud on 13 April 2013 and Saraqeb on 29 April 2013. See: BBC News, “Syria cases include the aforementioned incidences Chemical Weapons Allegations,” May 17, 2013, of chlorine use in the villages of Talmenes, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle- Al Tamanah and Kafr Zita plus four others: east- 22557347. Qmenas (16 March 2015), Sarmin (16 March 2 A/67/997–S/2013/553, Report of the United 2015) and Binnish (23 March 2015) in the Nations Mission to Investigate Allegations of Idlib Governorate and Marea (21 August the Use of Chemical Weapons in the Syrian Arab Republic on the alleged use of chemical 2015) in the Aleppo Governorate. weapons in the Ghouta area of Damascus on 21 August 2013, 16 September 2013. The JIM is now in its second phase, conducting in-depth analysis of the cases 3 A/67/997–S/2013/553, Report of the United listed above and will include field visits and Nations Mission to Investigate Allegations of the Use of Chemical Weapons in the Syrian witness interviews as well as case-relevant Arab Republic on the alleged use of chemical information provided by Member States and weapons in the Ghouta area of Damascus on 21 other sources. This phase will continue until August 2013, 16 September 2013. the OPCW gathers sufficient information to 4 A/67/997–S/2013/553, Report of the United enable it to report findings to the Security Nations Mission to Investigate Allegations of Council. The UNSC can decide to extend the the Use of Chemical Weapons in the Syrian Arab Republic on the alleged use of chemical JIM mandate when it expires based on the weapons in the Ghouta area of Damascus on 21 status of its findings at the time. August 2013, 16 September 2013. The fog of chemical warfare 5 Syria chemical attack: What we know,’ BBC News, 24 September 2013.

The Syrian case has been the first to test the 6 ‘UN threatens force if chlorine used in Syria CWC’s provisions, setting a precedent for attacks,’ Aljazeera, 7 March 2015. how the UNSC responds to confirmed 7 ‘Assad says Syria is informed on anti-IS air violations of the treaty’s main prohibitions. campaign,’ BBC News, 10 February 2015. It is a positive step that a ‘whodunit’ inquiry is finally in motion - a step that strengthens 8 S/RES/2118, 27 September 2013 and S/RES/ the provisions of the CWC, the world’s only 2209 6 March 2015. verifiable disarmament treaty. For the 9 Paragraph 5, S/RES/2235, 7 August 2015. process to be wholly credible the SGM- confirmed Ghouta attacks need to be 10 S/2016/142, ‘First report of the Organization included. Whether or not the JIM is able to for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons- United Nations Joint Investigative confidently determine culpability for the Mechanism,’ 12 February 2016. chlorine attacks, the failure to ascertain the whodunit of the sarin attacks will leave them 11 United Nations Press Release, Joint Investigative Mechanism Presents Its First shrouded in political tones. If judgement on Report to Security Council, 22 February 2016: those responsible for breaking the longest http://www.un.org/press/en/2016/ ‘chemical peace’ is left to individual capitals, dc3608.doc.htm. the objective of a world free of chemical weapons may never be achieved since cases like Syria will recur.

Journal on Chemical and Biological Weapons 10 Special Feature

n April 26, 2016, the Preparatory PrepCom: Setting OCommittee (PrepCom) meeting for the Eighth Review Conference (RevCon) of the the Stage for the Biological Weapons Convention (or BWC) jump-started the Convention's quinquennial ‘Eighth’ Review review process which is scheduled to be held in Geneva from November 7 to 25 this year. Conference of the The two-day PrepCom meeting in April, while setting the necessary procedural Biological arrangements for the successful conduct of Eighth RevCon, focused on the 'general Weapons exchange of views' on matters of BWC and the organizational aspects of the forthcoming Convention RevCon such as the Presidency, the distribution of posts of Chairs and Vice- Animesh Roul Chairs and the draft Rules of Procedure. The second session of PrepCom meeting will The author is a Security and reconvene again from August 8 to 12 this Strategic Affair Analyst, and year, when the States Parties will deliberate the Executive Director of all provisions of the Convention. Society for the Study of Peace and Conflict, New Delhi. The first session of PrepCom meeting witnessed particpation of at least 86 States Summary Parties, one State neither party nor In April 2016 the Preparatory signatory to the Convention, one regional Committee meeting for the Eighth intergovernmental organization and eight Review Conference was concluded. non-governmental organizations. In This will be followed by another addition, Ambassador Gyorgy Molnar of meeting in August 2016. Two major Hungary was elected as Chairman of the points were discussed during the April Preparatory Committee as well as meeting, the issue of science and nominated to act as President of the technology and effective inter- forthcoming Eighth Review Conference. sessional process. Ambassador Michael Biontino of Germany and Ambassador Boudjemâa Delmi of Algeria were elected as Vice-Chairmen. There was also understanding among the various Regional Groups on the posts of Vice- Presidents of the Conference as well as Chairmen and Vice-Chairmen of the subsidiary bodies (e.g. 'Committee of the Whole, "Drafting committtee" and "Credential committee"). At least 20 Vice Presidents were nominated for the Conference dominated by the Group of the

Jan-Jun 2016 11 Non-Aligned Movement and Other States where the ISU is charged with preparing with 10, followed by the Western Group with papers on topics like 'history and operation 6. of the confidence-building measures' agreed and revised so far at the previous Review There were 29 Statements presented at the Conferences (2nd, 3rd and 7th RevCons), the PrepCom that included regional groups (Non financial implications of proposals for follow- Aligned Movement) represented by Iran, up action after the Eighth Review and other specific statements by State Conference; the common understandings parties such as India, Finland, United States, reached by the Meetings of States Parties Russia, UK, France, China, Switzerland, (MSPs) during the last intersessional Indonesia, Norway, Italy, Australia, Ireland, programmes (2012 to 2015), and the status Japan, Germany, Canada, Morocco, Mexico, of universalization of the Convention. Cuba, Pakistan, Armenia, Belarus, The Netherlands, Peru, Republic of Korea and the European Union. Iran also issued its official statement at the PrepCom.

While many of these statements made references to previous Working Papers (WPs) submitted at the BWC meetings the April PrepCom meeting, saw submission of at least 12 Working Papers. The Russian Federation has submitted two WPs on the Operationalisation of Mobile Biomedical Units to deliver protection against biological weapons, investigate their alleged use, and to suppress epidemics of various etiologies and on the establishment of a Scientific Advisory Committee. The US, Switzerland, and United Kingdom (and Northern Ireland) and the Nordic countries (Finland, Norway and Sweden submitted WPs focussing on the Science and technology review for the BWC. The US too submitted working papers on strengthening confidence building and consultative mechanisms under the Biological Weapons Convention. Another important WP was submitted by France, on the Specificities of the Response to Natural and Intentional Disease Outbreaks.

Two issues dominated the April PrepCom meeting: proposals relating to the issue of a science & technology review mechanism and a renewed call for a more effective inter- sessional process. However, the August meeting is anticipated to be more exciting

Journal on Chemical and Biological Weapons 12 Opinion

reventing the spread and buildup of India’s Policy Pnuclear weapons remains one of the highest priority international security towards WMD challenges. Following the concerns over the spread of nuclear weapons, came the issue Weapons: Status of chemical and biological weapons. These weapons of mass destruction have been an and Trends issue for a long time and still are one of the most talked about topics. This article gives Chandreyee Chakraborty an overview of India's policy towards nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons. The author is a Master's student in the Political Over the last thirty years, India's position Science Department of Central at the Review Conferences of CWC and BWC European University, has evolved from that of a passive observer Budapest, specializing in to an active negotiator. It was since the third International Political Review Conference of BWC which coincided Economy / Comparative with the growth of the country's domestic Political Economy and biotechnology industry that India began to Quantitative Methods in participate actively in the BWC. It has taken Social Sciences. a proactive positions on many issues that posed possible challenges to the global Summary biological disarmament regime. India has always been a peace loving nation and have distant itself from On the nuclear front, India is, however, unwanted wars. After the opposed to signing the Nuclear Non- introduction of the weapons of mass proliferation Treaty (NPT) and the destruction, India has followed an Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) for unique path to preserve its identity valid reasons. India's stand on CTBT was as a global power in the world arena. summed up former Foreign Secretary It has supported the convention on Shyam Saran in his address at the Brookings Chemical and Biological weapons. Institution in March, 2009, where he said: “…… India will not sign the CTBT unless the world moved categorically towards nuclear disarmament in a credible time frame.” India had campaigned for improving a ban on nuclear weapons testing for a long period. In 1954, India initiated a global call at the UN Disarmament Commission for an end to nuclear testing and a freeze on fissile material production. Likewise, in 1978 and 1982, at the Special Sessions on Disarmament, India proposed measures for banning nuclear testing and in 1988 it introduced the Rajiv

Jan-Jun 2016 13 Gandhi Action Plan for the time-bound blackmail1. In 1996 India was almost alone elimination of nuclear weapons. These in opposing the CTBT. The Indian objection proposals were shaped by the belief that centred around two issues: a) the proposed banning nuclear testing would be an treaty was not linked to any time-bound irreversible step toward the elimination of frame, which makes it an instrument of all nuclear weapons within a specific time- nonproliferation but not of disarmament. b) frame. However, after co-sponsoring a It allowed laboratory type tests or sub- resolution for a test ban treaty in November critical tests, which mean that he five critical 1993, India took a different course and tried powers would be free to continue building to block the treaty text that was negotiated their arsenals. Specifically New Delhi felt that at the Conference on Disarmament (CD). the CTBT was insufficient a commitment India opposed the treaty on the ground that from the nuclear weapon states under it is silent on destruction of existing nuclear declared deadlines. It saw this as a stockpiles. The treaty also does not contain discriminatory replication of the imbalance any time-bound programme for destruction inherent in the NPT regime, in which nuclear of nuclear weapons, thereby leaving nuclear weapon states are weakly obligated to disarmament solely at the discretion of disarm and non-nuclear weapon states are nuclear weapons states. strongly obligated to remain non-nuclear. The lack of commitments by the nuclear On the contrary, India has stressed on the weapon states to eliminate their nuclear need to strengthen the implementation of weapons under a declared time-frame also the Biological Weapons Convention in the compelled India to oppose Article XIV of the wake of challenges to international peace and NPT, which stipulates the CTBT's entry into security emanating from the threat posed by force after 44 “Annex 2” countries sign and terrorists and non-state actors seeking ratify it. access to biological toxins. India underlined the importance of the Chemical Weapons Another obvious crux of India's argument Convention (CWC) and the Biological against the CTBT was the perceived Weapons Convention as examples of non- deteriorating security conditions in South discriminatory treaties in the field of Asia. By signing the CTBT, India would have disarmament for the total elimination of foregone the right to test any nuclear devices, specific type of weapons of mass destruction. yet its primary adversary would have India reaffirms that disarmament is a retained the power to develop its arsenal primary goal of the Chemical Weapons through simulation. The other adversary Convention and should remain the priority that is Pakistan is a prime ally of China, it till the complete destruction of all chemical was feared that China can help Pakistan weapons is achieved. clandestine transfer of technologies that would enable Pakistan to test its devices On CTBT, India pointed out various reasons through computer simulation. Pointing to for its non-acceptance of the treaty. For these loopholes, India's representative instance, C. Raja Mohan noted that CTBT is, informed the UN General Assembly in 'designed to preserve the hegemony of the September 9, 1995: "…..nuclear weapon nuclear weapons powers', 'put a cap on states have agreed to a CTBT only after India's nuclear capability', override 'India's acquiring the know how to develop and refine disarmament and security concerns', and their arsenals without the need for subject it to the 'worst form of political tests…..Developing new warheads or refining

Journal on Chemical and Biological Weapons 14 existing ones after [the] CTBT is in place, During the second debate in the Parliament, using innovative technologies, would on 15 December 1998, Vajpayee stated: be…..contrary to the spirit of [the] CTBT.2 "India is now engaged in discussions with our key interlocutors on a range of issues Following the 1998 tests, the international including the CTBT. We are prepared to community continues to pressurize India to bring these discussions to a successful sign the treaty. But from India's point of view conclusion so that the entry into force of the the following point need to be highlighted: CTBT is not delayed beyond September, 1999. We expect that other countries . . . will ó India has already declared a moratorium also adhere to this Treaty without condition.4 on further testing after the 1998 tests. At this time a possible deal was being finalized where India would sign the CTBT ó 'No First Use' of nuclear weapons has also but won't ratify it. In exchange the United been affirmed. States would also acknowledge India's ó Undertaking not to export nuclear possession of a minimal nuclear deterrent. weapon or nuclear weapon related Also the sanctions on India would be materials to any other countries has been removed. But the scenario dramatically reiterated, unlike another nuclear changed when on 13 October 1999 the US weapon country which says something Senate voted against ratification of the and does something else. CTBT.

The debate regarding CTBT was revived It, however, became apparent that United once again in 1998-1999. In one of the States was worried about the consequences parliamentary debates on 27 May 1998, of its ratification of the CTBT. The Ministry Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee of External Affairs reiterated India's position submitted a paper to the Indian Parliament on the CTBT as stated by Vajpayee in entitled, "Evolution of India's Nuclear Policy", December 1998, adding that: "The situation in which he elaborated India's future regarding ratification of the CTBT, as well approach to the CTBT and nuclear testing as the debate in the US Senate, clearly as: "Subsequent to the tests [the] indicates that the CTBT is not a simple, Government has already stated that India uncomplicated issue. Among other things, it will now observe a voluntary moratorium and requires building a national consensus in the 5 refrain from conducting underground countries concerned, including India. nuclear test explosions. It has also indicated Naturally, there came up a question, should willingness to move towards a de-jure India sign the CTBT when the US formalization of this declaration. The basic Administration itself was struggling to get it obligations[s] of the CTBT are thus met; to ratified. refrain from undertaking nuclear test The future of CTBT and NPT actually lays explosions. This voluntary declaration is in the hand of United States and other intended to convey to the international nuclear weapons states. Unless the US community the seriousnes[s] of our intent ratifies the CTBT, the other nuclear weapon for meaningful engagement. Subsequent states, and especially China won't ratify it. If decisions will be taken after assuring US President Barack Obama were to succeed ourselves of the security needs of the in his stated objective of achieving ratification country.3 of the CTBT, then many observers believe

Jan-Jun 2016 15 that China would follow suit. If that were to 4 Press Release on India’s position on nuclear issues/CTBT, New Delhi October 14, 1999 happen, then India's policy would come http://www.indianembassy.org/ under renewed international pressure. It, page.php?id=1294 however, appears unlikely as the US is moving is moving closer to next presidential 5 State of the CTBT ,Kalpana Chittaranjan, Research Officer, IDSA. http://www.idsa- election. Also developments in China and india.org/an-jun-300.html Pakistan will have an important bearing on the debate in India. There are no doubts that the Sino-Pakistan are one of the most determining factors in India's nuclear policy. India will watch closely for signs that these countries are continuing to modernize their arsenals and for evidence of technical collaboration in nuclear weapon-related fields.

Given such a scenario, it would be best for India not to commit itself to the CTBT at this juncture. India has unconditionally signed and ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention but is opposed to NPT due to its unequal nature. Until the world community itself sincerely follows the path of nucler disarmament, it cannot expect India to submit itself unconditionally to the NPT regime. India is a developing economy with a high economic growth rate. Post 1998 it seemed that Indian position on NPT and CTBT had come to a full circle. And India became increasingly more confident about its position in the international community.

Endnotes:

1 N. Ram, Riding the nuclear tiger, Left Word Books, 1999, p-92.

2 Arundhati Ghose, Negotiating the CTBT: India’s Security Concerns and Nuclear Disarmament, Published in the Journal of International Affairs, summer, 1997, 51, no. 1.0 @ The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York. http://www.fas.org/ news/india/1997/ctbtghose.htm

3 PAPER LAID ON THE TABLE OF THE HOUSE ON EVOLUTION OF INDIA’S NUCLEAR POLICY, http://www.nti.org/media/pdfs/ 32_ea_india.pdf?_=1316627913

Journal on Chemical and Biological Weapons 16 Focus

ince its entry into force, the Chemical North Korea and SWeapons Convention (CWC) has made significant progress towards universality Prospects for with as many as 192 states acceding to the Convention by the end of 2015.1 After Syria’s Chemical decision to join the Convention and destroy its chemical weapons, there has been Weapons growing calls for states not party to the Convention to follow suit. However, efforts Disarmament to achieve universal membership in the CWC are likely to face some serious last mile Kapil Patil challenges from the hold-out states given their unwillingness to renounce chemical The author is a researcher at weapons for a variety of politico-military the Indian Pugwash Society, objectives. Among the four non-member New Delhi. states including Israel, Egypt, South Sudan and North Korea, the authoritarian regime Summary in Pyongyang under Kim Jong Un, perhaps North Korea's refusal to join the presents the most vexing diplomatic chemical weapons convention (CWC) challenge. Pyongyang’s continued belligerent and its illicit transfer of chemical acts, and its failure to respect obligations warfare suits to Syria in 2009 has from previous agreements has brought raised serious proliferation and negotiations on its Weapons of Mass international security concerns. Destruction (WMD) programmes to a stand- Pyongyang is world's third largest still. possessor of chemical weapons and seeks to use these weapons in the Although, North Korea reportedly claims event of war with United States and that it does not possess chemical weapons, it Republic of Korea. However, the is widely believed that Pyongyang is world’s prospects for progress on third largest possessor of chemical weapons. Pyongyang's chemical weapons North Korea’s WMD activities have disarmament appear unlikely in the presented the greatest proliferation near future. This is mainly due to the challenge due to illicit transfers of sensitive impasse over DPRK's refusal to roll nuclear and missile technologies to countries back its nuclear and missile such as Pakistan, Iran, Egypt, Libya and programmes in return for economic Syria. In 2009, the South Korean as well aid and normalisation of relations. Greek authorities’ interdicted cargos dical system is prepared and adept to included chemical warfare protective suits tackle any such outbreak. destined for Syria, which mounted concerns over North Korea’s chemical-weapons related proliferation activities.2 Currently, as many as twenty-six different entities including personnel from North Korea are

Jan-Jun 2016 17 sanctioned under various U.S. laws and of war with its Southern neighbour. The executive orders.3 origins of chemical weapons in North Korea’s military doctrine can be traced back to mid- Despite the repeated entreaties and 1960 after the end of Korean War when the communications from the Organization for regime faced serious existential threats Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), mainly, from the United States and other as well as the international community at regional rivals. Since then the DPRK has large, the North Korean regime has remained consistently expanded and intensified the defiant about joining the CWC.4 Also, building of its chemical weapons production according to the 2014 report of the OPCW, facilities and stockpiles. North Korea did not participate in any bilateral consultations that the OPCW has Although, there are varying estimates of held so far with states that are not party to North Korea’s current capabilities, it is widely the Convention.5 Since the suspension of six- reported that the DPRK possesses about party talks in 2009, the North Korean 2500-5000 tons of stockpiles including regime has largely remained aloof to any mustard, phosgene, blood agents, sarin, diplomatic overtures for rolling back its tabun and V-agents (persistent nerve WMD programmes in return for economic agents).8 According to reports, the DPRK is aid and normalisation of relations. On the capable of producing most types of chemical contrary, the pressure tactics seem to have weapons indigenously, and is estimated to only emboldened the military regime to be capable of producing up to 12,000 tons of expand and pursue WMD programmes with Chemical Weapons at the maximum greater resolve. capacity.9 To launch chemical strikes, North Korea has acquired a multitude of delivery The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s platforms including both short and medium (DPRK) chemical weapons programme is range missiles and artillery guns. often dubbed as ‘irrational’ given the questionable military value attached to these Furthermore, North Korea’s acquisition of weapons. Also the DPRK leadership’s nuclear weapons in 2006 appears to have possible belief that chemical weapons are little impact on war-fighting plans of its army essential for its survival has been called into which continues to emphasise quick offensive question, since the possession and use of strikes using chemical weapons and other chemical weapons by the Assad regime in conventional capabilities.10 DPRK’s tiny Syria drew strong international reaction and nuclear arsenal is incapable of providing the only proved detrimental for the regime’s country any tangible deterrence against survival.6 Notwithstanding such arguments, highly sophisticated US nuclear forces. The for North Korea’s war-planners chemical North Korean military, therefore, relies on weapons are of great military significance in deploying chemical weapons both for launching early offensive breaking enemy defensive as well as offensive purposes defences and to overcome US- RoK allied during conflicts with its neighbours. The forces in a potential conflict.7 nuclear weapons, nevertheless, provide the regime a much-needed strategic deterrent The chemical weapons have traditionally to ensure its survival. been at the core of North Korea’s military strategy that seeks to offset perceived Given such salience of nuclear weapons in conventional asymmetry through early DPRKs national objectives, it is near- deployment of these weapons in the event impossible that the regime will agree into

Journal on Chemical and Biological Weapons 18 giving up its nuclear arsenal. The DPRK’s www.state.gov/t/isn/226423.htm, accessed insistence that it be recognized as a nuclear- on May 27, 2016. armed state has presented a serious 4 In March 2014, the Director-General of OPCW challenge to the international community to addressed letters to the Foreign Ministers of pursue a de-nuclearisation dialogue with the six non member states and urged their accession to the Convention at the earliest. See, Pyongyang any further. At present, no policy Report of the OPCW on the Implementation of consensus seems to be emerging on reviving the Convention on the Prohibition of the talks with the DPRK. As diplomacy remains Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction stalled and North Korea continuing to in 2014, at: https://www.opcw.org/fileadmin/ expand its military capabilities, deterring use OPCW/CSP/C-20/en/c2004_e_.pdf, of WMDs through threats of unacceptable accessed on May 23, 2016. retaliation remains the preferred policy of 5 Ibid, pp.29 at: https:.//www.opcw.org/ the United States and DPRK’s regional rivals. fileadmin/OPCW/CSP/C-20/en/ Amidst this diplomatic impasse, the c2004_e_.pdf, accessed on May 23, 2016. prospects for progress on chemical weapons 6 Antoine Bondaz (2013), “Why North Korea disarmament, too, are unlikely in the near Should Dismantle Its Chemical Weapons future. Arsenal”, Carnegie Tsinghua, November 27, 2013, at: http://carnegietsinghua.org/ Mitigating threats from DPRKs chemical publications/?fa=53712, accessed on May 23, 2016. arsenal, however, would require renewed diplomatic efforts to seek rapprochement 7 Federation of American Scientists, “Doctrine with the estranged regime in Pyongyang. It – North Korea”, at: http://fas.org/nuke/ is only through dialogue and realistic give- guide/dprk/doctrine/, accessed on May 26, 2016. and-takes that, the international community can seek a meaningful closure to DRPK’s 8 See, Chemical Weapons – North Korea, chemical weapons programme. Negotiations Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI), at: http:// www.nti.org/learn/countries/north-korea/ with North Korea understandably, will chemical/, accessed on May 23, 2016. require a sustained diplomatic effort over a period of time. The international community 9 Joseph S. Bermudez Jr. (2013), “North Korea’s must, nevertheless, be willing to engage with Chemical Warfare Capabilities”, 38 North, October 10, 2013, at: http://38north.org/ Kim Jong Un regime in the interest of a world 2013/10/jbermudez101013/, accessed on May free of chemical weapons and warfare. 23, 2016.

Endnotes: 10 Ibid 7.

1 See, Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), at : https://www.opcw.org/ about-opcw/, accessed on May 23, 2016.

2 United Nations Security Council - S/2013/337, “Note by the President of the Security Council”, June 11, 2013, at: http:// www.securitycouncilreport.org/atf/cf/ %7B65BFCF9B-6D27-4E9C-8CD3- CF6E4FF96FF9%7D/s_2013_337.pdf, accessed on May 23, 2016.

3 U.S. Department of State, “Non-proliferation Sanctions”, May 3, 2016, at: http://

Jan-Jun 2016 19 Kaleidoscope

Personal experience of volunteering Chemical for the Oral History Project at the Weapons are just Tehran Peace Museum* or many people the fear of being exposed as dangerous as Fto chemical weapons (CW) or living as a chemical weapon victim (CWV) are just some ever! words on paper or very far concepts. That is what I have heard from many visitors of the Elaheh Pooyandeh Tehran Peace Museum. But it is not the same for many people of my country, Iran. Once The author is a graduate in in a while, Iranians hear that another CWV international law and is has passed away after years of suffering from working as a volunteer in TPM the long term consequences of CW. But it since 2012, Tehran. doesn't mean that Iranians know all the facts, too. Summary This piece is based on personal I didn't know many things myself when I experiences of a volunteer of the visited the Tehran Peace Museum (TPM) for TPM. This article focuses on the role the first time in May 2012. I didn't know that of the Iranian victims of chemical for the first time after WWI, the CW were weapons in promoting a culture of used in large amounts1 during the Iran-Iraq peace and raising awareness on the war2, that the nerve agents were used in the consequences of the use of chemical battlefield for the first time during this war weapons. by Iraqi forces or that the first gas attacks against civilians happened against the people of Sardasht in Iran.3 I learnt all these facts in the TPM, not by reading the panels, but by talking to the volunteers who have devoted their lives to raise awareness on the consequences of the CW; the volunteers who are also the victims of these hideous weapons.

These volunteers, these CWV, are the unique feature of the Tehran Peace Museum. Their role is essential and that is why the Oral History Project of survivors of the CW started the TPM in 2014. In their first hand reflections, these survivors share their experiences and lives after being exposed to the CW as well as their message of peace and friendship for people around the world and their wish for a world free of CW.

Journal on Chemical and Biological Weapons 20 Here, I want to share with you one of the severe vomiting, loss of sight, cough and stories from a dear friend of mine, difficulty in breathing and blisters on the skin. Jahanshah Sadeghi 4 who I met for the first The survivors were transferred to other cities time in our first interview session for the and then their life as victims started. Oral History Project. All I knew before that was this: Jahanshah was a nurse at Soomar Jahanshah was in a very critical condition, Field Hospital when the hospital was so he was sent to Germany where his skin attacked with chemical weapons. And then I and lungs were treated. But the damage to met him for the interview. He was coughing his body especially to his lungs could not be very badly while answering the questions, completely cured and he was told he had to he had to use his artificial eye drops after live with only 30% of a normal lung capacity about an hour and he was talking about the from now on. This is how he lived the rest of darkest memory of his life. his life.

Jahanshah was a nurse in Field Hospital 528 I have been friends with many chemical near Soomar. He had chosen this job because weapon victims since I started volunteering he loved to help others. It was his way of at the TPM. Each one is special. What made making the world a better place. He was Jahanshah special was his kindness. He was married for two years before the attack and unwell and in pain, but he could not stop he felt that his life was complete after his first caring about the others. He was always child was born. Though being far from his sharing the good things he had, a good feeling, family because of serving in a war zone was a smile, even a candy! not easy. It was 15th March 2015 and I was in the In December 1986, while the Iranian forces TPM when I heard the news that he has were preparing for a big operation, the passed away. I remember it didn't seem real Soomar Field Hospital was equipped and and I couldn't react to the news until later medical experts prepared to treat the that night when I wrote about him in my incoming wounded soldiers. diary and cried.

On December 31 1986, the Hospital was full Now when I think about him, what I like to of wounded soldiers and the medical staff remember is not his injury, but is the fact were all very busy. Hearing the explosion that he did his best to end the use of the CW. from conventional bombs was not something He spoke out, to people in the TPM, to officials strange that day. But it was about noon when and delegates to his friends. He believed that the lives of everyone in the Soomar Field we need to teach our young people to Hospital changed forever. Iraqi airplanes understand one another, to love and to dropped eight bombs on the hospital - forgive and not resort to violence. We need mustard gas bombs. to show the youth the consequences of the use of WMD and to do our best to abolish all While interviewing him, I could see the pain kinds of these weapons. and sadness in Jahanshah, even after all these years. He could remember the many Since his death, whenever I get disappointed corpses of his fellow colleagues or wounded and I doubt if we can ever succeed in soldiers he had seen that day. No one was eliminating chemical and nuclear weapons, I ready for such an attack. After about an think of his passion. YES, we can. We can do hour, the symptoms started to appear, it if we just continue working together all

Jan-Jun 2016 21 around the world and show that the use of treatment. Many of them, are still suffering WMD is not accepted in public opinion from the consequences. anymore and a world free of them is possible. 4 The original stories are written by Mrs. We just need to work harder. Elizabeth Lewis after several interview sessions with survivors. What I share here is short * The Tehran Peace Museum (TPM) was version combined with my own notes, memories and reflections. To read the established by an Iranian NGO, Society complete stories as well as other interviews for Chemical Weapons Victims Support) please refer to the TPM’s website. in 2005. With its Educational and art programmes, it is as much an interactive peace centre as a museum. It coordinates peace education programme and hosts conferences on the culture of peace, reconciliation, international humanitarian law, disarmament, and peace advocacy.

TPM is mostly run by volunteer members. The volunteer guides of the museum are victims of chemical weapons who are actively engaged in its activities and are raising awareness about the consequences of the use of the WMD by sharing their own stories. They also work closely with the young volunteers in other activities of the museum.

TPM is a member of the International network of Museums for Peace and also acts as the Iranian office of the Mayors for Peace.

Endnotes:

1 In UNMOVIC working document, published on 6 March 2003, Iraq declared that it has used 1800 tonnes of mustard gas, 140 tonnes of tabun and over 600 tonnes of sarin during the Iran-Iraq war.

2 The Iran-Iraq war (1980-1988) was the longest conventional war of the 20th century. It ended in August 1988 after both parties accepted UN Security Council Resolution 598 and agreed on a ceasefire.

3 On June 28, 1987 the city of Sardasht in North West Iran was bombarded with chemical weapons by Iraqi jets. Thousands of civilians were exposed to mustard gas and more than 4000 residents were sent to other cities for

Journal on Chemical and Biological Weapons 22 Chemical and Biological News

NATIONAL AND happening is extremely difficult. It is a INTERNATIONAL worrisome development, one that analysts DEVELOPMENTS and pundits will be discussing for some time. LOOK AT ALL WEAPONS North Korea’s nuclear weapons not its worst threat; Recent fourth However, what few North Korea watchers nuclear device not the only WMD ever mention are Pyongyang’s other threat facing South Korea and its weapons of mass destruction. They are allies perhaps missing the biggest likely threat from NK. I refer to its stockpiles of biological Robert E. McCoy, April 11, 2016 and chemical agents. Given the meaningless red line drawn by the U.S. with regard to The early January detonation of its fourth the use of chemical weapons in Syria – their nuclear device by North Korea has stirred use went unpunished – the North may an already simmering pot. To continue the conclude that using such tools of war – even metaphor, when one adds in the apparently though roundly condemned – is something successful missile test (placing an object in it could get away with. earth orbit) and the reactive sanctions by the UN as well as the unilateral sanctions of some DELIVERY OF NON-NUCLEAR WEAPONS member states, the pot is now at a full boil. OF MASS DESTRUCTION IS EASIER Now we learn that some Western analysts THAN ONE MIGHT AT FIRST THINK are admitting that Pyongyang may indeed have miniaturized its nuclear devices enough Delivery of non-nuclear weapons of mass to fit atop its missiles of varying ranges. destruction is easier than one might at first think. Take, for example, the small North Nations are worried – and rightfully so, for Korean drones that have been found in the this adds yet another dimension to the last several months crashed in the northern arsenal of weapons at Kim Jong Un’s areas of South Korea. It would be easy to be disposal. The conventional wisdom is that scornful of such craft due to their small size Kim would not dare to employ his nukes for and apparent flimsiness. But that would be fear of retaliation that would surely spell the failing to recognize the potential for the end of his regime. It is a valid – though not destruction and havoc that the drones could 100 percent guaranteed – argument if one inflict. considers only larger, strategic weapons. Tactical nukes present another problem. Unfortunately, a short article on North Used properly, they can be localized such Korean drones in a South Korean daily a few that collateral damage can be restricted to a days ago did not receive the attention it much smaller area. deserved, even though the article itself was rather dismissive of their destructive Might Kim use smaller – tactical – nuclear possibilities. The South Korea Agency for weapons at some point? The probability of Defense Development had tested the that occurring is far greater than the reconstructed drones that had crashed in likelihood of his using larger ones; however, South Korea. It determined that the North assigning a precise value to the odds of either Korean drones were of low quality and could

Jan-Jun 2016 23 accommodate a payload of only about 900 pound bag of anthrax could possibly kill half grams – call it two pounds – and therefore the population of Washington, D.C. Two were not capable of delivering any pounds therefore might wipe out 100,000 threatening weapons. That is conveniently people in Seoul. To be sure, the dispersal reassuring – and it is frighteningly wrong. conditions would have to be ideal, but you get the idea. Pandemonium would result and MISSING THE POINT medical facilities would be overwhelmed. Although military members might have time The estimated payload is likely too low, and to garb themselves with protective gear, that certainly the North could improve the design sort of defense is not available to civilians. so that larger loads could be carried. However, just for the sake of argument, how As for two pounds of sarin gas, according to much damage could two pounds of a biological the World Health Organization, a pinprick- or chemical agent do? A lot! Imagine that sized droplet would kill a human. Now amount being dropped on a military group, consider the chemical agent VX, which is 10 or in the middle of a town – serious medical times more lethal. They would truly wreak issues and panic would ensue. havoc in any metropolitan area. That earlier It was gratifying to see that an article in NK cavalier dismissal of North Korea’s so-called News shows thinking along these same lines. flimsy drones that easily avoid radar Even so, that article quoted the chief of the detection doesn’t seem so reassuring now, South Korean Special Disaster Prevention does it? Center as saying, “In the worst-case MACHINE GUNS AND THE LIKE WILL scenario, the UAVs (unpiloted aerial vehicles, NOT BRING DOWN DRONES DUE TO THE drones in other words) can be equipped with FACT THAT THEY ARE SUCH SMALL biological weapons.” Well, there is a significant problem with thinking that it TARGETS would be the “worst-case scenario” – North Korea uses asymmetrical warfare for because that is exactly the case that should two reasons. This first is due to the fact that be expected. Such thinking needs to change: Pyongyang is so outclassed in conventional looking at it through Pyongyang’s eyes, it is methodology that it must resort to other the best-case scenario. ways of achieving superiority. The second is Another recent article decried the excessive because the West does such a poor job of hand wringing and posturing to increase the preparing for the unusual or unconventional. military budget in response to the latest Machine guns and the like will not bring crisis du jour. While the opinion that news down drones due to the fact that they are about drones should not be used to whip the such small targets. The proof is that it has South Korean public into a panic or to already been tried by the South Korean substantiate unjustified defense spending is military with no apparent success. appropriate, the article also failed to grasp the significance of how drones can be used. WHO IS READY? In other words, once again, meaningful No one can prepare for every eventuality, analysis was missing. for there are by far too many potentialities HITTING THE MARK and the North is so resourceful. However, having said that, it is clear that we must do William Cohen, the U.S. Secretary of Defense better. First is to brainstorm what things under President Clinton, stated that a five- are possible – even “weird” stuff – without

Journal on Chemical and Biological Weapons 24 regard for what is likely. The ponderers must Under the BSL3 code of conduct adhered to be free to explore their imaginations, for only by Baxter, it is impossible for live avian flu in this manner can all possible contingencies viruses to contaminate production vaccine be identified. Only after – after – all materials that are shipped out to vendors potentialities have been listed, are they around the world. The Baxter organized by degree of probability. It is at International’s development and this point that preparation for the most likely distribution of this Biological Weapon of Mass or most damaging can begin. Destruction is intentional and clearly planned to coordinate with the massive Barium laced It is time to start examining, putting the best Chemtrails that are designed to lower minds to work regarding possibilities, and people’s immune systems. developing ways to counter and neutralize such asymmetrical threats. Some may call it In the late 1900’s Baxter was also guilty of out-of-the-box thinking, and others might lacing blood given to hemophiliacs with refer to it as creative problem solving. In AIDS. In 2006 Bayer Corporation was also reality, it is only due diligence on the part of caught providing HIV contaminated those who are responsible for the defense of medication to hemophiliacs. Internal South Korea. documents prove the company knew the medication was laced with HIV so they https://www.nknews.org/2016/04/ removed it from the US market and dumped north-koreas-nuclear-weapons-are-not- the deadly dose on European, Asian and Latin its-worst-threat/ America. They knowingly distributed the deadly HIV concoction to thousands of Report: Vaccines Are Biological individuals, mostly children. France at least Weapons Of Mass Disease sent government officials to prison for allowing the drug to be distributed. Sean Adl-Tabatabai, April 8, 2016 Documents show that the FDA colluded with Bayer to cover-up the scandal and allowed A US-based pharmaceutical company has the deadly drug to be distributed globally. distributed vaccines laced with the deadly No Bayer executives ever faced arrest or live Avian Flu Virus to 18 countries, putting prosecution in the United States. millions of lives at risk. Baxter mixed the deadly H5N1 virus with a Baxter International Inc. have been accused mix of H3N2 seasonal flu viruses creating an by a Czech Republic laboratory of including extraordinary deadly super-airborne the deadly virus in a recent shipment of biological weapon. The mixing of viruses in vaccinations. laboratory terms is called ‘reassortment’. Libertyforlife.com reports: Reassortment is one of two ways pandemic viruses are created, especially when an When challenged, at first Baxter attempted animal strain is mixed with a human strain. to invoke trade secret laws (like the L-Bam The BWMD in the disguise of a regular Flu Check Mate Apple Moth Spray issue). The Vaccine was distributed to 18 Countries and facts were however irrefutable so Baxter is likely to have been distributed throughout changed their story and claimed to have the USA. distributed the Bio-WMD by ‘mistake’.

Jan-Jun 2016 25 H5N1 has a 60% to 90% kill rate on humans. weapons and assured that they and their families will be allowed to move to military The deadly mix by Baxter makes H5N1 bases while the genocide takes place: airborne. Scientists developing and studying bio weapons are beingmurdered in the open. Ironically, people working for the NWO These psychopathically genocidal murderers dimwits fail to observe that those on the who funded the Nazi and the Communist inside, like the police men and fire fighters on Holocausts, the owners of the Federal 9/11, and the soldiers in Iraq, are the first get Reserve Bank, are likely to eliminate most contaminated and the first to die. The goal is of mankind, pursuant to their goals to wipe out 6 billion people, anyone who expressed on theGEORGIA GUIDE thinks they and their family will be spared is STONES. The NWO and our leaders intend not just naive, they are morons who bring to murder around 6 billion people, that’s why disaster on their neighbors, family and self. they have been so brazen in their fleecing and criminal acts on Wall Street. Unlike normal seasonal influenza, where infection causes only mild respiratory Prior to appointment as Secretary of War in symptoms in most healthy people, the the Nazi-like invasion of Iraq, Donald H. disease caused by avian H5N1 follows an Rumsfeld was Chairman of the Board of unusually aggressive clinical course, with Gilead Sciences the manufacturer of Tamiflu rapid deterioration and high fatality. Primary the bird flu drug of choice. Rumsfeld will viral pneumonia and multi-organ failure are profit extraordinarily from this next planned common. It is significant that most cases genocide. Other ‘benficiaris of the BWMD have occurred in previously healthy children are BIlderberg members like George Shultz and young adults. H5N1 incubates longer and Lodewijk J.R. de Vink. While testing than current human influenza viruses before their bird-flu biological weapon, for the first causing symptoms, up to eight days in some time in history, a virus spread not from west cases. In household clusters of cases, the time to east, but from east to west. between cases has generally ranged from two to five days but has been reported to Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, take as long as 17 days. NaturalNews Editor, summed up the situation: “Baxter is acting a whole lot like a Initial symptoms of H5N1 infection are more biological terrorism organization these days, likely to include diarrhea, which can appear sending deadly viral samples around the up to a week before any respiratory world. If you mail an envelope full of anthrax symptoms. That feature, combined with the to your Senator, you get arrested as a detection of viral RNA in stool samples, terrorist. So why is Baxter — which mailed suggests that the virus grows in the samples of a far more deadly viral strain to gastrointestinal tract. Lower respiratory labs around the world — getting away with tract symptoms such as shortness of breath saying, essentially, “Oops?”But there’s a appear early in the course of the illness, bigger question in all this: How could this whereas upper respiratory symptoms such company have accidentally mixed LIVE as rhinorrhea are less common. avian flu viruses (both H5N1 and H3N2, the human form) in this vaccine material?” According to experts, it is virtually impossible to make a ‘mistake’ and Truckers working for Homeland Security are accidentally lace vaccinations with live Avian paid $5,000 per load to transport the bio Bird Flu! Naturally, ‘authorities’ will

Journal on Chemical and Biological Weapons 26 overlook this astonishing terrorist act the collaborations and publications involving same way they overlooked the US invasion private contracts with Novavax, a company of Iraq; the government blowing up the that obtains its biosimulars through CDC World Trade Center and the handing out Influenza Branch director, Ruben O. Donis, trillions of dollars to banksters who caused and Dr. Rick Bright, previously working with the depression and the World Wars. Donis at the CDC, now Novavaxs Vice President of Global Influenza Programs. OPPOSITE DR. HOROWITZ ANALYZES THE FLU GENOCIDE: Descriptions of this virus is pathognomonic, or diagnostic, of a virus that came from This unprecedented H1N1-H5N1 flu Robertsons circle of friends, Dr. Horowitz outbreak implicates the Ango-American charges. No other group in the world takes Vaccine Pipeline, says world leading H5N1 Asian flu infected chickens, brings consumer health protector, Dr. Leonard them to Europe, extracts their DNA, Horowitz combines their proteins with H1N1 viruses from the 1918 Spanish flu isolate, additionally Consider the skyrocketing stock values of mixes in swine flu genes from pigs, then Novavax, Inc., precipitated by dozens of reverse engineers them to infect humans. alleged flu deaths in Mexico. Then The end product could only have ended up investigate the leading Anglo-American in Mexico via the United States from Britain network of genetic engineers manipulating, mutating, and distributing these viruses. The in care of the CDC. The CDC had to have sent evidence compels you, for the benefit of them to Novavax, where Rick Brights team public health and safety to seriously is now implicated in a conspiracy to commit consider, even decree, a conspiracy to genocide—the mass killing of people for commit genocide, according to this Harvard profit. trained expert in emerging diseases. HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF? Here, Dr. Horowitz urges an investigation of Evidence now shows that 1918 influenza Dr. James S. Robertson, Englands leading pandemic, which killed up to 50 million bioengineer of flu viruses for the vaccine people worldwide (more than those killed by industry, and avid promoter of U.S. the Black Death and all those killed in the Government funding for lucrative biodefense war) following World War One, was contracts, along with collaborators at the US intentionally started by injecting servicemen Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC). These suspects helped Novavax, Inc., with “experimental” flu vaccines that in Bethesda, Maryland, produce genetically- actually contained live, “weaponized” flu modified recombinants of the avian, swine, material just like the material being and Spanish flu viruses, H5N1 and H1N1, distributed by Baxter today. The 1918 bio nearly identical to the unprecedented weapon consisted of an unusually severe and Mexican virus that is allegedly spreading to deadly Influenza A virus strain of subtype the United States at the time of this posting. H1N1. The outbreak was precisely timed to The 1918 flu originated with servicemen and promote the companys new research and began simultaneously in multiple cities, huge vaccine stockpiling contracts. ‘spontaneously’ infected multiple cities all at Scientists at the U.S. Centers for Disease once, including a military base in Kansas. Control (CDC) are implicated through The disease was first discovered at Fort

Jan-Jun 2016 27 Riley, Kansas and Queens, New York, in The Pope, kings, queens and oligarchs have 1918. In August 1918, a more virulent strain always wanted to destroy the USA. It looks appeared simultaneously in Brest, France, like the dreams of the same people who gave in West Africa at Freetown, Sierra Leone, us the holocausts in Germany, Russia, and in the U.S. at Boston, Massachusetts. The Cambodia, China, Africa and who gave us the virus then spread to nearly every part of the World Wars, are about to come true. globe in three waves lasting from March 1918 to June 1920. http://yournewswire.com/report- vaccines-are-biological-weapons-of- The 1918 Flu was called “Spanish Flu”, mass-disease/ primarily because the pandemic received greater press attention after it moved from Animal testicle bombs are a France to Spain in November of 1918. dangerous step towards ISIS biological warfare, says expert CAREFUL COORDINATION WITH CHEMTRAILS An Islamic State bomber discovered with a plastic bag full of excrement, animals testicles By now, anyone listening to mainstream and explosives, is a chilling warning the terror media knows you have to be a moron to group are planning for biological warfare, believe anything the big five media according to an expert. companies or the government says. They are now attempting to claim that the Siobhan Mcfadyen, May 6, 2016 Chemtrails they have secretly been gassing us with to lower our immunity with Barium Mohamed Abrini was found with a in preparation for the Bird Flu Bio Weapons, rudimentary dirty bomb are here to help offset flooding from global warming. When the ice melts in your cup, Mohamed Abrini was said to have made the does your cup overflow? The vast volume rudimentary bomb with the intention of of the Polar ice caps are floating, just like the spreading bacterial infection when he ice in your cup. Global Warming is a hoax. wreaked havoc in the worst terror attack in Belgian history. The problem is that we have a group of severely insane leaders who have absolutely The 31-year-old, who was also involved in no clue as to what they are doing in their mad last year’s Paris attacks, was identified as the rush to secure their Old World Order “man in the hat” after going on the run disguised as a New World Order. The NWO following the suicide bombings which intends to exterminate the New Order of the resulted in 32 deaths and 270 injuries at the Ages (NOA) embodied in the United States airport and at the city’s Maelbeek subway of America which was born out of the station. Renaissance and Reformation. NOA took Now a leading expert says the animal testes power and sovereignty from the bomb shows ISIS leaders are continually government, kings, queens and the Pope and trying to develop terrifying biological handed sovereignty to the people. The weapons - even in their crudest form - to question is whether NOA will survive this literally sicken the public. next flood.

Journal on Chemical and Biological Weapons 28 Dr Amesh Adalja, a Senior Associate at the dangerous step that demonstrates University of Pittsburgh Medical Center for unequivocal interest in biological weapons.” Health Security, said: “The news that ISIS may have been interested in a biological In February, British and American special weapon is not surprising, as terrorist groups forces trained in secret for a biological or from Al Qaeda and Aum Shinrikyo have chemical attack in the UK. expressed this same effort. Experts have warned that ISIS are Abrini was identified as the ’man in the hat’ developing biological weapons involved in the Brussels attacks The special operatives undertook Chemical, “Biological weaponry is as old as civilisation Nuclear, Radiological and Biological (CBRN) and through history has moved from the very training sanctioned by COBRA, Britain’s crude such as poisoning wells to the very emergency cabinet response team chaired sophisticated. by David Cameron.

It is a dangerous step that demonstrates Belgian police, acting after the March terror unequivocal interest in biological weapons: attacks, conducted a number of raids in Dr. Amesh Adalja. apartments across the city following the attacks and discovered explosive devices “Belgian reports that the suspect had plastic containing nails and an ISIS flag. bag filled with animal excrement and testes argues that the potential capacity of this They also discovered Abrini had created a particular individual is towards the more bomb using animal testes and fecal matter basic end of the spectrum. before he was finally apprehended in April.

“Such crude preparations hearken back to A note circulated to police warned of the ancient history when warriors would coat contents of the plastic bag so law their spears and swords in animal excrement enforcement officers were fully prepared to so as to heighten the chance of a post- avoid infection while they were hunting traumatic infection occurring. Abrini, according to reports in Belgian media.

“Similarly, during the Vietnam War the He had been on Europe’s most wanted list Vietcong placed stakes that were laden with after he was spotted on CCTV traveling by feces, called Punji sticks, in the paths of US car to Paris two days before the attacks on troops with the intention of them being the French capital in November. impaled and then infected with the fecal bacteria. A known petty criminal, the dual Belgian and Moroccan national, grew up in Brussels but “These types of biological weapons are not, is believed to have traveled to Syria to under ordinary circumstances, able to inflict undergo training. wide scale harm as, for example, an aerosol release of anthrax could, but are still very Abrini is currently in police custody, after effective in fomenting fear. being charged over the attacks.

“However, creating such crude preparations http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/ cannot be ignored, as it is nonetheless a 667874/isis-daesh-biological-warfare- dirty-bomb-animal-testicles-brussels

Jan-Jun 2016 29 Zika virus: expectant mothers summer, for those travelling to Disney World advised to avoid Rio Olympics in Florida.

PREGNANT WOMEN SHOULD ALSO He told the Mail on Sunday that women who ‘THINK TWICE’ ABOUT TRAVELLING are pregnant or hoping to get pregnant “need TO PARTS OF THE US, INCLUDING to consider their plans and, if there is an FLORIDA, SAYS BRITISH SCIENTIST alternative to going to those parts of the US, strongly consider it”. May 29, 2016 He added: “They should think twice and seek Pregnant women and those trying for a up-to-date expert advice.” baby should beware of the dangers posed As for the risk posed by those travelling to by the Zika virus when planning trips the Olympic Games, Jeremy Farrar, director this summer, a British expert has of the Wellcome Trust, said it would be warned. insufficient to cause a major impact on the overall spread of the virus. Mothers-to-be are advised to avoid the Olympic Games in Rio and even to He told the Observer: “The numbers “think twice” if travelling to certain parts travelling to and from Brazil for the games of the US, including Florida. is likely to account for about 0.25% of world travel. That does not pose a sufficient risk of The World Health Organisation on spreading the disease in my view. Sunday rejected calls from 150 of the world’s leading scientists to reschedule “Mosquitoes in August are not nearly so the Olympics because of the ongoing active in Brazil as at other times of the year. threat from the virus. Risks are therefore reduced.”

The majority of those infected with Zika His comments echo those already expressed will have no symptoms, but for others it by Jonathan Ball, professor of molecular can cause a mild illness with symptoms virology at Nottingham University. including a rash, fever and headache. He said that while people needed to be Serious complications that arise from careful when travelling, the risk from infection are not common, but the virus Olympic travel alone would be “a drop in the can cause microcephaly, where babies are ocean” compared with routine trips and trade. born with abnormally small heads due to http://www.theguardian.com/world/ the fact their brains have not developed 2016/may/29/zika-virus-expectant- properly. mothers-advised-to-avoid-rio-olympics As the temperature rises in some parts of the world in the next few months, World Health Organization Rejects scientists have warned those most at risk Call to Move Olympics Over Zika to consider their travel plans. Fears

Prof Jimmy Whitworth from the London Daniel Politi, January 26, 2016. School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine said there could be a risk, later in the The United Nations health agency says the 150 public health experts who wrote an open

Journal on Chemical and Biological Weapons 30 letter calling for the Olympic Games in Rio Predicting the spread of the Zika de Janeiro to be moved or postponed virus because of the Zika virus are wrong. “Cancelling or changing the location of the Hokkaido University, May 27, 2016 2016 Olympics will not significantly alter the international spread of Zika virus,”the World Health Organization said on Saturday. The WHO responded a day after the 150 public health experts said that moving forward with the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro would lead to “an unnecessary risk.”

The response by the WHO likely did not surprise those who wrote the open letter as they had warned that the global health organization suffers from a “conflict of The risk is given as the percentage of interest” due to its partnership with the observing local transmission by the end of International Olympic Committee. That’s 2016, colored by intensity (0-15, 15-30, 30- why the experts called on the WHO to 45 and 45-60 percent, respectively). The “convene an independent group to advise it origin country Brazil and countries that have and the IOC in a transparent, evidence- already experienced case importation prior to based process in which science, public health, importation event in Brazil are colored by grey. and the spirit of sport come first.” A new tool by Japan-based researchers All that, however, is unnecessary, according predicts the risk of Zika virus importation to the WHO, which pointed out the virus has and local transmission for 189 countries. already spread. “Brazil is 1 of almost 60 countries and territories which to date report Countries that are well connected to/from continuing transmission of Zika by Brazil have been at particularly high risk of mosquitoes,” the WHO said. “People importation, according to the analysis by a continue to travel between these countries team of researchers from the University of and territories for a variety of reasons.” Tokyo, Hokkaido University, and the Japan Science and Technology Agency. The Olympics has never been moved for a public health reason, although the Women’s However, subtropical and tropical countries World Cup was moved to the United States with a history of dengue and other mosquito- from China due to fears over the Sars borne diseases have the greatest risk of the epidemic, notes the BBC. virus spreading once it arrives in the country. This means many nations in South and http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/ Central America, as well as the Caribbean, 2016/05/28/world_health_ face the highest risk of infection and should organization_rejects _call_to_move_ take measures to prevent mosquito bites, olympics_over_zika_fears.html according to the study that was recently published in Peer J. France, southern parts of China and the United Arab Emirates also fall into this category having experienced previous outbreaks.

Jan-Jun 2016 31 “We have shown that the predicted risk of the spread within regions. For example, local transmission was frequently seen in models should incorporate ecological tropical and subtropical countries with information about mosquitoes. dengue or chikungunya epidemic experience, while the risk of importation was more “Despite a clear need to improve predictions scattered around the world,” said Hiroshi in the future, the present study successfully Nishiura, a professor of hygiene at Hokkaido devised a simple global risk prediction of University. importation and local transmission,” Prof. Nishiura said. “Countries at low risk may The Zika virus was first found in Uganda in focus on prevention among pregnant women 1947, and then detected in 39 countries who must travel to epidemic areas.” around the world, including the United States, India and Japan. In early 2015, a Zika https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/ virus outbreak in Brazil was soon followed 2016/05/160527090912.htm by a high number of microcephaly cases, in which babies are born with abnormally small Eastern European States Pledge heads. The link between the two is not Support to OPCW Education and definitively understood, but is strongly Outreach Efforts suspected. Since the Brazil outbreak, Zika virus has been detected in an additional 39 May 19, 2016 countries, including in Europe, the U.K., Participants at the first Regional Meeting on South America and Asia. Education and Outreach in Eastern Europe, Many researchers are working to anticipate which took place from 4 to 5 May in Vilnius, the virus’s potential spread, especially given Lithuania. that it can be carried by lightly infected Representatives of 21 Eastern European travelers and then passed onto others by States expressed their commitment to mosquitos. Global concern and attention are support awareness-raising efforts of the elevated with thousands of visitors set to Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical attend the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro this Weapons (OPCW) during the first Regional summer. Meeting on Education and Outreach in Professor Nishiura and his colleagues Eastern Europe, which took place from 4 to predicted the virus’ potential of importation 5 May in Vilnius, Lithuania. and local transmission by the end of 2016 Forty-five participants from civil society, using a survival analysis model, information academia, non-governmental organisations about airline transportation networks, and and National Authorities of Eastern transmission data for dengue and European States Parties to the Chemical chikungunya viruses, which are also Weapons Convention (CWC) focused on how transmitted by the same mosquito species. to advance an education and outreach agenda They collected Zika data up to January 31, related to the implementation of the 2016, and they note that new cases were Convention. confirmed in more countries shortly thereafter. The meeting came shortly after the launch of the OPCW’s Advisory Board on Education The authors recommend that a finer scale and Outreach (ABEO). The body will offer analysis be done to more accurately predict

Journal on Chemical and Biological Weapons 32 practical advice to the Organisation on planned terrorist attacks this Friday in possible strategies, tools and a portfolio of Morocco, Director of the Central Bureau of activities in line with global trends in Judicial Investigations (BCIJ), Abdelhak education and outreach. The Vilnius audience Khiame, said. received a briefing on this new development and pledged to support ABEO’s work. The ten-member terror cell, whose members pledged allegiance to the so-called The participants learned about various public Islamic State (ISIS), was planning attacks awareness approaches developed by the against public institutions and civil and Organisation. After watching the OPCW military figures, Khiame said at a press documentary from the FIRES documentary briefing at the BCIJ headquarters in Salé films series titled “A Teacher’s Mission”, (Rabat twin city). attendees praised it as an engaging tool to stimulate students’ reflection on the role of What characterizes this cell is the nature of ethics in science. weapons brought from Libya, as they are made from toxic biological and chemical The Vilnius discussions highlighted the substances which could be used to make increasingly important role of education and explosives, in addition to its recruitment of outreach in the implementation of the CWC. a French citizen and a 16-year-old man who Many participants presented their national received training to carry out a suicide car experiences and good practices and bomb attack, Khiame added. underlined the need to expand the reach of the Convention at universities, among He added that the cell members, who were scientific communities and in industry to help active in the cities of Essaouira, Meknès and foster the culture of responsible science Sidi Kacem, and their leader (from worldwide. Laayoune), received, after pledging allegiance to ISIS, several weapons from The ideas that emerged at the Vilnius Libya, and military training near the gathering will be considered by the Advisory southern city of Tan-Tan in order to carry Board and used to bring awareness about the out terrorist operations and undermine work of the OPCW to various communities Morocco’s security and stability. in Eastern Europe. One of Advisory Board’s key aims is to create such connections and Khiame underlined that the terror cell set ensure synergies among the activities of up a training camp in Sehb El Harcha (20 many stakeholders. km from Tan-Tan), adding that they chose this site because of its resemblance with the https://www.opcw.org/news/article/ zones of ISIS in Syria and Iraq. eastern-european-states-pledge-support- to-opcw-education-and-outreach-efforts/ Most of the seized arms during this operation are made in Iraq and were smuggled into the ISIS Terrorist Cell Dismantled in Kingdom through Libya, he said, pointing out Morocco ‘Planned to Use Biological that the pressure on ISIS in Iraq and Syria Weapons’ has made the group thinking about exporting its activities to Libya, which suffers from February 19, 2016 instability, and collaborating its operations Rabat – The terrorist that busted on with other cells in the region through Thursday, is a “real commando” that providing them with arms and money.

Jan-Jun 2016 33 Among the seized weapons, there were four shared with the global chemical watchdog, machine guns, three revolvers, an automatic the Organization for the Prohibition of pistol, a rifle, and important quantities of Chemical Weapons. ammunition and thirteen teargas bombs, four expandable batons, an electric Taser, six Syria’s government has been repeatedly plastic bottles containing explosives, foreign accused by the United States and other passport, four computers and mobile phones. Western countries of using chemical weapons on its own people, even after the http://www.moroccoworldnews.com/ Security Council in 2013 ordered the 2016/02/180240/isis-terrorist-cell- elimination of its chemical weapons program dismantled-in-morocco-planned-to-use- following an attack on a Damascus suburb biological-weapons/ that killed hundreds of civilians.

A new report claims that chemical The council last year also condemned the use weapons have been used at least of toxic chemicals like chlorine after growing 161 times in Syria’s five-year civil reports of barrel bombs filled with chlorine war and caused almost 1,500 gas being dropped on opposition-held areas. deaths Chlorine is widely available and not officially considered a warfare agent, but its use as a March 14, 2016 weapon is illegal. The new report notes at least 60 deaths from chlorine attacks. NEW YORK (AP) — As Syria marks five full years of civil war this month, a new report The report also says 77 percent of the claims that chemical weapons have been used chemical weapons attacks it documented at least 161 times through the end of 2015 occurred after the Security Council’s order and caused 1,491 deaths. It says such attacks in 2013, and 36 percent occurred after the are increasing, with a high of at least 69 council condemned the use of chlorine last attacks last year, and 14,581 people have year. been injured in all. Syria’s government denies using chemical The Syrian American Medical Society says weapons or toxic chemicals on its people. its report released Monday is the most Reports also have surfaced in recent months comprehensive listing of chemical weapons that the Islamic State group has used toxic attacks in Syria so far. The U.S.-based chemicals in Syria. nonprofit, which supports more than 1,700 The new report does not assign blame for workers at over 100 medical centers in each chemical weapons attack. That task is Syria, says the list is based primarily on the for the Joint Investigative Mechanism reports of medical personnel who have established last year by the United Nations treated victims, aided by NGOs and other and the OPCW. It was expected to begin in- local sources. depth investigations of a handful of potential The organization is asking the 15-member cases in Syria this month. U.N. Security Council and the international Houssam Alnahhas, a co-author of the report community to quickly identify perpetrators who documented attacks in Syria and now and hold them accountable through the pursues medical studies in Turkey, told The International Criminal Court or other means. Associated Press that he and fellow Syrians Much of the report’s documentation has been

Journal on Chemical and Biological Weapons 34 are losing hope as the Security Council does “In response to chemical attacks in Syria, the nothing in response to repeated violations of international community sends us more its own resolutions. antidotes,” Mohammed Tennari, a doctor in the rebel-held province of Idlib, is quoted as He now saves documentation of any saying in the report. “This means that the suspected attacks “for history, you know, so world knows that chemical weapons will be next generations will know that chemical used against us again and again. agents were used against civilians and the world just watched people die.” “What we need most is not antidotes – what we need is protection, and to prevent Both Alnahhas and Zaher Sahloul, the senior another family from slowly suffocating adviser and past president of the Syrian together after being gassed in their home,” American Medical Society, said they’ve seen he added. no indication that the current fragile cease- fire negotiated by the United States and The report documents 161 chemical attacks Russia has stopped reports of possible in Syria, details of which were gathered from chemical weapons attacks. doctors operating on the ground in the areas that bore the brunt of chemical warfare, and The report says SAMS has compiled an which led to the deaths of 1,491 people and additional 133 reported chemical attacks 14,581 injuries due to exposure to chemicals. during Syria’s civil war “that could not be More than a third of the attacks used fully substantiated.” chlorine gas, and the vast majority of those came after a UN security council resolution http://www.usnews.com/news/world/ condemning its use. articles/2016-03-14/161-chemical- weapons-attacks-in-syrias-war-new- A further 133 reported attacks could not be report-says fully verified by the organisation, which works with about 100 health facilities in ‘Almost 1,500 killed in chemical Syria. weapons attacks’ in Syria The report’s release came as peace talks in Kareem Shaheen in Beirut, March 14, 2016 Geneva brokered by the US and Russia begin almost five years to the day since protests Nearly 1,500 people have been killed in against Assad erupted in the city of Deraa. chemical weapons attacks in Syria during the The conflict has since led to the killing of five-year civil war, according to a report that almost 500,000 people by some accounts, highlights the uninhibited ferocity of the and displaced half of the country’s population. conflict. The most devastating chemical attack was The attacks amount to a strategic policy to carried out by the Assad government in displace civilians in opposition-controlled August 2013 in the besieged Eastern Ghouta, territory, the report by the Syrian-American a sprawling agricultural hinterland near Medical Society (Sams) concludes. Damascus. The attack used sarin gas and may have killed more than 1,000 civilians. The vast majority of the documented attacks and the ensuing civilian casualties were That incident prompted the brokering of a perpetrated by the government of Bashar deal by major powers that dismantled much al-Assad, it says. of Syria’s chemical weapons stockpiles, but

Jan-Jun 2016 35 attacks using chlorine have since continued capture the military airbase south of Deir in the country. Moreover, Islamic State has Ezzor city. The province is strategically also deployed chlorine and mustard agent in important as it connects the group’s fighters attacks on opposition and anti-Isis fighters. in Raqqa with its forces in Iraq.

Last year witnessed the greatest use of ISIS has created a unit dedicated to the chemical agents in the war, with 69 development of chemical weapons that documented attacks, despite the dismantling consists of former Saddam-era engineers as of much of Syria’s stockpile, as the use of well as foreign experts. nerve agents such as sarin all but ceased, The militant group has previously used only to be replaced with widespread attacks mustard gas and chlorine gas in weapons using so-called “barrel bombs” laced with fired at Kurdish forces in northern Iraq and chlorine. northern Syria and it has the capability to “Chemical attacks are used strategically to continue making small quantities of chlorine cause civilian displacement in Syria,” the and mustard gas, according to CIA director report says. “The fear caused by these silent John Brennan. and unpredictable weapons causes civilians Last month, the radical Islamists conducted to flee in larger numbers than in the a gas attack on the northern Iraqi town of aftermath of conventional attacks.” Taza, south of the city of Kirkuk, killing three children and wounding approximately 1,500 http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/ people. Many reported breathing problems mar/14/syria-chemical-weapons-attacks- and rashes from the agents used. almost-1500-killed-report-united-nations The chemical attacks have not been as ISIS Carries out Chemical Weapon deadly as the group’s suicide bombings across Attack On Syrian Army: State Tv the Middle East, but leave long-lasting physical and psychological damage. Jack Moore, May 4, 2016 In February, U.S. special forces captured the The Islamic State militant group (ISIS) has head of ISIS’s chemical weapons unit, attacked the forces of Syrian President Sleiman Daoud al-Afari, a former chemical Bashar al-Assad with chemical weapons at and biological weapons specialist at Saddam an airbase in eastern Syria, the state news Hussein’s Military Industrialization agency SANA reported late Monday. Authority, in a raid in northern Iraq.

“Daesh (ISIS) terrorists attacked Deir Ezzor The European Parliament released a military airport with rockets carrying report in December 2015 warning the mustard gas, causing some people to European Union’s member states to “prepare suffocate,” it said, without elaborating on how for the possibility” of an ISIS chemical attack many Syrian soldiers had been killed in the on the continent. attack. http://www.newsweek.com/isis-carries- A statement on Syria’s state-owned out-chemical-weapon-attack-syrian- Ikhbariyah television station also said that army-state-news-agency-444213 the group had fired mustard gas in its bid to

Journal on Chemical and Biological Weapons 36 Rumsfeld ‘helped Iraq get ‘Donald Rumsfeld has some explaining to do,’ chemical weapons’ a senior Pentagon official said last night, while Congressional sources said that a Senate William Lowther, May 23, 2016 Committee was considering opening hearings to investigate exactly what happened. US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld helped Saddam Hussein build up his arsenal The documents could hardly have been of deadly chemical and biological weapons, it released at a worse time for Mr Rumsfeld, was revealed last night. who is building up troops in the Gulf in preparation for a war with Iraq that is As an envoy from President Reagan 19 years generally expected to start in about a month. ago, he had a secret meeting with the Iraqi dictator and arranged enormous military They will also embarrass Tony Blair as he assistance for his war with Iran. attempts to build international support for military action. The CIA had already warned that Iraq was using chemical weapons almost daily. But Mr And they will cause a headache for the Rumsfeld, at the time a successful executive Foreign Office, because the news will be seen in the pharmaceutical industry, still made it by Islamic countries as a prime example of possible for Saddam to buy supplies from American hypocrisy over the issue. American firms. For years Middle Eastern countries have They included viruses such as anthrax and accused the US of double-talk over Iraq. bubonic plague, according to the Washington They are bitterly critical that the American Post. government helped arm Saddam during the 1980s in a war against Iran, which at that The extraordinary details have come to light time Washington regarded as its biggest because thousands of State Department enemy in the region. documents dealing with the 1980-88 Iran- Iraq war have just been declassified and America’s critics are now disgusted by the released under the Freedom of Information way the administration has performed a Act. somersault, and now expects them to agree that Saddam’s regime should be treated as At the very least, it is highly embarrassing a pariah. for 70-year-old Mr Rumsfeld, who is the most powerful and vocal of all the hawks This will make it even harder to persuade surrounding President Bush. neighbouring states to offer Western troops bases and landing strips vital for such an He bitterly condemns Saddam as a ruthless onslaught. and brutal monster and frequently backs up his words by citing the use of the very But one thing was clear last night - President weapons which it now appears he helped to Bush will not let the embarrassment prevent supply. him from forging ahead with his plans to attack Baghdad, and if that does happen Mr The question is: Why has he never said Blair will have no choice but to join him in anything about his role in the negotiations? the attack.

Jan-Jun 2016 37 It was in late 1983 that Ronald Reagan made component of the Iraqi biological warfare Mr Rumsfeld his envoy as the Iranians programme. gained the upper hand in their war with Iraq. The newspaper says: ‘The Commerce Terrified that the Iranian Islamic revolution Department also approved the export of would spread through the Gulf and into Saudi insecticides to Iraq, despite widespread Arabia - threatening US oil supplies - Mr suspicions that they were being used for Reagan sent Mr Rumsfeld to prop up chemical warfare.’ Saddam and keep the Iranian militants within their own borders. At the time of his meeting with Saddam, Mr Rumsfeld was working for Searle - a The State Department documents show that company which dealt only in medicinal Mr Rumsfeld flew to Baghdad where he had pharmaceuticals. a 90-minute meeting with Saddam followed by a much longer session with foreign Both he and Searle made all their money minister Tariq Aziz. from the distribution of a cardiovascular drug. ‘It was a horrible mistake,’ former CIA military analyst Kenneth Pollack said last Under no circumstances did he or Searle night. have any connection to the production of chemicals which would have been sold to ‘We were warning at the time that Hussein Saddam. was a very nasty character. We were constantly fighting the State Department.’ And no one in the US has ever suggested that Mr Rumsfeld had any personal interest at On November 1, 1983, a full month before stake in the Iraq meetings. Mr Rumsfeld’s visit to Baghdad, Secretary of State George Shultz was officially The Defence Secretary was making no informed that the CIA had discovered Iraqi comment last night. troops were resorting to ‘almost daily use of chemical weapons’ against the Iranians. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ article-153210/Rumsfeld-helped-Iraq- Nevertheless, Mr Rumsfeld arranged for the chemical-weapons.html Iraqis to receive billions of pounds in loans to buy weapons and CIA Director William Terror Alert: ISIS testing chemical Casey used a Chilean front company to weapons on prisoners supply Iraq with cluster bombs. Zen Adra, May 22, 2016 According to the Washington Post, a Senate committee investigating the relationship The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is between the US and Iraq discovered that in reportedly testing homegrown chemicals like the mid-1980s - following the Rumsfeld visit chloride and mustard gas on prisoners they - dozens of biological agents were shipped to hold in a secret jail in the Nineveh Iraq under licence from the Commerce governorate, northern Iraq. The claim was Department. made by residents residing near the alleged prison in Al-Andalus district, who reported They included anthrax, subsequently of their children suffering severe rashes, in identified by the Pentagon as a key addition to breathing difficulties. The terror

Journal on Chemical and Biological Weapons 38 group has also relocated its chemical Security and hospital officials say the latest weapons laboratories to heavily-populated attack took place early Saturday in Taza, neighborhoods inside its stronghold of Mosul, which was also struck by a barrage of rockets in order to avoid being targeted by coalition carrying chemicals three days earlier. airstrikes. Locals said that ISIS fighters have recently been using houses in the al- Sameer Wais, whose daughter Fatima was Mohandeseen neighborhood – once a killed in the attack, is a member of a Shiite wealthy Christian quarter now taken over militia fighting ISIS in Kirkuk province. He by ISIS – to carry out chemical experiments. said he was on duty at the frontline when Dozens of dead rabbits and dogs were the attack occurred early in the morning, spotted in the nearby rubbish containers. quickly ran home and said he could still smell The ISIS organization has seized chemical the chemicals in the rocket. stockpiles from both Syria and Iraq and is now thought to be developing its own “We took her to the clinic and they said that chemical weapons to attack its enemies. It is she needed to go to a hospital in Kirkuk. And also widely believed that it is making use that’s what we did, we brought her here to from the expertise of a considerable number the hospital in Kirkuk,” he said. of scientists who used to work for the Iraqi Wais said his daughter appeared to be doing government under the reign of Saddam better the next day so they took her home. Hussein. The jihadi group has repeatedly “But by midnight she started to get worse. launched chemical attacks against the Her face puffed up and her eyes bulged. Then Kurdish fighters in Syria and Iraq. she turned black and pieces of her skin https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/ started to come off,” he said. terror-alert-isis-testing-chemical- By the next morning, Fatima had died, Wais weapons-prisoners/ | Al-Masdar News said. IRAQI OFFICIALS: ISIS Chemical The hundreds of wounded are suffering from weapons attack kill child, wound infected burns, suffocation and dehydration, 600 said Helmi Hamdi, a nurse at the Taza hospital. He said eight people were The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) transferred to Baghdad for treatment. has launched two chemical attacks near the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk, killing a 3- “There is fear and panic among the women year-old girl, wounding some 600 people and and children,” said Adel Hussein, a local causing hundreds more to flee, Iraqi officials official in Taza. “They’re calling for the said Saturday. central government to save them.” Hussein said a German and an American forensics “What the Daesh terrorist gangs did in the team arrived in the area to test for the city of Taza will not go unpunished,” Iraqi presence of chemical agents. Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi said, using an alternative name for ISIS during a U.S. and Iraqi officials said U.S. special meeting with village elders in the small town forces captured the head of the ISIS unit of Taza on Saturday. “The perpetrators will trying to develop chemical weapons in a raid pay dearly.” last month in northern Iraq.

Jan-Jun 2016 39 ISIS CHEMICAL WEAPONS EXPERT low-grade sulfur mustard which is not very CAPTURED potent. “It’s a legitimate threat. It’s not a high threat. We’re not, frankly, losing too CBS News national security correspondent much sleep over it,” U.S. Army Col. Steve David Martin reported Delta Force Warren told reporters Friday. commandos captured the Iraqi who had once worked for the regime of Saddam Hussein. Experts also say the extremist group After interrogating him, U.S. intelligence was appears incapable of launching a large-scale able to identify a building in Mosul where chemical weapons’ attack, which requires not mustard agent was manufactured and only expertise, but also the proper loaded into artillery shells. equipment, materials and a supply-chain to produce enough of the chemical agent to pose Video released by the British Defense a significant threat. Ministry shows a building described as an ISIS weapons factory being destroyed by an The coalition began targeting ISIS’ chemical airstrike last weekend. weapons infrastructure with airstrikes and special operations raids two months ago, By the Pentagon’s count, ISIS has mounted Iraqi intelligence officials and a Western a dozen chemical weapons attacks in Iraq security official in Baghdad told the AP. and Syria, a fact confirmed by CIA Director John Brennan in a “60 Minutes” interview. ISIS ATTACKS: A TIMELINE OF TERROR

“We have a number of instances where ISIL Airstrikes are targeting laboratories and has used chemical munitions on the equipment, and further special forces raids battlefield,” Brennan said. targeting chemical weapons experts are planned, the officials said. They spoke on CBS’ Scott Pelley asked Brennan if ISIS has condition of anonymity because they were access to chemical artillery shells. not authorized to brief reporters.

“There are reports that ISIS has access to The extremist group is believed to have set chemical precursors and munitions that they up a special unit for chemical weapons can use,” Brennan said. research made up of Iraqi scientists who worked on weapons programs under CIA DIRECTOR ON ISIS’S ACCESS TO Saddam Hussein as well as foreign experts. CHEMICAL WEAPONS The group is believed to have created limited The day before the strike on the chemical amounts of mustard gas. Tests confirmed weapons building, U.S. aircraft targeted a mustard gas was used in a town in Syria when top ISIS commander, known by the ISIS was launching attacks there in August alias Omar the Chechen, who the Pentagon 2015. There have been other unverified considered to be the equivalent of the group’s reports of ISIS using chemical agents on Secretary of Defense. battlefields in Syria and Iraq.

U.S. intelligence was trying to confirm if he Separately, attacks across Baghdad Saturday was in fact killed. killed 13 and wounded 27. The attacks were mostly carried out with homemade bombs The U.S.-led coalition said the chemicals placed along roads in the capital’s southern ISIS has so far used include chlorine and a and eastern neighborhoods. There were no

Journal on Chemical and Biological Weapons 40 immediate claims of responsibility, but ISIS A three year-old girl was killed and 600 often claims responsibility for bomb attacks people were wounded when ockets carrying in the Iraq capital targeting civilians. chemical substances were used on the Iraqitown of Taza, close to the northern As the group has endured territorial losses city of Kirkuk. in Iraq — most recently the city of Ramadi which was declared “fully liberated” by Iraqi The wounded suffered from infected burns, and U.S. officials last month — they have suffocation and dehydration, according to stepped up insurgent style attacks in local nurse, Helmi Hamdi. Baghdad and other areas far from the front lines. Eight people have been transferred to Baghdad for further treatment and there Hamish De Bretton Gordon, a former British have been reports that Iranian doctors have army officer and chemical weapons expert, been dispatched to the town to assist the says the use of chemical weapons by ISIS medical response. also appears to be linked to losses on the battlefield. “There is fear and panic among the women and children,” said Adel Hussein, a local “As they get more and more pushed, we’re official in Taza. ”They’re calling for the seeing them use it more and more often,” he central government to save them.” said. “They are trying to prevent defeat.” In a meeting with village elders in Taza on The mustard agent that ISIS is using is not Saturday, Iraqi Prime Minister, Haider al- very toxic, Gordon says, but “it has a huge Abadi, said: “What the Daesh [Isis] terrorist physiological impact that far outweighs its gangs did in the city of Taza will not go physical impacts.” unpunished.” Fatima’s father Wais said he was planning “The perpetrators will pay dearly.” to return to the frontline with ISIS as soon as possible. “Now I will fight Daesh more The girl killed in the attack has been named than before, for Fatima.” as Fatima. Her father, Samir Wais, is a member of a Shia militia fighting Isis and was http://www.cbsnews.com/news/iraqi- on the frontlines when the attack occurred. officials-isis-chemical-weapons-attacks- kill-child-wound-600/ “We took her to the clinic and they said that she needed to go to a hospital in Kirkuk. And Iraqi Prime Minister vows revenge on that’s what we did, we brought her here to Isis following chemical weapons the hospital in Kirkuk,” said Mr Wais. attack; Investigators are now determining what type of chemicals Fatima’s health appeared to improve, and were used her family brought her home. However, her condition began to deteriorate. Will Worley, March 13, 2016 “By midnight she started to get worse. Her The Iraqi Prime Minister has vowed to face puffed up and her eyes bulged. Then she punish Isis after the group launched turned black and pieces of her skin started two chemical weapons attacks in the last to come off,” he said. week.

Jan-Jun 2016 41 Fatima died the following morning. Some commentators have linked Isis’s use of chemical weapons with the group’s “Now I will fight Daesh more than before, military failures. for Fatima,” Mr Wais said. Using gas “has a huge physiological impact Her funeral was attended by hundreds of that far outweighs its physical impacts,” people; many carrying placards calling for said Hamish De Bretton Gordon, a British government protection from further attacks. chemical weapons expert.

While chlorine or mustard gas is suspected “As Isis get more and more pushed, we’re to have been used, forensics teams from seeing them use it more and more Germany and America have begun work in often. They are trying to prevent defeat,” he the area to confirm the type of chemicals added. used. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/ The US has acknowledged the use of chemical world/middle-east/isis-iraq-chemical- weapons, including mustard gas, by Isis but weapons-prime-minister-revenge-attack- is not overtly concerned by their use due to taza-kirkuk-a6927981.html their low potency.

“It’s a legitimate threat,” US Army DISARMAMENT Colonel Steve Warren said. Russian Foreign Minister Calls for However, he continued: “It’s not a high New Chemical Weapons Accord threat. We’re not, frankly, losing too much sleep over it.” Nick Cumming-Bruce, March 1, 2016

Chemical weapons have been a focus of the Russia’s foreign minister called on Tuesday anti-Isis coalition efforts for the past two for negotiations on a new international treaty months. Air strikes and special forces raids to counter the “extremely urgent” threat of have been used in an attempt to weaken the chemical warfare by terrorists, as ability of Isis to develop or stockpile chemical exemplified by attacks by Islamic State weapons. forces in Syria and Iraq last year.

An American special forces unit “Chemical terrorism is emerging not as an also captured a “significant” Isis abstract threat but a grave reality of our commander last month who was in involved time,” the minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, told in the militant group’s development of diplomats attending United Nations- chemical weapons. sponsored Conference on Disarmament talks in Geneva. The man, named in reports as as Sleiman Daud al-Afari, is thought to have worked for Militants from the Islamic State, also known the Military Industrialisation Authority as ISIS or ISIL, used artillery shells armed under the regime of Saddam Hussein, with a sophisticated chemical warfare agent, specialising in unconventional weapons. sulfur mustard, in the Syrian town of Marea in August 2015, he said, adding that there He allegedly told US officials the militant was a danger of similar attacks in Libya and group had used powdered mustard gas and Yemen. loaded it into artillery shells.

Journal on Chemical and Biological Weapons 42 Terrorist groups are reported to have Because of an editing error, an earlier version acquired scientific and technical documents of this article misidentified the event the on the production of chemical weapons, diplomats were attending. It was the seized chemical plants and engaged foreign Conference on Disarmament, not peace talks. specialists to help synthesize chemical warfare agents, Mr. Lavrov added. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/02/ world/europe/chemical-weapons- Under pressure from Russia and the United terrorist-groups-sergey- States, Syria agreed to thedestruction of its lavrov.html?rref=collection%2Ftimestopic%2 chemical weapons arsenal and production FBiological%20and%20Chemical% facilities under a program supervised by 20Warfare&_r=0 the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and completed in 2014. Chemical weapons: The day the first However, diplomats have questioned poison gas attack changed the face of whether the Syrian government retained warfare forever; Since 2005, an some weapons and whether others might annual Day of Remembrance for all have fallen into the hands of armed Victims of Chemical Warfare has opposition groups. been held on April 29

Teams from the organization, which monitors David Hughes, April 28, 2016 compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention, concluded that sulfur mustard On 22 April 1915, less than nine months into had been used in fighting around Marea in the First World War, the German army August 2015 and that toxic chemicals, unleashed a terrifying new weapon probably chlorine, had been used in an attack that changed the face of warfare forever. carried out in Idlib Province months earlier. At around 5pm, across a 6km front, troops Kurdish forces have also claimed that released almost 6,000 metal cannisters – Islamic State forces used mortar shells 168 tonnes – of poisonous chlorine gas armed with sulfur mustardduring clashes in towards trenches held by French and northern Iraq last summer. Algerian forces near the Belgian city of Mr. Lavrov said that the existing Chemical Ypres. Weapons Convention, which took effect in The results were devastating. A noxious 1997, did not adequately address the yellow cloud enveloped the allied positions, problem of chemical terrorism and that it and within moments 5,000 soldiers were would be simpler to negotiate a new dead, with another 10,000 injured, as the international instrument. gas ate into their unprotected lungs. He proposed that the treaty be negotiated Field Marshal Sir John French, Commander by the 65-member Conference on in Chief of the British force at Ypres, Disarmament forum, which completed described the attack in his dispatches from negotiations on the Comprehensive Test Ban the front line. “It was at first impossible for Treaty in 1996 but — as a result of internal anyone to realise what had actually rifts — has failed to agree on any measures happened,” he wrote. since then. The new treaty could unify its members and break the deadlock, Mr. “The smoke and fumes hid everything from Lavrov said. sight, and hundreds of men were thrown into

Jan-Jun 2016 43 a comatose or dying condition, and within an Mustard gas was used by the Italians in hour the whole position had to be Abyssinia in 1936 and, although neither side abandoned.” deployed gas in open combat during World War Two, gassing vans and the chambers of Poisons and chemicals had been a part of war the Nazi concentration camps helped in some form for centuries, while tear gas facilitate the mass-murder of the Holocaust. had been employed by both French and German forces during the early months of Despite the ban being renewed in 1972 and the conflict. However, the use of poison gas 1993 the use of chemical weapons has in warfare had been prohibited by the Hague persisted, from the mustard gas employed Conventions of 1899 and 1907. by Iraq during Saddam Hussein’s reign of terror to the alleged use of the nerve agent Because of this, to Sir John French the sarin during the civil war in Syria. Germans’ use of Chlorine was “a cynical and barbarous disregard of the well-known Isis have repeatedly been accused usages of civilised war”. But on 25 September of employing chemical weapons, reportedly 1915, less than three months after French’s using mustard gas against Bashar al-Assad’s dispatches were published, the British army forces in battles at the crucial Deir ez-Zor launched their first such attack. airport in eastern Syria earlier this month.

By the end of the war in 1918 the allies had In February James Clapper, the US Director used more tonnes of gas than the Germans. of National Intelligence, cited ‘numerous In total, chemical weapons killed nearly allegations’ against the terror group to 100,000 people during the conflict, conclude that they are “using chemicals as a wounding an estimated one million. means of warfare”. As gas masks were distributed, which largely Since 2005, an annual Day of Remembrance negated the effects of chlorine, the chemicals for all Victims of Chemical Warfare has been used became more sophisticated, first with held on April 29. The event, chosen because phosgene and then mustard gas, which it marks the day the Chemical Weapons burned the skin as well as the lungs. Convention was signed in 1997, is officially The horrific physical and psychological recognised by the UN. effects of this new type of warfare would The Organization for the Prohibition of form the basis for some of the most enduring, Chemical Weapons assembled in Ypres last if harrowing, artistic works to emerge from the conflict. year to commemorate not just the 100th anniversary of the first attack in 1915, but John Singer Sargent’s 1919 painting all victims of chemical warfare since. “Gassed” remains one of the war’s most iconic images, while Wilfred Owen’s poem “Dulce Buglers played the “Last Post” and Ahmet et Decorum Est” depicts the panic of a Uzumcu, the organisation’s Director chlorine attack: “Gas! GAS! Quick, Boys!” General, laid a wreath at the Menin Gate Memorial to the missing The use of chemical and biological weapons was banned after the First World War. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/ However, these first gas attacks had already world/politics/chemical-weapons-warfare- helped to lay the foundation of a new type remembrance-day-poison-mustard-gas- of indiscriminate, industrial killing. first-world-war-ypres-isis-a7005416.html

Journal on Chemical and Biological Weapons 44 Destruction of Syrian chemical Services Committee yesterday and weapons completed confirmed that ISIS not only has produced a chemical weapon, but has now used it. January 04, 2016 According to former Navy Seal, Rob O’Neill Veolia, the US firm contracted by the OPCW – the man who shot Osama bin Laden – the to dispose of part of the Syrian chemical new chemical weapon is an colorless, odorless weapons stockpile, has completed disposal blistering agent. He explained on Fox News of 75 cylinders of hydrogen fluoride at its this morning that this is just the tip of the facility in Texas. iceberg and that even more deadly weapons are under development. This completes destruction of all chemical weapons declared by the Syrian Arab The Pentagon confirms to CBS News that it Republic. The need to devise a technical has deemed credible reports that ISIS used solution for treating a number of cylinders chemical weapons against Kurdish in a deteriorated and hazardous condition peshmerga fighters in Iraq. Chris Harmer, had delayed the disposal process. senior naval analyst for the Institute for the Study of War, explains the attack to CBSN’s Commenting on this development, the Vladimir Duthiers. Director-General of the OPCW, Ambassador Ahmet Üzümcü, said: “This process closes THE BIOLOGICAL THREAT an important chapter in the elimination of Biological weapons are particularly attractive Syria’s chemical weapon programme as we to governments and other organizations in continue efforts to clarify Syria’s declaration developing nations due to their low and address ongoing use of toxic chemicals production cost. In 1969 dollars, biological as weapons in that country.” weapons only require a one-dollar expenditure to produce fifty percent https://www.opcw.org/news/article/ casualties per square kilometer. In destruction-of-syrian-chemical-weapons- comparison, conventional weapons would completed/ require an expenditure of two thousand NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN dollars, and nuclear weapons would cost eight SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY hundred dollars to produce comparable results. Because of their low cost, it is easy ISIS Developing Plague Bio for terrorist groups to buy them. The Weapon — Pentagon Believes ISIS obtainment of biological agents is aided by wide availability, since academic institutions Used Chemical Weapons and pharmaceutical companies typically Amber William, February 19, 2016 carry them.

I know it sounds crazy, but reliable reports When choosing a pathogen to use as a claim that ISIS now is using chemical biological weapon, toxicity, ease of weapons, but worse than that, it has production, and stability must be considered. biological weapons under development at The United States determined toxicity levels well-funded labs in Syria. of many pathogens in mice during its offensive biological weapons program in the Director of National Intelligence James 1950’s and 1960’s. Comparing those values Clapper appeared before the Senate Armed with the quantity of the agent needed to

Jan-Jun 2016 45 provide sufficient aerosol exposure in an area atmosphere for extended periods of time to of one hundred kilometers, the effectiveness be utilized as an efficient biological weapon. of an agent was calculated. To make an After evaluating all of the factors, many effective weapon, an agent had to be of toxins exist that would be suitable for use in adequate toxicity; otherwise, the amount attacks. Anthrax, botulism, smallpox, ricin, needed to produce even one weapon would and plague are a few of the most toxic agents reach into the tons! Required amounts of that experts believe would be first used in effective toxins in weapons, on the other biological warfare. hand, are only measured in kilograms. DEFENDING OURSELVES When using a biological warfare agent, there are several options for its dissemination. An Large-scale defense against biological attack explosive device, like a bomb or a missile, is extremely difficult since most biological could be used, but there is a large probability weapon strikes are covert. However, that the agent would be deactivated by the extensive research is underway to protect blast. An attempt to place the agent in a food our country in the event of a biological attack. or water supply is another possibility. Detectors to measure the amounts of toxins However, the large amount of toxin that in the air are being developed. Vaccines and would be needed to make the attack antibiotics are being produced, and successful would be impractical. While its continuing research yields increasingly level of success is dependent upon optimal effective drugs. Programs to educate weather conditions, the most effective way physicians and hospitals about the symptoms to deliver a biological weapon agent is and treatment of persons infected by biological toxins are being developed. through aerosolization. Methods of delivering Municipal governments are being educated toxins in this manner include using on the procedure for handling a localized agricultural crop-dusters, aerosol generators epidemic. On a more personal note, you can on boats, trucks or cars, or even, on a very help protect yourself from an attack by small scale, a perfume atomizer. purchasing a gas mask, since biological For an agent to be prepared for aerosol weapon strikes are mainly aerosol. Be sure delivery, it must fall within specific size to have your gas mask leak-tested, and parameters. To reach the inner areas of the make sure that the mask fits you properly, lung, particles must be in a size range of 0.5- forming an airtight seal about your face. 5.0 microns. If they are larger than this, they Due to moral and ethical reasons, the vast will be cleared from the lungs by respiratory majority of governments have banned mucus, and if they are smaller, they will biological weapons development. In an simply float in and out of the lungs without attack, thousands of innocent civilians could settling. A toxin can only be used as a be placed at risk, and the possibility of mass biological weapon if it can be manufactured panic could cause the toxin to spread far to be within these specific size parameters. beyond the initial area of attack, setting off a subsequent chain of infection. Tragically, Stability plays a large role in the effectiveness ethical concerns have not hindered the of aerosol toxins. While it may have high development of advanced biological weapons toxicity, the agent may simply be too by some countries and terrorist groups. unstable in air to be used. An agent must Today, the world must hope that a large- have the ability to be suspended in the scale biological attack from one a rogue group

Journal on Chemical and Biological Weapons 46 does not occur, and prepare itself in case the The Syrian government has long blamed worst does happen. alleged chemical weapons attacks – including the 2013 atrocity – on rebels, despite http://beforeitsnews.com/self-sufficiency/ Western claims the opposition groups lack 2016/02/isis-developing-plague-bio- the technology to develop them. weapon-pentagon-believes-isis-used- chemical-weapons-2500876.html Isis, on the other hand, has captured former government stockpiles and laboratories and Isis chemical weapons: Russia has access to the right experts to says militants have developed “aggressively pursue” a chemical weapons dirty bombs as UN finds sarin programme, Iraqi and US officials have said. evidence in Syria; The UN says blood sample tests show the use of ‘sarin or In his report, the OPCW chief Ahmet a sarin-like substance’ in Syria Uzumcu said the source of the sarin or sarin- attacks reported to it by the regime like compound detected in tests was unclear, while the UN’s fact-finders “did not come Adam Withnall, January 5, 2016 across evidence that would shed more light on the specific nature or source of the The Isis militant group is likely to be using exposure”. chemical weapons against its enemies in Syria and Iraq, Russia has claimed, after evidence “Further investigation would be necessary of exposure to deadly nerve agents was to determine when or under what reported by the UN. circumstances such exposure might have occurred,” he said. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons said it was investigating Mr Uzumcu’s report was attached by UN 11 alleged chemical weapon attacks reported Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in a letter to it by the Syrian government, and that in dated 29 December to the 15-nation Security at least one case blood samples suggested Council. “exposure to sarin or a sarin-like substance”. And in its response, Russia’s minister for The UN watchdog did not specify when or non-proliferation and control of weapons where the attacks took place, but raised the said it tallied with “facts of the probable use concerns in its latest monthly report. of chemical weapons by Isis militants and in a broader sense by Islamic radicals”. The Syrian government, widely held responsible for the deaths of hundreds when According to the state-owned Sputnik news sarin-filled rockets were fired on residential outlet, Mikhail Ulyanov said: “Since facts are areas of a Damascus suburb in 2013, says it shown in one direction, then we believe the has handed over all its chemical weapons probability that the weapons are being used stockpiles. The OPCW said the last shipment by militants is very high.” of those was destroyed in a bulletin on Monday. Usually converted from a colourless liquid to a gas for use in rockets, sarin is regarded Russia’s foreign ministry said the OPCW’s as a weapon of mass destruction and was findings made it a “very high” probability Isis banned by the UN Chemical Weapons has developed its own nerve agents, and Convention of 1993. It is 20 times more called for an urgent investigation.

Jan-Jun 2016 47 deadly than cyanide, and can lead to death welcome the contribution of international by asphyxiation within minutes. institutions to boost our national response capacity to chemical warfare agents and toxic Since the Syrian government agreed to industrial chemicals”. destroy its stockpiles following the 2013 Damascus attack, the OPCW has recorded The participants represented the police, uses in Syria of more minor chemical army, firefighting and emergency medical weapons including chlorine and ammonia. services. They participated in practical Isis has previously been accused of using exercises in a variety of emergency sulphur mustard in an attack in August that response procedures. As many of those killed a baby. attending the course had already had some first responder experience from chemical And last month, online activists and incidents in Paraguay, they used the opposition fighters accused the Assad regime meeting as an opportunity to exchange of using chemical weapons in rocket and lessons learned to improve their barrel bomb attacks on the rebel-held performance and increase coordination Damascus suburb of Muadhamiya, in which among national institutions in case of future at least five people allegedly suffocated to incidents. death. The training was a joint effort of Czech, http://www.independent.co.uk/news/ Paraguayan and OPCW experts organised world/middle-east/isis-chemical- by the Instructor Development and weapons-russia-says-militants-have- Exchange Programme run by the OPCW’s developed-dirty-bombs-as-un-finds-sarin- Assistance and Protection Branch. It helped evidence-in-a6797521.html the first responders who were part of a national training provided by the OPCW to ARMS CONTROL Paraguay a few years ago to refresh their skills and knowledge. OPCW Assists Paraguay in Enhancing Chemical Emergency This effort to build capacity supports wider OPCW’s initiatives to strengthen emergency Preparedness and Response response capabilities and expand the May 12, 2016 network of first responders in the Latin American and Caribbean region. Fourty Paraguayan first responders https://www.opcw.org/news/article/ acquired new skills in emergency opcw-assists-paraguay-in-enhancing- preparedness and response during a training chemical-emergency-preparedness-and- facilitated by the Assistance and Protection response/ Branch of the Technical Secretariat of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical OPCW Convenes Inaugural Weapons (OPCW). Experts Group Meeting on Green In his opening remarks on behalf of the Chemistry participants, fire-fighter Commander Captain Christian Monges said, “We April 21, 2016 appreciate the opportunity to build up our The Organisation for the Prohibition of skills during this training, and warmly Chemical Weapons (OPCW) hosted the first

Journal on Chemical and Biological Weapons 48 Expert Group Meeting on Green/ Latin American and Caribbean Sustainable Chemistry Applications in Experts Receive Training in Chemical Industries Involving Toxic Chemicals in The Safety and Security Hague on 15 April 2016. The group includes representatives from industry, academia, April 29, 2016 and international organisations from across the globe. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in cooperation OPCW Director-General, Ambassador with the National Authority of Brazil Ahmet Üzümcü, underlined the relevance of conducted a practical workshop on chemical this Expert Group Meeting for the chemical safety and security for Latin American and weapons agenda by emphasising, “The Caribbean experts in São Paulo, Brazil from promotion of peaceful uses of chemistry and 18 to 20 April 2016. a culture of safety and security among chemistry professionals is at the heart of the The objective of this initiative is to increase OPCW mandate.” The Director-General also the capacity of States Parties to the Chemical expressed his hope to get as close as possible Weapons Convention (CWC) to address to eliminating the need for toxic chemicals chemical safety and chemical security issues, used in industrial and other applications. while making use of Brazil’s experience in this field. During this inaugural meeting, the participants presented their activities in the Participants included 38 experts from 16 field of green chemistry, including scientific countries (Angola, Argentina, Barbados, research as well as educational and capacity Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, building initiatives. They shared thoughts on Cuba, Ecuador, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, avenues of collaboration between science Saint Lucia, Spain and Venezuela). The group and industry and they debated the needs, was diverse as it included government feasibility and benefits of application of green officials responsible for regulating chemical chemistry in industry. industry, chemical industry representatives, academics and chemists. Participants expressed their appreciation for the OPCW engaging the issue of green The programme covered a wide range of chemistry. They also developed, for the useful topics such as: Brazilian experience in OPCW’s consideration, recommendations on safety management in chemical industries; steps to further enrich collective efforts industry outreach; chemical safety and promoting chemical safety, security and security risk assessment for accident sustainability, including by providing prevention and preparedness; simulation assistance to mitigate risks due to the use of technologies applied to risk assessment; toxic chemicals in industry. chemical safety and security hardware; identification and response to the threat of https://www.opcw.org/news/article/ chemical weapons by the industry; and opcw-convenes-inaugural-experts-group- chemical security threats and mitigation meeting-on-green-chemistry/ strategies.

Jan-Jun 2016 49 Participants shared information, experience of chemical weapons stands among the and lessons-learned from chemical incidents Organisation’s greatest future challenges. in their countries. His remarks further illustrated that the The Brazilian chemical industry contributed recent experiences drawn from OPCW meaningfully to making this training a activities in Syria and Iraq have equipped success. The Brazilian chemical industry the Organisation with several new and association (ABIQUIM) gave presentations, innovative approaches. In particular, and Oxiteno chemical facility in Tremenbé, Ambassador Üzümcü highlighted that the São Paulo hosted a study visit to their activities of the Declaration Assessment premises. Team, the Fact-Finding Missions, and the OPCW-UN Joint Investigative Mechanism https://www.opcw.org/news/article/ have contributed to set a “new operational latin-american-and-caribbean-experts- paradigm” for the OPCW’s work. receive-training-in-chemical-safety-and- security/ He also underscored the value of partnerships to counter the development Director-General Addresses and use of chemical weapons by non-state Challenge of Chemical Terrorism actors. at NATO Conference in Slovenia “In recognition of the growing challenge of May 11, 2016 chemical terrorism, the OPCW’s cooperation with NATO and other international and The Director-General of the Organisation for regional organisations is essential to hinder the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons the ambitions of non-state actors that may (OPCW) Ahmet Üzümcü addressed the wish to develop and use chemical weapons,” NATO Conference on Weapons of Mass the Director-General said. Destruction (WMD) Arms Control, Disarmament and Non-Proliferation where The Twelfth Annual NATO Conference on he spoke about some of the security WMD Arms Control, Disarmament and Non- challenges facing the OPCW. proliferation took place from 9 to 10 May 2016 in Ljubljana, Slovenia. The two-day conference attracted the participation of more than 100 senior officials During his visit to Ljubljana, the Director- from more than 50 NATO and partner General also met with Ms Darja Bavda• nations. Representatives from several major Kuret, State Secretary, Ministry of Foreign international organisations also gathered for Affairs, Mr Miloš Bizjak, State Secretary, the event. Ministry of Defence, and Mr Alojz Grabner, Director of the Chemicals Office of the In his keynote speech [PDF - 93 KB], Republic of Slovenia. Director-General Üzümcü summarised the current status of OPCW activities in the In his meetings with Slovene officials, the Syrian Arab Republic, and addressed the Director-General provided briefings on the Organisation’s approach to countering latest developments regarding the OPCW’s chemical terrorism. While noting that the activities in Syria, and further expressed his OPCW has achieved success in realising appreciation for Slovenia’s strong support tangible disarmament achievements, he for implementation of the Chemical Weapons stated that prevention of the re-emergence Convention.

Journal on Chemical and Biological Weapons 50 https://www.opcw.org/news/article/ “Today we are just wearing the masks,” Park director-general-addresses-challenge-of- said. “It’s not as uncomfortable as when you chemical-terrorism-at-nato-conference- have the boots and coveralls on. in-slovenia/ Still, the U.S. and Korean troops performed US, South Korea training focuses well together during the exercise, he said. on North’s chemical weapons “They are friendly, and they try hard to Seth Robson, March 15, 2016 communicate even though there is a language barrier,” Park said of the 1-2 RODRIGUEZ RANGE, South Korea — North soldiers doing the chemical weapons training Korea might be threatening to use nuclear alongside his men. weapons to turn the U.S. and South Korea into a “sea of fire,” but a group of U.S. and The Fort Lewis unit is halfway through a Republic of Korea soldiers here are spending Pacific Pathways deployment that has this week focusing on the rogue nation’s already taken a battalion of its troops and potential chemical weapons stockpile. equipment to Thailand. The 1-2 SBCT, which brought 12 Strykers to Korea, will then On Tuesday afternoon, ROK army K-200 head to the Philippines to take part in the tracked armored personnel carriers and U.S. annual Balikatan exercise. Strykers rolled up to the edge of a mock village at this live-fire training area near the Every one of 1-2 soldiers in Korea will have Demilitarized Zone. completed the chemical weapons mission training by the end of the week, said Soon, squads of gas-mask-wearing troops Knowles, 24, of Williamsburg, Va. were storming buildings and running through drills they would need to complete to secure He said the soldiers understand the need for North Korean chemical weapons in the event training, especially with fiery rhetoric coming of war. out of North Korea. The exercise is part of large joint military drills between the U.S. “The scenario is that this (mock village) is a and South Korean militaries. It’s being held chemical munitions facility,” said 1st Lt. Zak at a particularly tense time on the peninsula. Knowles, a platoon leader with 1-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team out of Fort Lewis, The U.N. Security Council recently slapped Wash. “The enemy has placed blocking new sanctions on Pyongyang for conducting positions to disrupt our route. One building a nuclear test and ballistic missile launch is where they are making the chemical earlier this year. North Korea on Tuesday munitions; our objective is to secure the took a slap at the sanctions Tuesday when site.” leader Kim Jong Un warned it soon would carry out another nuclear test and try out First Lt. Min Ku Park, 25, a platoon leader several types of ballistic missiles capable of with the 137th Mechanized Battalion, 8th carrying nuclear warheads. Infantry Division, of the Republic of Korea Army, said the gas masks and other The tension between the two sides is an issue protective gear that the troops wear to for the U.S. soldiers, whose families back protect themselves was uncomfortable. home are watching news reports about the situation on the peninsula, Knowles said. It

Jan-Jun 2016 51 brings home the real threat in Korea to pulse when someone’s wearing a protective soldiers, but it’s been a fact of life for years. suit, he said.

The first sergeant of the U.S. company http://www.stripes.com/news/us-south- training on Tuesday, Sean Rosenthal, 32, of korea-training-focuses-on-north-s- Fort Worth, Texas, said he has plenty of chemical-weapons-1.399354 experience conducting conventional raids thanks to four deployments to Iraq, but this is his first trip to Korea.

Part of Tuesday’s chemical weapons training involved dealing with civilians on the battlefield.

During one scenario, the American and Korean soldiers went house to house in the village searching for chemical weapons. When they ran a role player acting as a civilian on the battlefield, one soldier detained and watched him closely while others searched the building.

Rosenthal said the raids are a novelty for many of his young soldiers, who have trained only for direct action.

“Going through the briefing and finding out what they have going on around here … it’s pretty crazy,” Rosenthal said.

Spc. Elijah Dickson, 25, of Kingston, Tenn., a medic with 1-2, said soldiers headed into a region where there is a threat carry syringes loaded with antidotes to nerve agents with which they can inject themselves in an emergency.

If troops encounter chemical weapons on the battlefield, their priority is to complete the mission and deal with the consequences later. Medics can treat symptoms such as convulsions with Valium, he said.

However, the protective gear means there are limits to the treatment that can be provided. For example, you can’t take a

Journal on Chemical and Biological Weapons 52 Book Review

Dando, Malcolm, he weapons that affect the nervous Tsystem are so relevant among the (2015), Neuroscience defence community that the researches on those weapons which started post World War and the Future of are still continuing. The latest use of chemical weapons (nerve agent sarin) in Syria is a Chemical-Biological shocking reminder of the existence and the Weapons, London, damages it could do to humanity. Malcom Dando’s book Neuroscience and the Future Palgrave Macmillan , of Chemical-Biological Weapons attempts to capture the potential of neuroscience in ISBN: 978-1-137- the weapons in making and advocates awareness to the readers of the uses and 38181-1, 2015 misuses. The author acknowledges the recent developments in the field of science Arul R and technology like nano-technology that has expanded the scope of research by promising The author is a researcher at efficient delivery mechanisms. The book IDSA in the field of focuses on the core theme that the author Cybersecurity. wants to drive home to the scientific community-Dual Use Research Concern Summary (DURC): The research that could be used for The recent developments in the field beneficial proposes and at the same time of Neuroscience possess a scope for misused for harmful purposes. The author efficient delivery of Chemical and interestingly notes that it is mostly the Biological Weapons. The book seeks beneficial research of providing solutions for to educate and create awareness on brain related disorders and mental illness the weapons conventions and the role that is carried forward for military purposes. that the scientific community at large needs to play. The book is divided into three parts; the past, present and the future of neuroscience. This has been discussed with the help of twelve chapters with relevance to the weapons conventions. The two major ongoing projects - One by the United States called the ‘US BRAIN Initiative’ and the other by the European Union called the ‘The EU Human Brain Project’ delineates the past from future. The author has enriched the content by quoting a number of researchers as well as various reports from the field of neuroscience.

The Part I of the book which covers four chapters that talks about the history of

Jan-Jun 2016 53 neuroscience research, the chemical and are explained in detail. The ’US BRAIN biological weapons and its types, the Initiative’ seeks to understand how the brain summary of weapons convention and produces a particular behaviour and ‘The EU introduces the user about the DURC. Human Brain Project’ seeks to construct a Chapter I of the book introduces the user to supercomputer that could simulate a brain. the field of neuroscience and provides a brief Both the projects could be misused for introduction of the chemical weapons, malignant purposes and this is precisely biological weapons and toxins. Chapter II what the author is concerned about. He notes talks about structure and functions of the that there is no mention of the Chemical and brain is the only purely technical chapter Biological Weapons convention and its that stand out from others - explains how possibility of misuse. Chapter VI examines Neurotransmitters like noradrenaline and the novel neuro-weapons and their concerns. acetylcholine are manipulated to produce The author is apprehensive of the increasing adverse effects in humans. It exposes the interest and development of non-lethal readers to how weapons that impact the weapons and incapacitating chemical agents. nervous system could cause adverse effects. Chapter VII is an add-on to the previous Chapter III introduces the readers to the chapter where the author is concerned about non-proliferation regimes related to the possible manipulation of human Chemical and Biological Weapons. It behaviour considering the advances taking deliberates on three international place in the field of neuroscience. The chapter agreements - the 1925 Geneva Protocol, the focuses on neuroparasitology where 1975 Biological and Toxin Weapons knowledge on malign manipulation of host Convention (BTWC) and the 1997 Chemical behaviour by parasites could lead to Weapons Convention (CWC) with major advances in human behaviour manipulation. focus on the latter two. Chapter IV Chapter VIII deals about incapacitants, a introduces the challenges that neuroscience continuation of what the author discussed in research faces in the form of DURC. Two Chapter VI. The dual-use nature of such major DURC experiments that find mention incapacitants are also discussed. Chapter IX are the gain-of-function experiments and talks about toxins and bioregulators and mouse pox experiment. Two reports relating other mid-spectrum toxins and bioregulators to dual-use are discussed in detail - the Fink which do not fall into either CWC or BTWC. committee Report titled Biotechnology The author also introduces the readers to the Research in an Age of Terrorism and The Australian Group regime which regulates Lemon-Relman Report titled Globalization, toxins. Part II of the book discusses current Biosecurity, and the Future of the Life research in the field of neuroscience and Sciences. The Fink Committee’s first dwells less on weapons convention. recommendation of ‘Educating the scientific community’ is what precisely the book is Part III of the book covers three chapters intending to do. and dwells on how the conventions have catered with the scientific and technological Part II of the book covers five chapters and developments and what it could offer in the discusses how modern advances in future. Chapters X and XI examine how well neuroscience could be misused. Chapter V the BTWC and CWC have incorporated the of the book highlights the modern scientific developments like nanotechnology, developments in civil neuroscience. The two bioregulators, peptides and have handled the current research projects that seek to dual use concerns. The author continues on explore the intricacies of the human brain the history of Chemical and Biological

Journal on Chemical and Biological Weapons 54 Weapon conventions that was partly explaining the technicalities of discussed in Part I of the book and discusses neurotransmitters in Part I (Past) is a in detail of the five yearly Review disconnect in the flow of the book. The role Conferences including the latest 2013 third played by neuroscientists to prevent misuse review conference of CWC and the 2011 of research, though discussed in the Seventh Review Conference of BTWC. In concluding chapter, seems more generalised. analysing the Conventions the author It is to be acknowledged that the book, seeks identifies more scope for effective policies to disseminate knowledge on the dual-use that could protect misuse. In the final of neuroscience that the scientific community Chapter XII, the author examines on how to should be aware of, citing many reports, adds tackle the problem of dual-use. He stresses value to the literature. on the increased role of neuroscientists in tackling the biosecurity problem and The book contains rich source of information emphasises the significant role played by the about neuroscience as well as the Weapon scientific community that led the US to Convention regimes that any scholar working abandon its offensive biological weapons. or researching in the field needs to know - The author identifies areas where the work be it scientists, policy makers, biologists or is still incomplete - like the bringing Other students of International Relations. The Chemical Production Facilities under author who is a biologist and a practitioner verification, restricting the interpretation of in arms control and disarmament, has used ‘peaceful’ uses of weapons under the General his expertise in both the areas to write the Purpose Criterion clause of CWC and BTWC. book. The book is as a significant The author concludes the book with a few contribution to the existing literature on the recommendations - Educating given subject. neuroscientists on dual use research, Careful publication of research to avoid misuse of the same, helping in policy-making by guiding the policy/decision-makers in creating an environment that does not unduly restrict research and at the same time impede possible misuse.

The book is enriching in content and well analysed. The literature review is comprehensive as it covers a lot of reports and includes the opinions of neuroscience researchers in the field. The content focuses on three major areas - neuroscience, chemical and biological weapon regimes and the dual-use nature of research. The author’s approach to compartmentalise the content into Past, Present and Future overspills at a few places. Part I of the book is the only part which gives equal importance to all the three areas. The introduction of the Australia Group regime in Part II (Present), evaluating the regimes in Part III (Future),

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