COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION CENTRE FACTS ABOUT IRAQ BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS

Before July 1995, Iraq had denied having any offensive biological weapons programme and admitted only to having conducted a military research programme. However, following pressure from UN weapons inspectors and the defection of General Hussein Kamal (Head of Iraq’s WMD programme until 1990) Iraq finally admitted to the existence of its biological weapons programme. The programme is known to have included the production and weaponising of the following biological agents:

Anthrax – one gram of anthrax spores can contain 10 million lethal doses. Spores are inhaled and cause flu-like symptoms and internal bleeding. Iraq is known to have produced 8,500 litres of anthrax spores, and weaponising 6,500 litres.

Botulinum toxin – the most poisonous substance known – just one billionth of a gram is fatal if inhaled. 80% of victims die within a few days. The symptoms of botulism include weakness and dizziness, motor function problems followed by death from respiratory failure. Iraq produced over 20,000 litres of the botulinum toxin, half of which were placed into warheads.

Aflatoxin – a carcinogenic poison which causes liver cancer. Cancers do not show up for many years, so Iraq may have developed as a “psychological” weapon to contaminate and clear Kurdish villages. Over 2,000 litres were developed and Iraq has admitted to weaponising 1,500 litres.

Iraq’s biological weapons programme is also known to have involved research into numerous other biological agents including:

Cholera – not usually lethal, but contaminated food or poisoned water supplies would cause diarrhoea and dehydration. No evidence of production, but Iraq is known to have studied cholera.

Gas gangrene – causes toxic gases to form in the body leading to acute lung distress, leaking blood cells and liver damage. Fatal if not treated with antibiotics. Iraq may have produced up to 5,000 litres.

Smallpox – Initial symptoms are flu-like and a third of unvaccinated victims die.

Wheat smut – an “agricultural” weapon which attacks wheat crops but has no affect on humans. Iraq has admitted producing the wheat smut spores.

Ricin - amongst the most poisonous substances known to man. The effect of inhalation is initially weakness, fever and coughing followed by severe respiratory distress and destruction of the red blood cells. Death is from hypoxemia. Iraq has admitted to producing and testing 10 litres of ricin.

Mycotoxins – a family of poisons which attack the cells of bone marrow and the skin, and also cause blood clotting.

Enterovirus 70 – one of a group of common viruses, with affects similar to the common cold or flu.

Rotavirus – one of the major causes of death among infants and children in developing countries. Infection is characterized by, fever, vomiting, abdominal distress, diarrhea, and dehydration.

.