Example 3 Determination of biological warfare agent production facilities

No other facilities were declared in connection with its biological warfare programme.

Two agents, botulinum toxin and anthrax, were selected as candidate biological warfare agents.

Although the inspectors believed that the facility could have been planned as the next stage in Iraq's biological warfare programme, no evidence of its actual involvement in Iraq's past biological warfare programme was found.

Although the inspectors believed that the facility could have been planned as the next stage in Iraq's biological warfare programme, no evidence of its involvement in biological warfare activities was found during that period.

It is assumed that the Israel Institute for Biological Research in Ness Ziona develops vaccines and antidotes for chemical and biological warfare.

Early in 1988, Iraq also began field trials on the dissemination of biological warfare agents.

In particular the detection of the conversion of a legitimate biological facility for biological warfare purposes turned out to be especially difficult since such activities took place only for a short period of time, and the site required only minor adjustments for the production of a biological warfare agent.

The possibility of discovering mobile biological warfare capability is assessed as still possible but very unlikely.

hand held devices for detecting and monitoring landmines, unexploded ordnance and chemical and biological warfare agents.

Similar experience was gained regarding another legitimate facility at Fudaliyah also utilized by Iraq's biological warfare programme.

No evidence was found that Iraq had developed these systems for the delivery of biological warfare agents.

By 1995, in the course of its continuing verification, UNSCOM collected sufficient evidence suggesting that Iraq's biological warfare programme had not been limited to research activities but had also included the production of several bulk biological warfare agents and, possibly, their weaponization.

Consequently, in July 1995, under pressure from the inspectors who had acquired procurement information related to the unexplained import of large quantities of growth media, Iraq finally admitted the past production of biological warfare agents at Al Hakam, a dedicated biological warfare facility.

Conversion of a legitimate facility for biological warfare purposes is difficult to detect, especially when such activities take place only for a short period of time, and when the site requires only very minor adjustments for the production of a biological warfare agent.

By 1995, the inspectors had collected sufficient evidence to suggest that Iraq's biological warfare programme was not limited to research activities, as Iraq claimed, but had also included the production of bulk quantities of several biological warfare agents and, possibly, their weaponization.

After the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq in August 1990, the biological weapons programme increased the production of bulk biological warfare agents and began to weaponize them.

The College also welcomed the extensive presentations by UNMOVIC staff on monitoring of small quantities of chemical and biological warfare agents and assessments of sites in the biological area.

The DIA also controls the Defence Information Warfare Agency (DIWA) which handles all elements of the information warfare repertoire, including psychological operations, cyber war, electronic intercepts and the monitoring of sound waves.

No evidence of its involvement in Iraq's biological warfare programme was found until Iraq declared its past involvement in 1995.

No indication of its involvement in Iraq's biological warfare programme arose until Iraq declared in August 1995 its past involvement.

As was subsequently explained by Iraq, it produced liquid bacterial biological warfare agents accepting a moderate risk of airborne contamination.

However, since all biological munitions were destroyed unilaterally by Iraq without United Nations supervision, it was not possible to determine whether weaponized biological warfare agents were in liquid or dry state.

The weapons included 25 special warheads for Al Hussein missiles and 157 R 400 aerial bombs, filled with biological warfare agents.

However, no samples of those fragments were taken for analysis until after Iraq admitted to the weaponization of biological warfare agents.

Forensic sampling and analysis of spray drying equipment present at Al Hakam in 1996 revealed no traces of biological warfare agents.

If a deception campaign is actively pursued, the probability of finding hard evidence of activities related to biological warfare is minimized.

These considerations were drawn from microbiological practices and standards familiar to the United Nations biological inspectors, who were considered to be some of the best scientists and engineers in the biological warfare field.

Iraq also provided information on other types of aerial and artillery munitions used in field trials with biological warfare agents or simulants.

Thus, the positive verification of two liquid biological warfare agents found in munitions reduced the concern that Iraq had produced dry agent.

The assumptions regarding the unsuitability of Iraq's dedicated biological weapons production facilities were reinforced by the lack of evidence at the time that Iraq had progressed beyond research and development of biological warfare agents.

The dual use nature of these facilities mean that Australia, like any country with advanced biotechnological industries, could easily produce biological warfare agents.

In September 1947, Burnet was invited to join the chemical and biological warfare subcommittee of the New Weapons and Equipment Development Committee and subsequently prepared a secret report titled Note on War from a Biological Angle .

In order to account for the 157 declared R 400 biological bombs said to have been filled with various biological warfare agents, Iraq began a re excavation programme at Al Azzizziyah firing range in February 2003.

Weapons The ability of viruses to cause devastating epidemics in human societies has led to the concern that viruses could be weaponised for biological warfare.

With respect to weaponization, Iraq declared that warheads for Al Hussein missiles and R 400 aerial bombs had been filled with liquid biological warfare agents.

Maneuver warfare doctrine sees styles of warfare as a spectrum with attrition warfare and maneuver warfare on opposite ends.

As was subsequently learned, Iraq produced bacterial biological warfare agents at Al Hakam with a moderate risk of airborne contamination due to the generation of aerosols.

It was also found that if a deception campaign is actively pursued, the probability of finding hard evidence of activities related to biological warfare is minimized.

Al Fudaliyah was a legitimate civilian facility that was used for the production of the biological warfare agent aflatoxin without any significant modifications to its infrastructure.

Although the biological work was initiated by Iraq in the 1970s, at that stage it was focused on general research into the basic parameters and characteristics of different micro organisms but, in general, not exclusively those traditionally associated with biological warfare.

With regard to specific munitions and devices, a thorough evaluation of all weapons which could be adapted for biological warfare purposes is required to identify possible biological munitions through their specific features and signs, such as internal coating and unexplained markings.

In 1991, after the adoption of Security Council resolution 687 (1991), Iraq declared that only one facility at Salman Pak had been involved in biological warfare research.

The activities of the chemical and biological warfare subcommittee were scaled back soon after, as Prime Minister Robert Menzies was more interested in trying to acquire nuclear weapons.

There is no evidence available to UNMOVIC whether any work in connection with biological warfare was conducted immediately following the closure of Al Hazen Ibn Al Haithem Institute.