Reasonable Rascal
03-20-02, 13:01
The New York Times
March 20, 2002
David Johnston and James Risen
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/03/20/international/asia/20INQU.html
“After months of searching the bomb-ravaged wreckage of terrorist training camps and other sites in Afghanistan, investigators have concluded that while Al Qaeda researched chemical and biological weapons there is no indication that it acquired or produced them, government officials say. Soil samples, swabs and other chemical tests have so far turned up no evidence of anthrax or other materials that would make chemical or biological weapons, the officials said. Testing is
continuing. Although officials said prior to Sept. 11 the administration had collected surveillance and other information indicating that Al Qaeda had conducted experiments with small amounts of crude biological and chemical agents, like cyanide, Americans searching the camps since the collapse of the Taliban have not found physical proof of testing or production. If Qaeda members performed any experiments, analysts now
conclude that they appear to have been small scale.”
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Important news that, provided that their efforts were confined to those in Afghanistan and not carried on elsewhere. However the threat of both chemical and biological weapons existing in possession of other rogue states and groups is both documented and very real. Sad indeed to think that any nation would contemplate the use of such indiscriminate devices.
RR
March 20, 2002
David Johnston and James Risen
http://www.nytimes.com/2002/03/20/international/asia/20INQU.html
“After months of searching the bomb-ravaged wreckage of terrorist training camps and other sites in Afghanistan, investigators have concluded that while Al Qaeda researched chemical and biological weapons there is no indication that it acquired or produced them, government officials say. Soil samples, swabs and other chemical tests have so far turned up no evidence of anthrax or other materials that would make chemical or biological weapons, the officials said. Testing is
continuing. Although officials said prior to Sept. 11 the administration had collected surveillance and other information indicating that Al Qaeda had conducted experiments with small amounts of crude biological and chemical agents, like cyanide, Americans searching the camps since the collapse of the Taliban have not found physical proof of testing or production. If Qaeda members performed any experiments, analysts now
conclude that they appear to have been small scale.”
---------------------------------------------
Important news that, provided that their efforts were confined to those in Afghanistan and not carried on elsewhere. However the threat of both chemical and biological weapons existing in possession of other rogue states and groups is both documented and very real. Sad indeed to think that any nation would contemplate the use of such indiscriminate devices.
RR