B- NBC "weapons" and some examples of their use
a) Some examples of NBC terrorist armoury
1- Nuclear and radioactive "ammunition"
In theory, nuclear terrorist ammunition range from ready-made weapons to components.
Pre-assembled nuclear weapons were allegedly available from former Soviet Union
where massive stockpile is said to exist .
These pre-assembled weapons could be "suitcase nukes" weighing less
than 35Kg as well as nuclear artillery projectiles used in the proper way.
The late General Lebed alleged that many of these "suitcase nukes" could
not be accounted for . But it looks like there is no evidence even of their actual
existence.
But it's also said that one can build "home made" nuclear bombs: they
are not so easy to manufacture because of the necessary raw materials and technology
but this threat cannot be completely put aside.
In June of 1996, German authorities arrested a Slovak engineer on suspicion of
smuggling 6.1 pounds of Uranium into Germany. In April 1997, Russian police arrested
a group that tried to sell 11 pounds of Uranium-235 stolen from a production
plant on Kazakhstan. And three men were arrested in France, in July 2001, with
5 grams of highly enriched Uranium 235.
Never enough to manufacture a full-scale nuclear bomb that requires 2Okg of Uranium
and 8 of plutonium. But…
But the fissile material of non bomb-grade, like Cobalt or Caesium is easily
available and could also be used directly on the basis of its radioactive effect,
with a fair amount of success: injuries, economical disruption and a great amount
of fear.
Aside immediate death, nuclear devices cause radiation exposure, which is measured
in RADs, or "Radiation Absorbed Doses".
For instance, short-term exposure to 1,000 RADs affects the central nervous system,
inflict coma, convulsions, and death within days. A level of 800 RADs induces
diarrhoea and vomiting, which in some instances can be confused with conventional
shock. Recovery is unlikely and death occurs within three weeks of exposure.
With 400 RADs exposure the victim will experience mouth ulcers, loss of teeth
and hair, and immune deficiency; death can come after about 30 days. Survival
is possible but unlikely.
With exposures of 150 RADs or less the victim can recover with proper treatment
after experiencing symptoms of nausea .
2- Chemical agents
These agents are mostly gases. They are not very new, but in terms of terrorism,
efficiency counts more that technology.
Sarin: neurotoxic agent, invented by the German before the Second World War.
Colourless to dark yellow liquid; sometimes a discrete odour of painting. Respiratory
and skin penetration. Immediate effects: tackles central nervous system, convulsions,
and paralysis of the respiratory centres, quick death. In theory (if used with
the suitable aerosol), a coffee spoon of sarin can kill 10 000 people.
VX: invented by the American during the Fifties, odourless and colourless. Similar
to the Sarin, but 300 times more toxic. Oily consistency. Mortal in a few minutes
after convulsions and great sufferings. According to revelations made in July
1998 to the British daily newspaper "The lndependent" by General Wafiq
Al-Sammaraï, former head of the Iraqi military information, gas VX was used
on April 17 and 18, 1988 against the Iranian Guards of the Revolution during
the battle of FAO, provoking panic in their ranks.
Soman: colourless to dark brown liquid, odour of camphor.
Tabun: colourless to dark brown liquid, odour of painting.
Mustard Gas.
3- Biological agents
Anthrax: very stable bacillus, used as weapon by the United States in the Fifties.
Sores or blisters form on hands and forearms; non-specific chest cold symptoms
followed by respiratory distress, fever, shock, or death. Death results from
pneumonia, systemic infection, and organ failure. In theory, 1 gram of spores
of anthrax could kill out million people. Possible vaccination; the only known
treatment is fast administration of massive quantities of antibiotics.
Botulinum: 1 to 12 hours incubation. First symptoms are drooping eyelids, dry
mouth and throat, difficulty of talking and swallowing, blurred and double vision.
Paralysis resulting in asphyxia. Death occurs within 24 to 48 hours. In theory,
under ideal dropping conditions, 35 g of Botulinum could kill 60 million people.
Ricine: it's a very easy to produce biological toxin. 6 000 times more toxic
than cyanide; no known antidote. As fast as 5 minutes to 1 hour incubation. The
likely symptoms are coughing, tightness of the chest, difficulty breathing, nausea
and muscle aches. This progresses to respiratory duress and death within 36 to
48 hours. This is the poison used in London in 1978, in the case known as "The
Bulgarian umbrella".
Pulmonary plague: bacillus with strong capacity of contamination; respiratory
tract; 2 at 6 days of incubation; high fever, headaches, general aches, extreme
weakness, glandular swelling, pneumonia, haemorrhages in skin and mucous membranes
possible, extreme lymph node pain. This disease only lasts for 1 to 2 days before
death occurs.
Ebola fever, Marburg fever, Smallpox, etc: correctly widespread, these exotic
pathogenic agents can cause artificial epidemics, in theory more lethal than
a chemical or even a nuclear attack.
In October 1992, during an epidemic of Ebola fever, some "chemists" of
the Aum sect went to Zaire to collect strains of the virus for their apocalyptic
program.
b) Examples of actual use or attempts
In the 80's, in a safe house of the Red Army Fraction, in Paris, was found a
biological laboratory. It was supposed to have made quantities of Botulinum toxin
but it is believed that none was used.
•
The first confirmed and emphasized case of use of chemical agents by terrorists
is quite recent. In March 1995 several groups of the Aum sect spread in the subway
of Tokyo with bags filled with Sarin gas - 6 or 7 litres, approximately 30% pure.
There were more than 5 500 injured and 12 death people.
When police carried out the systematic searching of the buildings of the sect,
they found various biological agents and a great quantity of chemicals dedicated
to the manufacture of Sarin, but also of VX and Mustard gas.
The attacks of confined surroundings were studied in many countries, of which
France. The Paris metro was subject of a detailed analysis: what comes out is
that one cannot dominate the flows of air circulating in the underground areas
of the network. For example, if a terrorist spreads a radioactive substance using
the ventilation network (easily accessible from the outside) or uses an aerosol
to spray a chemical or biological substance inside the network, the contamination
will be very quick.
The only answer would be to stop the trains immediately and
proceed to evacuation of all passengers.
Before 9/11, France had set several plans dedicated to specific threats.
After the metro bombing in the "Saint Michel" station, the General
Secretary of National Defence defined a global frame to respond to terrorist
attacks: "Piratome" for nuclear attacks, "Piratox" for chemical
or toxic ones and "Biotox" for biological risks.
This last plan, as the others, was classified till initiated in 1999. But in
October 2001, after Anthrax letters in the US, its outline was publicly released:
prevention, surveillance and alert and crisis management. This plan that involves
several departments includes control of circulation and production of pharmaceutical
products, detection and declaration of certain diseases, availability of vaccines
and coordination of emergency services with all local hospitals.
•
Approximately 25 attempts of use of biological or chemical lethal agents are
publicly known, mostly simple threats with financial motivations rather than
political serious attempts.
This figure is thus a minimum that does not takes into account similar actions
that were not revealed.
- In 1972, in Chicago, a right-wing extremist, member of the "Order of the
Rising Sun", was arrested in possession of 35 to 40 kilograms of typhoid
bacteria cultures with which he planned to contaminate water tanks of the city,
St Louis and other major Midwestern towns.
- In 1976, letters were mysteriously sent to mayors of various American cities.
The adhesive of their envelope contained mortal germs.
- In 1983, an US police unit arrested two brothers in possession of about tens
grams of lethal biological agents.
- In September 1984, a sect contaminated salads in the restaurant of an Oregon
village "to influence the result of a local election"; 751 people suffered
salmonella.
- The routine of laboratories can sometimes contribute to the diversion of microbe
cultures. In September 1984, a bulb containing a culture of tetanus was thus
defrosted and sent through the mail in the suburbs of New York.
- In 1989 an American scientific team showed that a fly of Mediterranean origin
whose larva develops in orchard fruits, had been voluntarily introduced into
various places of California. The mayor of Los Angeles and some newspapers received
a letter in which a group asserted this act to express its opposition to Californian
husbandries.
- In January 1994, the British "Animal Liberation Front" sent by the
mail various envelopes containing the remains of syringes infected by HIV virus.
- In March 1995, four members of the "Minnesota Patriots Council",
Douglas Baker, Richard Oelrich, Dennis Henderson and Leroy Wheeler, were convicted
of conspiracy charges under the "Biological Weapons Antiterrorism Act" of
1989 for planning to use Ricine against Federal Agents.
- The same year, the police stopped the preparation of an attack by neurotoxic
agents in Disneyland.
- In May 1997, the British police stopped five Islamists related to the GIA in
possession of the formula of the sarin and various products used for its manufacture.
- In 1998, there were threats - real or false? - of contamination by Anthrax
spores of items bought in Great Britain.
- The first example of nuclear terrorism in the post-Cold War era occurred in
November 1995 when Chechen rebels placed a package of radioactive material in
a Moscow park. Chechen separatists placed a box containing some 30 pounds of
Cesium-137 at the entrance of the park.
The perpetrators omitted explosives that, if used to detonate the box, would
have spread radioactive material throughout the park, contaminating the blast
area for some time.
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