http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data/theworld/2005/May/theworld_May424.xml§ion=theworld
Chemical weapons pose No. 1 potential terrorism threat: UN official (AP) 19 May 2005 KUALA LUMPUR - Many countries feel that a chemical weapon attack by terrorists is their No. 1 potential threat, a UN official said, while adding that he had no evidence that Al Qaeda cells have acquired such weapons. Chemical terrorism is a worry that goes beyond the concerns about existing stockpiles of chemical weapons by governments including the United States and Russia, said Rogelio Pfirter, director-general of the UN's Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. "Now we have this other threat posed by individuals whose evil purposes might include the use of chemical weapons," he said in an interview with The Associated Press late Wednesday. He was in Malaysia for a regional conference on chemicals weapons earlier this week. "We all agree that if they would wish to use means of mass destruction, a chemical (weapon) is of easier access and less sophistication and complexity," he said. "The use of chemicals for terrorism purposes is a source for well founded concerns. In fact chemical terrorism has been identified in different regions of the world as the No. 1 potential threat." He said he did not have any specific knowledge on whether Al Qaeda has chemical weapons but "it is a certainly a fear that terrorists would make use of it." Pfirter also urged the remaining 26 countries including North Korea, Myanmar, Cambodia and some Middle Eastern nations to quickly ratify the Chemical Weapons Convention of 1997, which bans the use of chemical weapons. Countries that acceded to the treaty would have to better regulate and control access to chemical agents as well formulate laws to arrest and punish those seeking to make or use chemical weapons, he said. Pfirter was especially critical of North Korea, a reclusive communist country that he said was "reluctant to participate in treaties or organizations that look for transparency and restraint." He said the United States was "actively destroying" its stockpile of chemical weapons but "the degree of progress has been considerably less" in Russia, which has the largest stockpile in the world. "We have no doubt about the political commitment of the government. (But) I think Russia will be the first one to agree with us that much more (work) would be desirable," he said. He expressed confidence that Russia would be able to destroy its stockpiles by the UN treaty deadline of 2012. He said Iraq's new government is expected to sign the treaty soon while Cambodia had also given a positive response. However efforts to persuade Myanmar to join the treaty have yet to produce results. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Take a look at donorschoose.org, an excellent charitable web site for anyone who cares about public education! http://us.click.yahoo.com/_OLuKD/8WnJAA/cUmLAA/TySplB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> -------------------------- Want to discuss this topic? Head on over to our discussion list, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -------------------------- Brooks Isoldi, editor [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.intellnet.org Post message: osint@yahoogroups.com Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** FAIR USE NOTICE. This message contains copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. OSINT, as a part of The Intelligence Network, is making it available without profit to OSINT YahooGroups members who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information in their efforts to advance the understanding of intelligence and law enforcement organizations, their activities, methods, techniques, human rights, civil liberties, social justice and other intelligence related issues, for non-profit research and educational purposes only. We believe that this constitutes a 'fair use' of the copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the U.S. Copyright Law. If you wish to use this copyrighted material for purposes of your own that go beyond 'fair use,' you must obtain permission from the copyright owner. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/osint/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
