Chemical Warfare and Chemical Terrorist Attacks: Need for Counter-Measures

During the First World War chlorine, then phosgene, and then mustard gas were used on the battlefront causing an estimated 1 million casualties. Adolf Hilter was "gassed" in WWI, which may explain why the Germans refrained from using chemical warfare in the Second World War. In 1936 Dr. Gerhart Schrader, a chemist at the German company, I.G. Farben, while searching for chemicals to be used as pesticides, discovered the nerve agent tabun. Tabun is known in the US as GA, for "German" agent "A." Two years later he discovered the nerve gas sarin, known as GB.

Mussolini invaded Ethiopia in 1935 and used mustard gas against barefoot tribesmen. Particularly devastating to the morale of the African fighters was the loss of their livestock.

In 1929 the Japanese Army set up a factory to manufacture mustard gas on Okuno Island near Hiroshima. Experiments with chemical agents during the 1930's and 1940's were done on prisoners in several facilities in Manchuria. Some were forced to drink the mustard gas liquid. Others were tied to stakes and subjected to exploding ordinance with various poison gases. The Japanese Army made extensive use of mustard gas and Lewisite as it invaded China. They also used phosgene and hydrogen cyanide.

During the Second World War Germany produced 78,000 tons of chemical warfare agents, Japan produced 8,000 tons, and the U.S. made 146,000 tons. Chemical weapons were stationed by both Germany and the Allies in battle theaters, in case the other side used these weapons first. The deterent strategy worked. After the war much of the chemical weapon stockpile was dumped into the ocean.

During the Vietnam War the U.S. made extensive use of defoiliants--Agent Orange. From 1963 through 1967 during Yemen Civil War, the Egyptian Air Force dropped mustard gas and nerve agents on villages in mountainous North Yemen. The chemicals were apparently supplied by the Soviet Union. From 1974 to 1981 chemical and toxic agents, produced in the Soviet Union, were used in Afghanistan, Laos, and Cambodia. "Yellow rain" in Laos was apparently trichothecene mycotoxin.

From 1980 to 1987 in the Iran/Iraq War, Iraq used mustard agent and tabun nerve agent against Iranian troops. Iraq then used chemical weapons against the Iraqi Kurds who were rebelling. There are strong indications that even today Iraq continues to produce chemical weapons.

During Operation Desert Storm U.S. Army Engineers blew up an Iraqi arsenal that apparently contained shells with sarin and mustard agent. As many as 20,000 U.S. troops may have been exposed.

According to articles in the Baltimore Sun in 1996, Libya was completing the construction of the world's largest underground chemical weapons plant, covering 6 sq. miles inside a hollowed out mountain.

The Russians have declared a stockpile of 40,000 tons of chemical warfare agents.

Chemical Terrorism

Sarin gas released in the Tokyo subway system in 1995 killed 12 and caused more than 5000 persons to seek medical attention. The sarin gas was made by the Aum Shinrikyo Cult in a $10 million chemical weapons production facility near Mt. Fuji. The sarin plant, also known as Satyan 7, was equipped with a computer control center, a two-story distillation column, a $200,000 Swiss-built, fully computerized reactor with automatic temperature and injection controls, and 4 other reactors. Plans for the plant were apparently purchased from the Secretary of the Russian Security Council, Oleg Lobov. The cult had assets estimated in the range of $300 million to $1 billion. Sarin was first produced in 1993 and tested at a uranium deposit in Australia owned by the cult where 29 sheep were killed.

Useful Links to Other Sites

Aum Shinrikyo Cult

A popular account of the cult by Patrick Bellamy includes photos and many details, including how the cult leader recruited followers in Russia. An estimated 10,000 to 20,000 followers in Russia formed groups in several Russian cities where biological and chemical warfare facilities are located. The cult leader is in prison. The cult, which is being run by his daughter, continues to grow.

Amy Smithson's detailed analysis of the cult (See Chapter 3 of Stimson Center Report) describes how the cult perpetrated at least ten chemical and nine biological attacks on their Japanese countrymen between 1990 and 1995.

A review of the Aum Shinrikyo Cult covers their religious beliefs and their history of using chemical and biological terrorist agents. There are links to many other sites.

Chemical Weapons Issues

The Henry L. Stimson Center has a report that lists chemical warfare agents, maps showing the locations of chemical and biological manufacturing facilities in the former Soviet Union, countries of proliferation concern, and discussions of the Chemical Weapons Convention.

The Organization for Prevention of Chemical Warfare gives an overview of chemical warfare agents and other relevant topics.

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