[Peace-discuss] WMD's soon to be "discovered" in Iraq?

Dlind49 at aol.com Dlind49 at aol.com
Tue Apr 13 17:02:15 CDT 2004


amnd remember the US
U.S. Exports of Biological Materials to Iraq

The Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs has oversight 
responsibility for the Export Administration Act. Pursuant to the Act, Committee 
staff contacted the U.S. Department of Commerce and requested information on 
the export of biological materials during the years prior to the Gulf War. 
After receiving this information, we contacted a principal supplier of these 
materials to determine what, if any, materials were exported to Iraq which might 
have contributed to an offensive or defensive biological warfare program. 
Records available from the supplier for the period from 1985 until the present show 
that during this time, pathogenic (meaning "disease producing"), toxigenic 
(meaning "poisonous"), and other biological research materials were exported to 
Iraq pursuant to application and licensing by the U.S. Department of Commerce. 
Records prior to 1985 were not available, according to the supplier. These 
exported biological materials were not attenuated or weakened and were capable of 
reproduction. According to the Department of Defense's own Report to Congress 
on the Conduct of the Persian Gulf War, released in April 1992: "By the time 
of the invasion of Kuwait, Iraq had developed biological weapons. It's 
advanced and aggressive biological warfare program was the most advanced in the Arab 
world... The program probably began late in the 1970's and concentrated on the 
development of two agents, botulinum toxin and anthrax bacteria... Large 
scale production of these agents began in 1989 at four facilities in Baghdad. 
Delivery means for biological agents ranged from simple aerial bombs and artillery 
rockets to surface-to-surface missiles." 
Included in the approved sales are the following biological materials (which 
have been considered by various nations for use in war), with their associated 
disease symptoms: 
Bacillus Anthracis: anthrax is a disease producing bacteria identified by the 
Department of Defense in The Conduct of the Persian Gulf War: Final Report to 
Contress, as being a major component in the Iraqi biological warfare program. 
Anthrax is an often fatal infectious disease due to ingestion of spores. It 
begins abruptly with high fever, difficulty in breathing, and chest pain. The 
disease eventually results in septicemia (blood poisoning), and the mortality 
is high. Once septicemia is advanced, antibiotic therapy may prove useless, 
probably because the exotoxins remain, despite the death of the bacteria. 
Clostridium Botulinum: A bacterial source of botulinum toxin, which causes 
vomiting, constipation, thirst, general weakness, headache, fever, dizziness, 
double vision, dilation of the pupils and paralysis of the muscles involving 
swallowing. It is often fatal. 
Histoplasma Capsulatum: causes a disease superfically resembling tuberculosis 
that may cause pneumonia, enlargement of the liver and spleen, anemia, an 
influenza like illness and an acute inflammatory skin disease marked by tender 
red nodules, usually on the shins. Reactivated infection usually involves the 
lungs, the brain, spinal membranes, heart, peritoneum, and the adrenals. 
Brucella Melitensis: a bacteria which can cause chronic fatique, loss of 
appetite, profuse sweating when at rest, pain in joints and muscles, insomnia, 
nausea, and damage to major organs. 
Clostridium Perfringens: a highly toxic bateria which causes gas gangrene. 
The bacteria produce toxins that move along muscle bundles in the body killing 
cells and producing necrotic tissue that is then favorable for further growth 
of the bacteria itself. Eventually, these toxins and bacteria enter the 
bloodstream and cause a systemic illness. 
In addition, several shipments of Escherichia Coli (E. Coli) and genetic 
materials, as well as human and bacterial DNA, were shipped directly to the Iraq 
Atomic Energy Commission. 
The following is a detailed listing of biological materials, provided by the 
American Type Culture Collection, which were exported to agencies of the 
government of Iraq pursuant to the issueance of an export licensed by the U.S. 
Commerce Department: 
Date      : February 8, 1985
Sent To   : Iraq Atomic Energy Agency
Materials Shipped:

          Ustilago nuda (Jensen) Rostrup

Date      : February 22, 1985
Sent To   : Ministry of Higher Education
Materials Shipped:

          Histoplasma capsulatum var. farciminosum (ATCC 32136)
          Class III pathogen

Date      : July 11, 1985
Sent To   : Middle and Near East Regional A
Material Shipped:

          Histoplasma capsulatum var. farciminosum (ATCC 32136)
          Class III pathogen

Date      : May 2, 1986
Sent To   : Ministry of Higher Education
Materials Shipped:

     1.   Bacillus Anthracis Cohn (ATCC 10)
           Batch # 08-20-82 (2 each)
           Class III pathogen

     2.   Bacillus Subtilis (Ehrenberg) Cohn (ATCC 82)
           Batch # 06-20-84 (2 each)

     3.   Clostridium botulinum Type A (ATCC 3502)
           Batch # 07-07-81 (3 each)
           Class III pathogen

     4.   Clostridium perfringens (Weillon and Zuber) Hauduroy, et al (ATCC 
3624)
           Batch # 10-85SV (2 each)

     5.   Bacillus subtilis (ATCC 6051)
           Batch # 12-06-84 (2 each)

     6.   Francisella tularensis var. tularensis Olsufiev (ATCC 6223)
           Batch # 05-14-79 (2 each)
           Avirulent, suitable for preparations of diagnotic antigens

     7.   Clostridium tetani (ATCC 9441)
           Batch # 03-84 (3 each)
           Highly toxigenic

     8.   Clostridium botulinum Type E (ATCC 9564)
           Batch # 03-02-79 (2 each)
           Class III pathogen

     9.   Clostridium tetani (ATCC 10779)
           Batch # 04-24-84S (3 each)

     10.  Clostridium perfringens (ATCC 12916)
            Batch #08-14-80 (2 each)
            Agglutinating type 2

     11.  Clostridium perfringens (ATCC 13124)
            Batch #07-84SV (3 each)
            Type A, alpha-toxigenic, produces lecithinase C.J. Appl.

     12.  Bacillus Anthracis (ATCC 14185)
            Batch #01-14-80 (3 each)
            G.G. Wright (Fort Detrick)
            V770-NP1-R. Bovine Anthrax
            Class III pathogen

     13.  Bacillus Anthracis (ATCC 14578)
           Batch #01-06-78 (2 each)
           Class III pathogen

     14.  Bacillus megaterium (ATCC 14581)
           Batch #04-18-85 (2 each)

     15.  Bacillus megaterium (ATCC 14945)
           Batch #06-21-81 (2 each)

     16.  Clostridium botulinum Type E (ATCC 17855)
           Batch # 06-21-71
           Class III pathogen

     17.  Bacillus megaterium (ATCC 19213)
            Batch #3-84 (2 each)
 
     18.  Clostridium botulinum Type A (ATCC 19397)
           Batch # 08-18-81 (2 each)
           Class III pathogen

     19.  Brucella abortus Biotype 3 (ATCC 23450)
           Batch # 08-02-84 (3 each)
           Class III pathogen

     20.  Brucella abortus Biotype 9 (ATCC 23455)
           Batch # 02-05-68 (3 each)
           Class III pathogen

     21.  Brucella melitensis Biotype 1 (ATCC 23456)
           Batch # 03-08-78 (2 each)
           Class III pathogen

     22.  Brucella melitensis Biotype 3 (ATCC 23458)
           Batch # 01-29-68 (2 each)
           Class III pathogen

     23.  Clostribium botulinum Type A (ATCC 25763)
           Batch # 8-83 (2 each)
           Class III pathogen

     24.  Clostridium botulinum Type F (ATCC 35415)
           Batch # 02-02-84 (2 each)
           Class III pathogen

Date      : August 31, 1987
Sent To   : State Company for Drug Industries
Materials Shipped:

     1.   Saccharomyces cerevesiae (ATCC 2601)
          Batch # 08-28-08 (1 each)

     2.   Salmonella choleraesuis subsp. choleraesuis Serotype typhi (ATCC 
6539)
          Batch # 06-86S (1 each)

     3.   Bacillus subtillus (ATCC 6633)
          Batch # 10-85 (2 each)

     4.   Klebsiella pneumoniae subsp. pneumoniae (ATCC 10031)
          Batch # 08-13-80 (1 each)

     5.   Escherichia coli (ATCC 10536)
          Batch # 04-09-80 (1 each)

     6.   Bacillus cereus (11778)
          Batch #05-85SV (2 each)

     7.   Staphylococcus epidermidis (ATCC 12228)
          Batch # 11-86s (1 each)

     8.   Bacillus pumilus (ATCC 14884)
          Batch # 09-08-80 (2 each)

Date      : July 11, 1988
Sent To   : Iraq Atomic Energy Commission
Materials Shipped

     1.   Escherichia coli (ATCC 11303)
          Batch # 04-875
          Phase host

     2.   Cauliflower Mosaic Caulimovirus (ATCC 45031)
          Batch # 06-14-85
          Plant Virus

     3.   Plasmid in Agrobacterium Tumefaciens (ATCC 37349)
          (Ti plasmid for co-cultivation with plant integration vectors in E. 
Coli)
          Batch # 05-28-85

Date      : April 26, 1988
Sent To:  : Iraq Atomic Energy Commission
Materials Shipped:

     1.   Hulambda4x-8, clone: human hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase
          (HPRT) Chromosome(s): X q26.1 (ATCC 57236) Phage vector
          Suggest host: E coli

     2.   Hulambda14-8, clone: human hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase
          (HPRT) Chromosome(s): X q26.1 (ATCC 57240) Phage vector
          Suggested host: E coli

     3.   Hulambda15, clone: human hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase
          (HPRT) Chromosome(s): X q26.1 (ATCC 57242) Phage vector
          Suggested host: E. coli

Date      : August 31, 1987
Sent To   : Iraq Atomic Energy Commission
Materials Shipped:

     1.   Escherichia coli (ATCC 23846)
          Batch # 07-29-83 (1 each)

     2.   Escherichia coli (ATCC 33694)
          Batch # 05-87 (1 each)

Date      : September 29, 1988
Sent To   : Ministry of Trade
Materials Shipped:

     1.   Bacillus anthracis (ATCC 240)
          Batch # 05-14-63 (3 each)
          Class III pathogen

     2.   Bacillus anthracis (ATCC 938)
          Batch # 1963 (3 each)
          Class III pathogen

     3.   Clostridium perfringens (ATCC 3629)
          Batch # 10-23-85 (3 each)

     4.   Clostridium perfringens (ATCC 8009)
          Batch # 03-30-84 (3 each)

     5.   Bacillus anthracis (ATCC 8705)
          Batch # 06-27-62 (3 each)
          Class III pathogen

     6.   Brucella abortus (ATCC 9014)
          Batch # 05-11-66 (3 each)
          Class III pathogen

     7.   Clostridium perfringens (ATCC 10388)
          Batch # 06-01-73 (3 each)

     8.   Bacillus anthracis (ATCC 11966)
          Batch #05-05-70 (3 each)
          Class III pathogen

     9.   Clostridium botulinum Type A
          Batch # 07-86 (3 each)
          Class III pathogen

     10.  Bacillus cereus (ATCC 33018)
          Batch # 04-83 (3 each)

     11.  Bacillus ceres (ATCC 33019)
          Batch # 03-88 (3 each)

Date      : January 31, 1989
Sent To   : Iraq Atomic Energy Commission
Materials Shipped:

     1.   PHPT31, clone: human hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT)
          Chromosome(s): X q26.1 (ATCC 57057)

     2.   Plambda500, clone: human hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase
          pseudogene (HPRT) Chromosome(s): 5 p14-p13 (ATCC 57212)

Date      : January 17, 1989
Sent To   : Iraq Atomic Energy Commission
Materials Shipped:

     1.   Hulambda4x-8, clone: human hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase
          (HPRT) Chromosomes(s): X q26.1 (ATCC 57237) Phage vector;
          Suggested host:  E. coli

     2.   Hulambda14, clone: human hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase
          (HPRT) Chromosome(s): X q26.1 (ATCC 57540), Cloned from human 
lymphoblast, Phase vector
          Suggested host:  E. coli

     3.   Hulambda15, clone: human hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase
          (HPRT) Chromosome(s): X q26.1 (ATCC 57241) Phage vector;
          Suggested host:  E. coli

Additionally, the Centers for Disease Control has compiled a listing of 
biological materials shipped to Iraq prior to the Gulf War. The listing covers the 
period from October 1, 1984 (when the CDC began keeping records) through 
October 13, 1993. The following materials with biological warfare significance were 
shipped to Iraq during this period. 
Date      : November 28, 1989
Sent To   : University of Basrah, College of
Science, Department of Biology
Materials Shipped:

     1.   Enterococcus faecalis

     2.   Enterococcus faecium

     3.   Enterococcus avium

     4.   Enterococcus raffinosus

     5.   Enteroccus gallinarium

     6.   Enterococcus durans

     7.   Enteroccus hirae

     8.   Streptococcus bovis
          (etiologic)

Date      : April 21, 1986
Sent To   : Officers City Al-Muthanna,
Quartret 710, Street 13, Close 69, House 28/I,
          Baghdad, Iraq
Materials Shipped:

     1.   1 vial botulinum toxoid
          (non-infectious)

Date      : March 10, 1986
Sent To   : Officers City Al-Muthanna,
Quartret 710, Street 13, Close 69 House 28/I,
          Baghdad, Iraq
Materials Shipped:

     1.   1 vial botulinum toxoid #A2
          (non-infectious)

Date      : June 25, 1985
Sent To   : University of Baghdad, College of
Medicine, Department of Microbiology
Materials Shipped:

     1.   3 years cultures
          (etiologic)
          Candida sp.

Date      : May 21, 1985
Sent To   : Basrah, Iraq
Materials Shipped:

     1.   Lyophilized arbovirus seed
          (etiologic)

     2.   West Nile Fever Virus

Date      : April 26, 1985
Sent To   : Minister of Health, Ministry of
Health, Baghdad, Iraq
Materials Shipped:

     1.   8 vials antigen and antisera (r. rickettsii and r. typhi) to 
diagnose rickettsial infections (non-infectious)
 gave WMD before too-



More information about the Peace-discuss mailing list