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UK has own stockpiles of white phosphorous, minister admits

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

London, Jan 21, IRNA -- Defense Minister Quentin Davies has admitted that Britain's armed forces has its own arsenal of white phosphorous shells but refuses to state the size of the stockpiles in the light of Israel’s controversial use in its latest massacre of Palestinians.

"These are conventional munitions that are not outlawed or banned by any convention or protocol," Davies said without specifying that their use is outlawed against civilians under the Geneva Conventions.

But in a written parliamentary reply published Wednesday, he insisted that 'UK training in the use of white phosphorus emphasizes that it should be used solely for its intended purpose and not as an anti-personnel weapon."

Following their use by Israel in slaughtering over 1,300 Palestinians in Gaza, former Conservative defense minister Michael Ancram asked not only the control criteria but the size of Britain's arsenal, which the minister decline to answer.

"I am withholding information on the size of the stockpile of these munitions on the grounds that its disclosure would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces," he said.

Human rights group Amnesty International has accused Israel of committing war crimes by using white phosphorous shells in densely populated areas of Gaza in 'indiscriminate and illegal' ways.

White phosphorous is a smoke-producing incendiary device used as a smoke-screen to mask troop movement, but also functions as an anti-personal weapon by causing severe casualties from burning flakes.

Although the munitions are not outlawed as chemical weapons, various campaign organisations consider they should be banned under the Chemical Weapons Convention.

White phosphorous was also found to have been used Israel during its 2006 invasion of Lebanon as well as by the US in the Iraq war, most notoriously in its siege of Fallujah.