cia_65209_65209_01.txt

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Subject: IRAQ'S BIOLOGICAL WARFARE PROGRA
Not Finally Evaluated Intelligence
TO FACILITATE ELECTRONIC ACCESS, THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN
REFORMATTED TO ELIMINATE INFORMATION THAT DOES NOT PERTAIN
TO GULF WAR ILLNESS ISSUES OR THAT IS CLASSIFIED. A COPY OF
THIS REDACTED DOCUMENT, IN ORIGINAL FORMAT, IS AVAILABLE ON
REQUEST.
OCT 90   DIRECTOR 303685
IRAQ'S ADVANCED AND AGGRESSIVE BIOLOGICAL WARFARE (BW) PROGRAM
IS THE MOST EXTENSIVE IN THE ARAB WORLD. THE BW PROGRAM IS AN
INTEGRAL PART OF IRAQ'S HIGH-PRIORITY DRIVE TO BECOME SELF-SUFFICIENT
IN THE PRODUCTION OF UNCONVENTIONAL WEAPONS AND BALLISTIC MISSILES.
WE BELIEVE THAT IRAQ HAS BEEN PRODUCING LARGE QUANTITIES OF THE
AGENTS ANTHRAX AND BOTULINUM TOXIN SINCE 1989. BY THE END OF 1990,
THE IRAQIS PROBABLY WILL HAVE DEPLOYED SIGNIFICANT NUMBERS OF
BIOLOGICALLY FILLED AERIAL BOMBS AND ARTILLERY ROCKETS. IRAQ WILL
EVENTUALLY USE BW AGENTS TO FILL WARHEADS FOR ITS INDIGENOUSLY
PRODUCED SCUDS. THE IRAQIS VERY LIKELY ARE DEVELOPING ADDITIONAL BW
AGENTS--PROBABLY VIRUSES AND ADDITIONAL TOXINS
IRAQI OFFICIALS HAVE STATED THAT THE USE OF ANY WEAPON IS
JUSTIFIED IN DEFENDING THEIR TERRITORY. IRAQ, THE FIRST NATION TO
USE NERVE AGENTS ON THE BATTLEFIELD, PROBABLY WOULD NOT HESITATE TO
USE BW AGENTS IN EXTREME SITUATIONS. GIVEN THE POTENTIALLY GREATER
THAN THOUSANDFOLD INCREASE IN LETHAL AREA CONTAMINATION FOR CERTAIN
BW AGENTS AS COMPARED WITH CW AGENTS, IRAQ PRESUMABLY WOULD USE BW
AGENTS IN EXTREME SITUATIONS, SUCH AS STRATEGIC RETALIATION FOR
UCLEAR OR CHEMICAL ATTACKS AGAINST IRAQI POPULATION CENTERS.
WESTERN COMPANIES HAVE SUPPLIED THE MAJORITY OF DUAL-USE
EQUIPMENT AND TRAINING. HOWEVER, THE IRAQI PROGRAM IS NOW SO FAR
ADVANCED THAT LITTLE CAN BE DONE TO IMPEDE IT. MUCH OF THE EQUIPMENT
NVOLVED IS DUAL-USE BIOMEDICAL EQUIPMENT.
AT LEAST FOUR FACILITIES ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE IRAQI BW
PROGRAM. ONE FACILITY, LOCATED AT SALMAN PAR, PROBABLY CONTAINS A
SPECIALIZED RESEARCH BUILDING FOR WORK ON EXTREMELY DANGEROUS
ORGANISMS. WE BELIEVE THAT R&D, PILOT-SCALE PRODUCTION, AND STORAGE
OF BW AGENTS TAKE PLACE AT THIS SITE.
END OF MESSAGE
1.5 (c)
65209-65209

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