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To: E. Charters who wrote (91511)	12/1/2002 7:48:03 PM
From: Richnorth	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 116912

OT Hi All, Familiarize yourself with all the deadly stuff that Al-Qaeda and Saddam and others might want to use sooner or later. Powder, vapour, germs - all deadly Biological and chemical agents like nerve gas sarin or Anthrax powder are now in the hands of terrorists. (CHANG AI-LIEN looks at how they work and how they have been used.) NERVE AGENTS DSO National Laboratories NERVE gases such as sarin and VX affect the nervous system, causing organs and muscles to malfunction. They can enter the body through the air or via skin contact, and can be released using bombs, missiles, spray tanks, rockets and land mines. VX: One of the most toxic substances known, VX is a brownish liquid with odourless vapour, and mere droplets can kill. It is mainly absorbed through the skin but can also be inhaled. It can remain on material, equipment and terrain for long periods. Sarin: This gas which has no colour or smell was developed in Germany between the two world wars. Small amounts can cause paralysis and death. Like many modern insecticides, it belongs to the organophosphate chemical group. BLISTER AGENTS BLISTER agents such as mustard cause inflammation and blisters, and destroy exposed tissue. They affect the lungs, eyes and skin in particular. They are easy to make and have an odour that smells like rotten mustard or onion. Mustard agents: First used towards the end of World War I, they were the most commonly used chemical weapon. They can cause severe eye and lung damage. BIOLOGICAL AGENTS THESE are microbes, viruses and other living organisms such as insect pests that are used to kill or hurt people. Toxins are highly- poisonous substances that are produced by living things. Anthrax: Can be fatal if inhaled even in small quantities. This spore-forming organism can survive almost indefinitely until exposed to sunlight, which makes it one of the most dangerous biological weapons. Plague: An infectious disease caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, it is spread easily by coughing. The first signs are fever, headaches and weakness. A cough can develop, resulting in pneumonia, progressing to septic shock and death. Smallpox: Extremely contagious and spread by inhalation. A single virus is enough to infect a person. It killed hundreds of millions of people until it was eradicated in the 1980s. Botulinum toxin: One of the most poisonous substances known, it is the biological equivalent of the VX chemical nerve agent, and causes a swollen tongue, frothing mouth and dizziness before a victim's rapid death. CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL WARFARE THROUGH THE AGES MORE than 600 years ago, the Tartar army catapulted plague-infected corpses into its enemy cities. The plague spread all over Europe, resulting in the 'black death' which killed 25 million people. In the 1700s, British forces deliberately distributed blankets contaminated with smallpox scabs to native Indian tribes of North America, knowing that the Indians had no immunity to smallpox. Three in 10 native Indians died and many others were blinded. Japan made extensive use of biological agents against China during World War II, and carried out ghastly experiments on prisoners. In February last year, the British police uncovered a plan by terrorists, reportedly linked to Osama bin Laden, to release sarin gas in a crowded London subway station. The Central Intelligence Agency said recently that President Saddam Hussein's regime had more than 500 tonnes of chemical weapon agents, including anthrax, VX, sarin, cyclosarin and mustard, and that the Iraqis planned to use unmanned aircraft to deliver them. Just last month, an Al-Qaeda plot to kill commuters on the London Underground by releasing poison gas, in a crowded rush-hour train was foiled by the MI5, Britain's domestic intelligence service. straitstimes.asia1.com.sg