U.S.
corporations, Rumsfeld, Reagan et al, the criminals who supplied Saddam Hussein with
biological warfare-related material
by Róbinson Rojas (June 2003)
The evidence is overwhelming: Saddam Hussein's biological weapons of mass destruction
capability was possible because U.S. big corporations and political leaders were doing
business with the dictator.
On May 24 1994, the U.S. Senate released the finding on US exports of biological materials
to Iraq. The study covers from February 8, 1985 to November 28, 1989, a period during
which US corporations sent deadly biological "soups" to the Iraqi Atomic Energy
Commission and other agencies. United States support made possible that by 1990 Iraq's
"...advanced and aggressive biological warfare program was the most advanced in the
Arab world...". The report states that "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"...This makes sense, because US
corporations had been supplying Iraq's military industries with the necessary "raw
materials", particularly "botulinum toxin and anthrax bacteria".
The report explains:
"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 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
... 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...
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... "
Like in any social stratified society, in the U.S.A. there is institutionalized
corruption, amorality, criminality and hypocresy which altogether make the driving force
of "market efficiency", "pragmatic policies" and "civilized
behaviour". What makes this reality a danger for the survival of life on planet
earth, is that institutionalized corruption, amorality, criminality and hypocresy are, in
this case, the main components of the national and international behaviour of the U.S.
power élites in their quest to create a universal society made of slaves and owners of
slaves XXI century style...and, of course, what else, like in Plato's Republic,
"democracy for the slave owners"...and hell for the slaves. Naturally, the power
élites in the vassal states (Britain, etc) want to be part of this "democracy for
the slave owners". At this stage, we have defined one section of what must be
considered the enemies of the project for the first people's century: the economic,
political, social, and military élites in the U.S.A. and its vassal states.
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Shaking Hands:
Iraqi President Saddam Hussein greets Donald Rumsfeld, then special envoy of President
Ronald Reagan, in Baghdad on December 20, 1983. (Photo and caption reproduced from National
Security Archive Electronic Briefing Book No.82)
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 Congress, 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)
See the
whole text
UNSCOM Biological Warfare Inspections
UNSCOM inspections uncovered evidence that the government of Iraq was conducting
research on pathogen enhancement on the following biological warfare related materials:
- bacillus anthracis
- clostridium botulinum
- clostridium perfringens
- brucella abortis
- brucella melentensis
- francisella tularensis
- clostridium tetani
In addition, the UNSCOM inspections revealed that biological warfare related stimulant
research was being conducted on the following materials:
- bacillus subtillus
- bacillus ceres
- bacillus megatillus
UNSCOM reported to Committee staff that a biological warfare inspection (BW3) was
conducted at the Iraq Atomic Energy Commission in 1993. This suggests that the Iraqi
government may have been experimenting with the materials cited above (E. Coli and rDNA)
in an effort to create genetically altered microorganisms (novel biological warfare
agents). |