The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, which enforces a global treaty, announced earlier this month that it had determined with “utmost confidence” that a “non-state actor” used the outlawed agent outside Aleppo, Syria, in August, likely killing a baby.
Advertisement
Today, French prime minster Manuel Valls warned ISIS extremists could use chemical weapons in their next attack.
“It’s only acceptable when the regime or any other group uses chemical warfare against us?” he wrote.
As major cities in Europe and the United States remain on high alert after terror attacks gripped Paris last week, the Associated Press reported Thursday that the Islamic State group has set up a branch responsible for pursuing chemical weapons, according to Iraqi and us intelligence officials.
As Parisians continue to grieve the lives of their people taken away by the Islamic State in a series of attacks last week, the terrorists are once again spreading terror as officials recently confirmed that chemical weapons may be used by the jihadists in other attacks.
In May, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) said Obama’s attack rules are so stringent that three of four aircraft sent on missions into Syria return without dropping a single bomb.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the intelligence on the IS programme.
He said that even with mustard gas, the damage has been limited because it’s essentially just added to warheads and mortars.
Experts have questioned whether they would have the logistical capabilities to deploy chemical agents outside the Middle East. “Their delivery systems aren’t that sophisticated”.
Retired Lt. Gen. Richard Zahner, who was the top American military intelligence officer in Iraq in 2005 and 2006 and went on to lead the National Security Agency’s electronic spying arm, noted that al-Qaida tried for two decades to develop chemical weapons and didn’t succeed, showing the technical and scientific difficulties.
Iraqi officials are concerned about the large swaths of land now held by ISIS, including Mosul, which had a university with lab facilities.
Advertisement
The Islamic State has established a laboratory for research and experiment in chemical weapons, the Iraqi military intelligence revealed. There are also concerns about militants trying to obtain radioactive materials. USA leaders and the worldwide community need to approach the military and humanitarian crisis provoked by ISIS with resolve and solidarity. In January, U.S. Central Command announced that an airstrike had killed Abu Mailk, a chemical expert who had worked under Saddah Hussein.
