Expert: Chlorine Attacks Hard to Stop (AP)

Expert: Chlorine Attacks Hard to Stop


Tuesday March 20, 2007 3:46 AM

By MIKE CORDER

Associated Press Writer

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) - A chemical warfare expert said Monday the
chlorine gas-loaded weapons used by Iraqi insurgents amount to “chemical
dirty bombs” and will be hard to stop.

However, the insurgents so far appear only to have access to a rudimentary
and inefficient method of spreading the gas - blowing it up in suicide
bombings.

Jonathan Tucker, a visiting Fulbright fellow at the German Institute for
International and Security Affairs, said there is little that can be done
to stop the attacks because chlorine, which is used for water purification
across Iraq, is so widely available.

“They can try to limit access to chlorine ... but given the black market
situation that would be difficult to do,” he said in a telephone interview
during a visit to The Hague.

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