- AUSTIN, Tx and HAMBURG, Germany
- US Navy and Air Force biotechnology laboratories are proposing development
of offensive biological weapons. The weapons, genetically engineered microbes
that attack items such as fuel, plastics and asphalt, would violate federal
and international law. The proposals have been made by the Naval Research
Laboratory (Washington, DC) and the Armstrong Laboratory (Brooks Air Force
Base, San Antonio, Texas). They date from 1997; but were recently submitted
by the Marine Corps for a high-level assessment by a panel of the US National
Academies of Science (NAS). The NAS panel (see website for members) has
prepared a draft report; but it has not been released to the public.
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- The uncovering of these proposals for an offensive biological
weapons program comes at a critical political juncture. The US has rejected
a legally-binding system of United Nations inspections of suspected biological
weapons facilities. At the same time, the Bush administration is aggressively
accusing other countries of developing biological weapons and expanding
its so-called "Axis of Evil" based in large part on allegations
of foreign biological weapons development.
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- But it is increasingly apparent that there are serious
questions about the United States' own compliance with the Biological and
Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC). While US allegations against other countries
are generally undocumented, the proposals described in this press release
were recently released to the Sunshine Project under the Freedom of Information
Act and have been placed on the internet for independent analysis (See
www.sunshine-project.org).
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- Explicitly for Offense: In the murky world of biological
weapons research, many technologies are "dual use", that is,
they have both offensive and peaceful applications. The alleged transfer
of dual use technologies, such as vaccine research, is a basis of charges
made against Cuba on May 6th by US Under Secretary of State John Bolton.
The US armed forces documents released here, however, are not about "dual
use" technology, they are explicit proposals for offensive weaponsmaking.
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- According to the Naval Research Laboratory, "It
is the purpose of the proposed research to capitalize on the degradative
potential ofä naturally occurring microorganisms, and to engineer
additional, focused degradative capabilities into [genetically modified
microorganisms], to produce systems that will degrade the warfighting capabilities
of potential adversaries." The Air Force proposes "genetically
engineered catalysts made by bacteria that destroyä Catalysts can
be engineered to destroy whatever war material is desired." The proposals
indicate these weapons might be used by all the armed forces, including
the Special Forces and in peacekeeping and anti-narcotics operations.
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- Additional Documents Suppressed: These proposals are
probably only the tip of the iceberg. For over one year, the Marine Corps
has delayed response to a Sunshine Project Freedom of Information Act request
that now includes 147 unclassified documents. The two proposals described
here are part of a recent first release of 8 items from that request. 139
related legal and weapons development documents are unreleased. The Marine
Corps says the delay is due to a lack of manpower.
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- The National Academies are also suppressing related documents.
As part of the Marine Corps-commissioned study, in 2001 at least 77 apparently
chemical and biological weapons-related documents were deposited in the
NAS Public Access Records File, a library open for inspection and copying
by all persons. After the Sunshine Project requested copies of these documents
on March 12th 2002, the National Academies placed a "security hold"
on the public file. High-ranking NAS officials have refused to explain
who ordered the hold, or to offer a credible explanation as to why it exists.
The Sunshine Project believes that NAS is under pressure from high-ranking
US officials to "Enron" the public record to avoid release of
politically sensitive material. Rather than assist a purge of the public
record, NAS - a leading US non-profit scientific body - must condemn and
release the proposals for illegal weapons that is has received.
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- Legal Implications: The research proposed by the Air
Force and Navy raises serious legal questions. Under the US Biological
Weapons Anti-Terrorism Act, development of biological weapons, including
those that attack materials, is subject to federal criminal and civil penalties.
The Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention, which the US and 143 other
countries have ratified, prohibits development, acquisition, and stockpiling
of any biological agents not justifiable for peaceful or prophylactic purposes.
There is no such justification for the offensive research proposed by the
Navy and Air Force. The proposals are certain to weigh heavily on all
countries' minds as they prepare for November's reconstituted 5th Review
Conference of the BTWC.
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- CONTACT
- US - Edward Hammond (Austin, TX), +1 (512) 494-0545
- Europe - Jan van Aken (Hamburg), +49 40 431 88 001
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