Chemical terrorism
now a reality, extremists getting real warfare agents - Lavrov
Published time: 1 Mar,
2016 10:30Edited time: 1 Mar, 2016 10:45
Russian Foreign Minister
Sergei Lavrov © Maxim Shemetov / Reuters
Chemical terrorism is now
a reality, Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov believes, as extremists from
Islamic State and other terrorist groups now possess the technical capabilities
to produce ‘proper chemical war agents.’
The threat of weapons of
mass destruction falling into the hands of non-government groups is widely
recognized, the Russian Foreign Minister said.
The issue emerged in
light of evidence that militants from Islamic State (IS, previously ISIS/ISIL)
and other terrorist groups not only repeatedly used “toxic industrial
chemicals,” but also “proper chemical warfare agents,” Lavrov
said. He added there is a growing threat of similar crimes being committed in
Libya and Yemen.
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There is intelligence
about terrorist groups acquiring access to scientific and technical
documentation for the production of chemical weapons, and seizing equipment
needed for such production, according to Lavrov. This involves foreign
specialists in order to master the synthesis of chemical warfare agents.
Lavrov mentioned
incidents in the town of Marea, 25 kilometers north of Aleppo in northern Syria
in August-September 2015.
In October, the
Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) released a report
saying that mustard gas had been used during fighting between IS and other
militant groups in Marea. The gas is known to cause severe delayed burns to the
eyes, skin and lungs.
“It leaves no room
for doubt that chemical terrorism is now turning from an abstract threat to a
harsh reality, which can and should be stopped by intensifying serious work at
an international level.”
Lavrov has suggested
developing a separate convention to counter acts of chemical terrorism.
According to the minister, the current norms of international law “don’t
solve the problem of forbidding the use of chemical weapons by non-governmental
organizations.”
“To eliminate such
problems by adding amendments to the Chemical Weapons Convention is a problem” as it includes “too complex, lengthy and bulky
procedures.”
“A more realistic,
reliable and promising means of tackling this problem is to develop a separate
convention for battling the acts of chemical terrorism.”
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