IRAQI BIOLOGICAL WARFARE (BW) DEVELOPMENTS  

Filename:011045di.90
CDSN = LGX896   MCN = 90274/19935   TOR = 902741647 
PTTSZYUW RUEKJCS6251 2741648---RUEALGX. 
ZNY  
P 011648Z OCT 90 
FM JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC 
INFO RUEALGX/SAFE 
P 011045Z OCT 90 
FM DIA WASHINGTON DC//IRAQ REGIONAL ITF// 
TO DIACURINTEL 
RUCLFBA/CTOCSE 18 ABC REAR FT BRAGG NC 
AIG 7011 
AIG 7046 
AIG 7033 
RUEBLEA/COMMCEN TTY RIYADH IAP SA 
RHMPMCC/GMCC BCST 
RHTMMCC/MMCC BCST 
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PASS:  [   (b)(2)   ]










SUBJ:  IRAQI BIOLOGICAL WARFARE (BW) DEVELOPMENTS  
1.  [      (b)(1) sec 1.3(a)(4)    ] THAT IRAQ ACQUIRED 
FORTY HIGH PERFORMANCE AEROSOL GENERATORS IN THE SPRING OF 1990, 
OSTENSIBLY FOR SPRAYING CROPS WITH PESTICIDES.  THE GENERATORS 
WERE CUSTOM BUILT TO DELIVER EITHER LIQUID OR DRY MATERIAL EITHER 
SINGLY OR SIMULTANEOUSLY.  THE GENERATORS CAN DISTRIBUTE FIFTY 
LITERS PER 
MINUTE (3,000 LITERS PER HOUR OR APPROXIMATELY 800 GALLONS PER 
HOUR) THROUGH A CUSTOM DESIGNED NOZZLE(S) WHICH PERMITS THE 
AEROSOL TO BE ADJUSTED TO TEN DIFFERENT PARTICLE SIZES.  THE 
DISSEMINATION 
OUTLET CAN BE ROTATED ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY DEGREES THEREBY 
ENABLING DISSEMINATION HORIZONTAL TO GROUND OR WATER SURFACES, OR 
UPWARDS AT AN ANGLE PERMITTING PREVAILING WINDS TO CARRY THE 
AEROSOL.  THE IRAQI ENTITY WHICH ACQUIRED THE AEROSOL GENERATORS 
IS NOT KNOWN AT THIS TIME BUT COULD VERY WELL BE CONNECTED TO THE 
IRAQI BIOLOGICAL WARFARE (BW) PROGRAM. 

2.  THE AEROSOL GENERATORS ARE OF SUCH SIZE TO FIT ON THE 
BACK OF A PICKUP TRUCK OR A SMALL ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLE, A SMALL 
BOAT, OR SMALL AIRCRAFT.  THESE UNITS WOULD BE SUITABLE FOR THE 
DISPERSAL OF BW AGENTS IN EITHER LIQUID OR DRY FORM.  THE ABILITY 
TO DISPENSE SIMULTANEOUSLY LIQUID AND DRY MATERIALS WOULD ENABLE 
THE IRAQIS TO DISSEMINATE TWO BW AGENTS AT THE SAME TIME.  SUCH 
UNITS, HOWEVER, WOULD THEMSELVES BECOME HEAVILY CONTAMINATED 
DURING USE AND WOULD REQUIRE DECONTAMINATION TO RENDER THEM SAFE. 
 PERSONNEL OPERATING SUCH UNITS WOULD AT A MINIMUM NEED TO WEAR A 
PROTECTIVE OVERGARMENT, A CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL WARFARE MASK, 
AND UNDERGO THOROUGH DECONTAMINATION AFTER DISPENSING THE 
AGENT(S).  DECONTAMINATION OF THE AEROSOL GENERATORS AND TRANSPORT 
VEHICLES WOULD LIKELY HAVE TO OCCUR NEAR THE AREA OF OPERATION AT 
REMOTE LOCATIONS SO AS TO MINIMIZE INCIDENTAL CONTAMINATION OF 
IRAQI FORCES. 

3.    THE IRAQIS HAVE TWO CONFIRMED BW AGENTS--ANTHRAX AND 
BOTULINUM TOXIN.  ANTHRAX CAN BE DISSEMINATED BY AEROSOL 
GENERATORS EITHER AS A FREEZE-DRIED POWDER OR AS A LIQUID 
SUSPENSION. 
THEORETICALLY BOTULINUM TOXIN CAN BE DISPENSED AS EITHER A FREEZE- 
DRIED POWDER, PROBABLY IN COMBINATION WITH A FILLER, OR AS A 
LIQUID.  THE MORE LIKELY OF THE TWO CHOICES FOR BOTULINUM TOXIN IS 
DISSEMINATION AS A POWDER.  POWDERS ARE EASILY MIXED WITH FILLERS, 
POSE A CONSIDERABLY GREATER THREAT THROUGH INHALATION, AND ARE 
BETTER ABLE TO WITHSTAND THE SHEAR FORCES EXPERIENCED WHEN 
DISSEMINATED THROUGH NOZZLES WITH A RELATIVELY SMALL ORIFICE. 

4.  (U) POC FOR THIS MESSAGE IS [  b.6.  ], DIA/DT, 
[    b.2.    ]. 

 
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