- Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung
- February 16, 2003
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- Biological Terrorism : Danger Hushed Up
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- - Secret Service: Iraq possesses smallpox pathogens
- - Federal Government kept the information secret for
months
- - The text of the document
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- BERLIN -- The Federal Government has apparently concealed
information that Iraq possesses biological weapons of mass destruction
and is threatening Germany with them.
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- In a government document dated August 9 of last year,
which this newspaper has in its possession, it was warned that in attacks
using smallpox agents, in which up to 25 million Germans could fall victim,
there was not sufficient vaccine available. Not publicizing the document
has fueled suspicion that the Red-Green coalition hushed up the actual
threat by Iraq a few weeks before federal elections and that it is still
not informing the public completely about the extent of the threat.
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- The document is a copy of the text from the Federal Health
Ministry that according to the FAX header information was distributed widely
in the Federal Government and, among other things, was known about by the
Federal Interior Ministry since August 12. Due to the acute threat by Iraq,
procurement of smallpox vaccine for the entire population should be undertaken.
According to the document, the "German secret service" has just
not "vague indications" as the government has claimed so far,
but "documented knowledge" that Iraq possesses biological weapons.
The document says further that smallpox agents are stored "illegally"
outside of official American and Russian laboratories, in Iraq and North
Korea among other places. There are even indications that terror groups
are striving to produce biological weapons. In case of an American military
strike against Baghdad, there is "fear" that Iraq will retaliate
with the biological weapons they have in their possession, including smallpox.
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- The extent of the threat is described openly for the
first time. "In a - no longer safely dismissed - biological attack"
the most "devastating scenario" is an attack with smallpox agents.
Without vaccination one could figure on 30 to 40 percent mortality, meaning
25 million people in Germany alone. Furthermore, "In the case of an
epidemic, public life would collapse on the day of the awareness of the
attack, even before the deadly effects of the plague."
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- In the meantime the Federal Government has ordered a
complete supply of vaccine that must be secured by March. Even a biological
attack outside of Germany is dangerous: "A release of smallpox viruses
somewhere else in the world creates an extraordinary danger for Germany
due to the highly contagious nature of the agents and the mobility of the
world's population."
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- The Ministry of Health confirms the existence of the
document, but points out that such drastic language was chosen so that
funds for vaccines would be quickly allocated by the Budget Committee.
The number of deaths are exaggerated and would only apply if all residents
were infected, which is "completely unrealistic". The minister
herself used the document to use for speaking notes to the Budget Committee
in November, but edited out most of the sections about Iraq and the effects
of an attack. FDP Chairman Westerwelle, who has been criticizing the Federal
Government for glossing over the danger for some time now, told this newspaper:
"The level of danger from Iraq is a lot more serious than the government
wants to admit".
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- The Text of the Smallpox Warning
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- Bonn, 9. August 2002
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- BMG
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- Ref. 329
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- Complete Rationale to the apl. -/apl. VE-Proposal from
08/09/2002 Re: The Procurement of Smallpox Vaccine
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- The immediate allocation of 10 million Euro as well as
VE in the amount of 20 million Euro for the procurement of smallpox vaccine
is factually irrefutable and temporally non-deferrable.
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- 1.Probability of an Attack
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- The foreign policy appraisal and especially the reports
of the news services indicate an acute escalation of threat levels: The
German security services have at their disposal documented knowledge that
smallpox agents are stored illegally outside the official laboratories
in Atlanta and Koltsovo, for example in Russia, Iraq and North Korea. Likewise
there are indications that terror groups are striving to produce biological
weapons. Even the release of smallpox viruses somewhere else in the world
creates an extraordinary danger for Germany due to the highly contagious
nature of the agents and the mobility of the world?s population. The signs
of a possible short notice imminent attack on Iraq by the US are increasing
There is reason to fear that in such a situation Iraq will retaliate with
any biological weapons in its possession, including smallpox viruses.
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- 2. Effects of an Attack
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- In an - no longer safely dismissed - attack in the realm
of bioterrorism the most devastating scenario by far exists in the event
of an attack with smallpox agents. The population of Germany - even those
persons who were inoculated until the 70?s - shows insufficient immunity.
We would calculate with 30 to 40 % mortality, i.e., about 25 million people
in the Federal Republic alone. In the case of an epidemic public life would
collapse on the day of its knowledge, even before the deadly effects of
the plague.
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- Smallpox vaccination can protect the spread of the plague.
We must, therefore, maintain sufficient vaccine for the entire population.
The army has stored 6 million doses of smallpox vaccine from an older supply
in October 2001. With the procurement of these vaccines, of which no larger
quantities are available at this time, we can only build an emergency reserve.
It will not be sufficient in any way to stop an outbreak. For these reasons
BMI, BMVg and BMG have initiated intensive efforts to introduce further
stores.
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- Also, in comparison with other countries immediate precautions
are vital:
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- - The USA has already stored or ordered vaccine for the
entire population. The USA is preparing for the immediate immunization
against smallpox of more than 500,000 people in the health services.
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- - Israel is actively preparing for the possibility of
a terror attack with smallpox viruses and possesses vaccine for the entire
population.
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- The degree of the supply of smallpox vaccine in individual
countries is public knowledge. Because it is one of the most important
industrial nations in the West and due to the insufficient provisions Germany
is, as a largely unprotected country, an especially attractive target for
bio-terrorist attacks.
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- For Readers of German..FAZ.. Gefahr verscwiegen
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- Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, 16.02.2003
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- Translated by longjack
- http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/844500/posts
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