CZECH REPUBLIC: GULF WAR CHEMICAL AGENT DETECTIONS. (U)

Filename:021952au.94
021952Z AUG 94
FM DIA WASHINGTON DC//PO-4B//
BT

SERIAL:  MILITARY INTELLIGENCE DIGEST (MID) 214-6A
SUBJ: CZECH REPUBLIC: GULF WAR CHEMICAL AGENT DETECTIONS. (U)
DOI:  2 AUG 94 (AS OF 1405 EDT)
 
TEXT: 1. TEST RESULTS ON THE CZECH AND RUSSIAN CHEMICAL
WARFARE DETECTION EQUIPMENT DEPLOYED DURING OPERATIONS DESERT 
SHIELD AND DESERT STORM SUPPORT CZECH CLAIMS THAT THE EQUIPMENT 
DETECTED NERVE AND MUSTARD AGENTS IN SAUDI ARABIA DURING THE GULF 
WAR.

2. THE GULF WAR CHEMICAL QUESTION. ACCORDING TO THE CZECH
REPUBLIC DEFENSE MINISTRY, THE CHEMICAL DEFENSE DETACHMENT 
DEPLOYED
TO SAUDI ARABIA DURING THE GULF WAR DETECTED VERY LOW 
CONCENTRATIONS OF NERVE AGENT VAPOR NEAR HAFIR AL BATIN ON 19 
JANUARY 1991 AND IDENTIFIED A SMALL MUSTARD PUDDLE OUTSIDE OF KING 
KHALID MILITARY CITY ON THE 24TH. THE NERVE AGENT WAS REPORTED TO 
BE INITIALLY DETECTED WITH A [      (b)(1) sec 1.3(a)(4)    ] 
AUTOMATIC CHEMICAL AGENT DETECTOR AND CONFIRMED WITH A CZECH [    
  (b)(1) sec 1.3(a)(4)    ] SEMIAUTOMATIC CHEMICAL DETECTOR. AN 
AIR SAMPLE WAS COLLECTED AND SUBSEQUENTLY ANALYZED FOR SARIN IN A 
CZECH [      (b)(1) sec 1.3(a)(4)    ] MOBILE CHEMICAL LABORATORY. 
THE CONTAMINANT IN THE DESERT SAND WAS IDENTIFIED AS MUSTARD USING 
THE [      (b)(1) sec 1.3(a)(4)    ] AND A MANPORTABLE [      
(b)(1) sec 1.3(a)(4)    ] LABORATORY.
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3. [      (b)(1) sec 1.3(a)(4)    ]DEMONSTRATED THAT THE CZECH 
CHEMICAL DETECTION
EQUIPMENT WAS CAPABLE OF DISCERNING A LOW CONCENTRATION OF NERVE
AGENT IN THE AIR AND A SMALL PUDDLE OF MUSTARD IN THE DESERT SAND.
HOWEVER, THE [      (b)(1) sec 1.3(a)(4)    ] SUGGESTED THAT THE 
EQUIPMENT WAS NOT ABLE TO
IDENTIFY THE SPECIFIC NERVE AGENT SARIN UNDER THE FIELD CONDITIONS
CLAIMED.
4. [   (b)(1) sec 1.3(a)(4)   ]









5. [   (b)(1) sec 1.3(a)(4)   ]  SUPPORT THE CONCLUSION THAT THE 
DETECTIONS WERE NOT LIKELY TO HAVE BEEN FALSE ALARMS. THE 
AUTOMATIC CHEMICAL AGENT DETECTORS WERE DETERMINED TO BE EXTREMELY 
SENSITIVE TO NERVE AGENTS BUT NOT SENSITIVE TO INTERFERANTS 
NORMALLY ENCOUNTERED ON THE BATTLEFIELD; NO FALSE ALARMS WERE 
RECORDED DURING [      (b)(1) sec 1.3(a)(4)    ] OF THIS EQUIPMENT 
AGAINST A VARIETY OF SUCH ELEMENTS. [   (b)(1) sec 1.3(a)(4)   ]

THE MOBILE LABORATORY [   (b)(1) sec 1.3(a)(4)   ] A BASIC, BUT 
WELL-EQUIPPED UNIT WITH A GOOD CAPABILITY TO CLASSIFY CHEMICAL 
WARFARE AGENTS, ALTHOUGH NOT ABLE TO IDENTIFY SPECIFIC AGENTS AT 
VERY LOW LEVELS.
6. [   (b)(1) sec 1.3(a)(4)   ]






[   (b)(6)   ][   (b)(2)   ]