IRAQ-CYANIDE GAS

File: cia_64972_64972_01.txt
Page: 01
Total Pages: 1
Subject: IRAQ-CYANIDE GAS

Not Finally Evaluated Intelligence







TO FACILITATE ELECTRONIC ACCESS, THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN

REFORMATTED TO ELIMINATE INFORMATION THAT DOES NOT PERTAIN

TO GULF WAR ILLNESS ISSUES OR THAT IS CLASSIFIED. A COPY OF

THIS REDACTED DOCUMENT, IN ORIGINAL FORMAT, IS AVAILABLE ON

REQUEST.







FEB 91







COUNTRY: IRAQ

SUBJ:  IRAQI INTEREST IN PRODUCING CYANIDE GAS

DOI:   1987







THE IRAQIS STATED THAT THEY VIEWED CYANIDE AS

BEING ATTRACTIVE BECAUSE IT IS CHEAP, LETHAL, QUICK ACTING, AND

VOLATILE UNDER THE CLIMATIC CONDITIONS THAT EXIST IN THEIR

GEOGRAPHIC AREA. THE IRAQIS POINTED OUT THAT THIS VOLATILITY

CAUSES THE RAPID EVAPORATION OF CYANIDE FROM HUMAN TISSUE AND

THE SURROUNDING ENVIRONMENT, MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT TO PROVE

THE AGENT WAS USED AFTER SUCH AN ATTACK AND ALLOWING TROOPS TO

ENTER THE AREA WITHOUT THE USE OF RESTRICTIVE PROTECTIVE

ENSEMBLES. THE IRAQIS STATED THAT THEY WERE NOT INTERESTED IN

THE PRODUCTION OF EITHER SARIN OR TABUN. IN THE CASE OF TABUN,

THE IRAQIS CLAIMED TO HAVE BOUGHT THE NERVE AGENT FROM SEVERAL

SOURCES. AS FOR SARIN, THE IRAQIS INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD

PREFER TO BUY RATHER THAN MANUFACTURE THIS AGENT. THE IRAQIS

ALSO INDICATED THAT THEY HAD NO INTEREST IN VX GAS BECAUSE OF

THE AGENT'S PERSISTANCY.







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