Index

Case Narrative

Kuwaiti Girls’ School

Case Narratives are reports of what we know today about specific events that took place during the Gulf War of 1990 and 1991. This particular case narrative focuses on events at the Kuwaiti Girls’ School. Both UK and US military elements received positive alarms for chemical warfare agent in a storage tank located outside the school wall. This is an interim report, not a final report. We hope that you will read this and contact us with any information that would help us better understand the events reported here. With your help, we will be able to report more accurately on the events surrounding events at the Kuwaiti Girls’ School. Please contact the appropriate office to report any new information by calling:

UK: 0171-218-4462

US: 1-800-472-6719

Edgar Buckley,
Assistant Under Secretary (Home & Overseas)
UK Ministry of Defence

Bernard Rostker
Special Assistant for Gulf War Illnesses
US Department of Defense

1998071-0000009

Last Update: March 19, 1998

Many veterans of the Gulf War have been experiencing a variety of physical symptoms, collectively called Gulf War illnesses. In response to veterans’ concerns, the Department of Defense (DOD) established a task force in June 1995, to investigate all possible causes. The Investigation and Analysis Directorate (IAD) of the Office of the Special Assistant for Gulf War Illnesses (OSAGWI) assumed responsibility for these investigations on November 12, 1996, and has continued to investigate the events that occurred at the Kuwaiti Girls’ School in the Al Ahmadi district of Kuwait. In addition, the Persian Gulf War Illnesses Task Force (PGWITF), consisting of members of the various US intelligence services, provided information and expert analysis to the IAD on a multitude of issues arising from the IAD’s investigation into events at the Kuwaiti Girls School.

Early in 1997, the British Government established a Gulf Veterans’ Illnesses Unit (GVIU) within the Ministry of Defence (MOD), to coordinate the UK’s response to all of the issues raised by Gulf veterans’ illnesses. In July 1997, the British Government published a policy statement detailing its strategy for addressing veterans’ concerns. The Government pledged to investigate incidents where chemical or biological warfare agents were alleged to have been present or detected. The incident at the Kuwaiti Girls’ School was the first such case to be reviewed.

As part of the effort to inform the public about the progress of its efforts, DOD and MOD are publishing (on the Internet and elsewhere) accounts relating to particular incidents which Gulf War veterans have reported and which could have a bearing on the illnesses now being suffered by Gulf war veterans, along with whatever documentary evidence or personal testimony was used in compiling the accounts. The narrative that follows is such an account. Its production has been coordinated with several key individuals involved in events at the Kuwaiti Girls’ School. US personnel directly coordinating with investigators on this narrative’s production are Major Michael Johnson, Lieutenant Colonel Donnie Killgore, and Colonel (Ret.) John Macel. UK coordination has been with the Sampling Team Leader, Major John Watkinson, and the British soldier injured during testing. While these six individuals directly reviewed and commented on draft versions of this document, numerous others provided key information which helped investigators to provide a more comprehensive view of events surrounding the Kuwaiti Girls’ School. We appreciate their assistance and encourage others with additional information to contact us.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

METHODOLOGY

SUMMARY

NARRATIVE: Background of the Kuwaiti Girls’ School; Iraqi Use of the Kuwaiti Girls’ School; Reconstruction of Post War Kuwait; Discovery of the Suspicious Storage Tank at the Kuwaiti Girls’ School: First Week of August 1991; Nature of Operations at the Tank at the Kuwaiti Girls’ School in August 1991; Testing of the Tank’s Contents - Initial Activity; The First Operation - The Initial Testing of the Tank’s Contents; The First Operation - Conclusions of the Initial Testing; The First Operation - Subsequent Activity; The Second Operation - The Fox Vehicle Testing; The Second Operation - Conclusions of the Fox Vehicle Testing; The Second Operation - Subsequent Activity; The Third Operation - Obtaining Samples for Detailed Analysis; The Third Operation - Conclusions; The Third Operation - Subsequent Events; The Fourth Operation - Permanent Sealing of the Tank at the Kuwaiti Girls’ School; Conclusions of the Fourth Operation; The Fourth Operation - Subsequent Events; CBDE Porton Down Analysis of the Samples Taken from the Tank; Notification of CBDE Porton Down’s Findings; Disposal of the Tank; Public Review of the Case; Subsequent Events in the US - Captain Johnson’s Report; The Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Investigation; UK Provision of Information; Presidential Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans’ Illnesses Investigation; Subsequent Events in the UK; The UK/US Investigation; Assessment of the Fox Tapes

ASSESSMENT

CONCLUSION

TAB A - LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

TAB B - BIBLIOGRAPHY

TAB C - METHODOLOGY FOR CHEMICAL INCIDENT INVESTIGATION

TAB D - OVERVIEW OF INHIBITED RED FUMING NITRIC ACID AND RELATED HEALTH HAZARDS

TAB E - INDIVIDUALS/ORGANIZATIONS INVOLVED AND THEIR RESPECTIVE ROLES

TAB F - MATRIX DEMONSTRATING WHAT EACH PARTICIPANT KNEW ABOUT EVENTS

TAB G - TIMELINE RELATING EVENTS AND WHO WAS INVOLVED

TAB H - FOX MASS SPECTROMETER PRINTOUTS FROM TESTING

TAB I - EXPLANATION OF SIBCA KIT

TAB J - ANALYSIS OF SAMPLES TAKEN DURING THE THIRD OPERATION AT THE TANK

TAB K - US DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE LESSONS LEARNED: Communication; Document All Reporting Relating to a Potential CW/BW Incident; Doctrine, Tactics, Techniques, Procedures, Training and Requirements; Coordination of Information Among Participants

END NOTES

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