WASHINGTON [MENL] -- Western European firms are believed to be leading
suppliers in Syria's weapons of mass destruction program.
U.S. defense sources said chemical companies in such countries as
Austria, France, Germany and Holland are supplying technology for Syria's
chemical and biological weapons programs. Most of the technology has been
classified as dual use.
The technology is aiding Syria's production of chemical agents and nerve
gas. Syria is believed to have up to three plants north of Damascus that is
producing agents for chemical warfare.
The Center for Strategic and International Studies identified a German
company as being a leading supplier to Syria's chemical warfare program. In
a July 17 report authored by Anthony Cordesman, the center said the German
firm Schott Glasswerke, is being investigated by German authorities for its
delivery of glass-lined reactor vessels, sarin precursors and production
equipment to a suspected Syrian poison gas plant.
"Syria's principle suppliers of CBW production technology included large
chemical brokerage houses in Holland, Switzerland, France, Austria and
Germany, including many of the same companies that were
supplying Iraq," the report said.
U.S. defense sources said Damascus has launched an effort to use the
chemical and biological warfare agents for deployment on Syria's Scud C and
D missiles. The missiles have a range of nearly 600 and 700 kilometers,
respectively, and can strike anywhere in Israel and large areas of Turkey.
So far, four Syrian WMD production sites have been identified. The CSIS
report said one is located north of Damascus. A second is near the
industrial city of Homs. A third in Hama is said to be producing VX, a heavy
gas regarded as being immune to wind shifts.
At least one biological production plant has been cited. The plant is
based in Cerin.
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