‘Iraq may arm terrorist groups’

MUMBAI: Iraq is capable of producing weapons of mass destruction (WMD) which it could share with terrorist groups, warned Michael Moodie, cofounder and President of the US-based Chemical and Biological Arms Control Institute.
Speaking at a 90-minute Mumbai-Washington video conference on “Combating WMD Terrorism,’’ at the American Centre here on Wednesday evening, he justified US action against Iraq on these grounds.
The other participants were Lieutenant General (Retd) Ashok Joshi, former defence attache of India in Washington, Shrikant Paranjpe, head of defence and strategic studies, Pune university and Jonathan Tucker, member of the Centre for nonproliferation studies. The American participants were located at Washington.
Mr Moodie said all WMDs were not the same. Pointing out that nuclear, chemical and biological weapons were unique in their own way, he said biological weapons impose a burden on a country’s health system.
According to him the growth of science and technology helps in the development of WMDs. Later in a brief Q-A session he said that it was the responsibility of the Pakistani government to ensure the safety of its nuclear materials.
He said it was difficult to state the preferences of the terrorist groups for a particular type of weapon. It was for the scientific community and industries to help to curb the growth of WMDs. Lt Gen Joshi said that unlike biological and chemical weapons, nuclear weapons are considered necessary and this line of thinking will continue till 2012. He believes that terrorists who want to use WMDs will opt for “dirty’’ bombs (conventional explosives packaged with radioactive materials that scatter when the bomb goes off) rather biological and chemical weapons.
Referring to the development of the ballistic missile defence system, he wondered whether it could trigger a vertical proliferation of WMDs. This, he feared, could lead to technology thefts. Mr Tucker described the tactics of the Al Qaida group as “complex and innovative.’’ “Their planning of the September 11 attacks, is an indication that they could also be preparing to acquire WMDs.
The use of WMDs by terrorists is increasing since they are in a position to hire weapon scientists from countries like Russia,’’ he stated. After a recent visit to Kabul foreign minister Yashwant Singh said in New Delhi that the Al Qaida were “regrouping’’ themselves.