Sarin Nerve Agent Leaks From Ala. Bunker

AP - via Yahoo News Page ^ | 3 March 2004 | n/c

[BlackVeil]

ANNISTON, Ala. - A trace amount of sarin nerve agent leaked from a weapons storage bunker at Anniston Army Depot, but no one was injured.

Workers were conducting routine checks for leaks Tuesday when a monitor detected the agent outside the airtight bunker where the weapons are stored.

Sarin did not escape the area, and the concentration was not enough to hurt anyone, said Cathy Coleman, a spokeswoman Anniston Chemical Activity, which oversees the stockpile.

Tons of munitions are stored in dirt-covered, concrete igloos at the depot 50 miles east of Birmingham.

Since 1982, the Army has found 897 leaking chemical weapons in storage at the depot, where the military is using an incinerator to destroy the aging weapons.

[holyscroller]

Should we be posting this on the internet? This is the type of info our enemies would like to know. They could do a lot of damage with a rocket or two, maybe easier than flying acouple planes into the World Trade Center.

[BlackVeil]

You have a point - but I believe that the location of these weapons is common knowledge, for a long time. It is in some sort of military base, so no doubt it is guarded.

[Kirkwood]

Very well known. People living in the surrounding area are instructed in how to protect themselves in cases of leaks. Many emergency responders train at Anniston to get hands on experience with the real thing.

[Cold Heat]

This is no secret.

we have a pile of it here in Arkansas as well and another incinerator.

Security is tighter than a tick and the Bunkers are pretty much indestructible.

[agitator]

I've been to a similar facility on Johnston Atoll that was the pilot project for this one. It was surrounded by a double row of barbed wire fence and guarded and patrolled by big, ugly guys with shoot first, ask questions later orders. The security around these facilities is military grade, not like the rentacop security you find around nuke powerplants. I'd be more worried about *that.*