Major German Paper (FAZ): German Government Knows Iraq Has Biologicals

Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung ^ | February 16, 2003 | Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung

[longjack]

Biological Terrorism : Danger Hushed Up

Secret Service: Iraq possesses smallpox pathogens / Federal Government kept the information secret for months / The text of the document

Berlin. The Federal Government has apparently concealed information that Iraq possesses biological weapons of mass destruction and is threatening Germany with them.

In a government document dated August 9 of last year, which this newspaper has in its possession, it was warned that in attacks using smallpox agents, in which up to 25 million Germans could fall victim, there was not sufficient vaccine available. Not publicizing the document has fueled suspicion that the Red-Green coalition hushed up the actual threat by Iraq a few weeks before federal elections and that it is still not informing the public completely about the extent of the threat.

The document is a copy of the text from the Federal Health Ministry that according to the FAX header information was distributed widely in the Federal Government and, among other things, was known about by the Federal Interior Ministry since August 12. Due to the acute threat by Iraq, procurement of smallpox vaccine for the entire population should be undertaken. According to the document, the "German secret service" has just not "vague indications" as the government has claimed so far, but "documented knowledge" that Iraq possesses biological weapons. The document says further that smallpox agents are stored "illegally" outside of official American and Russian laboratories, in Iraq and North Korea among other places. There are even indications that terror groups are striving to produce biological weapons. In case of an American military strike against Baghdad, there is "fear" that Iraq will retaliate with the biological weapons they have in their possession, including smallpox.

The extent of the threat is described openly for the first time. "In a - no longer safely dismissed - biological attack" the most "devastating scenario" is an attack with smallpox agents. Without vaccination one could figure on 30 to 40 percent mortality, meaning 25 million people in Germany alone. Furthermore, "In the case of an epidemic, public life would collapse on the day of the awareness of the attack, even before the deadly effects of the plague."

In the meantime the Federal Government has ordered a complete supply of vaccine that must be secured by March. Even a biological attack outside of Germany is dangerous: "A release of smallpox viruses somewhere else in the world creates an extraordinary danger for Germany due to the highly contagious nature of the agents and the mobility of the world's population."

The Ministry of Health confirms the existence of the document, but points out that such drastic language was chosen so that funds for vaccines would be quickly allocated by the Budget Committee. The number of deaths are exaggerated and would only apply if all residents were infected, which is "completely unrealistic". The minister herself used the document to use for speaking notes to the Budget Committee in November, but edited out most of the sections about Iraq and the effects of an attack. FDP Chairman Westerwelle, who has been criticizing the Federal Government for glossing over the danger for some time now, told this newspaper: "The level of danger from Iraq is a lot more serious than the government wants to admit".

The Text of the Smallpox Warning

Bonn, 9. August 2002

BMG

Ref. 329

Complete Rationale to the apl. -/apl. VE-Proposal from 08/09/2002 Re: The Procurement of Smallpox Vaccine

The immediate allocation of 10 million Euro as well as VE in the amount of 20 million Euro for the procurement of smallpox vaccine is factually irrefutable and temporally non-deferrable.

1.Probability of an Attack

The foreign policy appraisal and especially the reports of the news services indicate an acute escalation of threat levels: The German security services have at their disposal documented knowledge that smallpox agents are stored illegally outside the official laboratories in Atlanta and Koltsovo, for example in Russia, Iraq and North Korea. Likewise there are indications that terror groups are striving to produce biological weapons. Even the release of smallpox viruses somewhere else in the world creates an extraordinary danger for Germany due to the highly contagious nature of the agents and the mobility of the world?s population. The signs of a possible short notice imminent attack on Iraq by the US are increasing There is reason to fear that in such a situation Iraq will retaliate with any biological weapons in its possession, including smallpox viruses.

2. Effects of an Attack

In an - no longer safely dismissed - attack in the realm of bioterrorism the most devastating scenario by far exists in the event of an attack with smallpox agents. The population of Germany - even those persons who were inoculated until the 70?s - shows insufficient immunity. We would calculate with 30 to 40 % mortality, i.e., about 25 million people in the Federal Republic alone. In the case of an epidemic public life would collapse on the day of its knowledge, even before the deadly effects of the plague.

Smallpox vaccination can protect the spread of the plague. We must, therefore, maintain sufficient vaccine for the entire population. The army has stored 6 million doses of smallpox vaccine from an older supply in October 2001. With the procurement of these vaccines, of which no larger quantities are available at this time, we can only build an emergency reserve. It will not be sufficient in any way to stop an outbreak. For these reasons BMI, BMVg and BMG have initiated intensive efforts to introduce further stores.

Also, in comparison with other countries immediate precautions are vital:

- The USA has already stored or ordered vaccine for the entire population. The USA is preparing for the immediate immunization against smallpox of more than 500,000 people in the health services.

- Israel is actively preparing for the possibility of a terror attack with smallpox viruses and possesses vaccine for the entire population.

The degree of the supply of smallpox vaccine in individual countries is public knowledge. Because it is one of the most important industrial nations in the West and due to the insufficient provisions Germany is, as a largely unprotected country, an especially attractive target for bio-terrorist attacks.

For Readers of German..FAZ.. Gefahr verscwiegen

Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, 16.02.2003

Translated by longjack

[longjack]

americanbychoice posted a referenece to this article yesterday. There are several intriguing articles linked to that post.

longjack

[hoosiermama]

YOu may have hit the nailon the head! We need to make vaccine available. State a couple of weeks ago that both the Fr and Gr appeared to be afraid of the "Bully, Sadamm. Now we know a possible reason why.

THANKS for the information/translation! PING

[Drango]

Don't worry Germany/France. Should you be attacked, the USA will stand with you. /sarcasm

[null and void]

Oh, smallpox ain't so bad. Only 30% fatalities.

The Soviets developed a strain of hemorhagic small pox called black pox. 90% fatal, and VERY contagous.

Any bets on who hired the scientists after the Soviet Union collapsed???

[ventana]

Bump.

[longjack]

German reader's ping.

Here's those links. Both are hammers.

eabinga..N-TV..Pockenviren in Irak

BMCDA..FAZ...Kommentar

longjack

[conservativecorner]

Thanks so much for the post and translation! Mega Dittos Bump!!

[tictoc]

Many thanks, longjack.

Excellent translation. As a translator myself, I know how much work it is.

I was vaccinated against smallpox as a child. Do you know if that vaccination still protects me?

[dalebert]

They want dead American soldiers to help Democarrots defeat Bush in 2004.

[longjack]

Thanks for the compliment. Translating is good for keeping my mind alert, if nothing else. I'm not a translator.

I was vaccinated in the 50's (USA), my wife in the 60's (D). From what I've heard it is no longer effective, however with a previous inoculation a booster may be all we need.

longjack

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

No wonder that the birth rate in Europe is declining.

These people are a bunch of cowards!

[elhombrelibre]

True, but worse. They are making money from a dictator who starves his people, and they are pretending they have the moral high ground. 80 German companies have sold WMD to Saddam. That's evil. Where's the moral outrage in Germany about that?

[longjack]

Here's one SPD response:

Yahoo-Germany..Wirbel um Vermerk zu Pockenviren

longjack

[tet68]

Not publicizing the document has fueled suspicion that the Red-Green coalition hushed up the actual threat by Iraq

Interesting that an article about possible nuclear powerplant attacks in England being hushed up by the Greens there was just posted yesterday.

Hmmmmm.

[tet68]

Guess it would be hard to gather so many anti-war protestors
if they knew they were the target, huh.

[P.O.E.]

Just like Clinton did on his watch, the socialists, such as in Germany, are closing their eyes, hoping it will go away.

Libs are famous for not knowing how to get anything done, only how to take your money, skim off the top, and buy somebody else's vote with it.

They know if the population demanded real solutions to this real problem, they'd be out of a job. In other words, it's all about saving their own political skin, and everybody else be d#mned.

[RGSpincich]

such drastic language was chosen so that funds for vaccines would be quickly allocated by the Budget Committee.

Germans were threatened and turned French. Choice of evils defense for kissing Iraq's a$$.

[jwalsh07]

Btt