Russian 'Sold Smallpox Strain' To Iraq

The Telegraph (UK) ^ | 12-04-2002 | Toby Harnden

[blam]

Russian 'sold smallpox strain' to Iraq

By Toby Harnden in Washington
(Filed: 04/12/2002)

Saddam Hussein was given a virulent strain of smallpox suitable for use as a biological weapon by a Russian scientist who visited Iraq in 1990, an informant has told the CIA.

The information was considered credible enough to be presented to President George W Bush and hastened White House plans to inoculate a million Americans with the smallpox vaccine. Britain is also planning to inoculate squads of emergency workers, including health professionals and Servicemen.

Nelja Maltseva, a virologist, worked in Moscow's Research Institute for Viral Preparations for three decades. The institute held 120 strains of smallpox and the variety she is said to have passed to Iraq could be resistant to vaccines.

According to the informant, whose identity is being kept secret, Dr Maltseva travelled to Iraq a dozen years ago. Officials fear that she may have sold the Aralsk strain, named after the port in Kazakhstan where there was a smallpox epidemic in 1971.

The Soviet Union did not report the outbreak to world health officials, and Dr Maltseva, who died two years ago, took part in a covert mission to stop it. She is believed to have taken tissue samples of the strain to her laboratory. She is known to have visited Iraq in 1972 and 1973 and the CIA is trying to establish if a 1990 trip took place.

William Winkenwerder, the US assistant defence secretary for health affairs, told the New York Times that America wanted more help from Russia about the various smallpox strains.

"There is information we would like the Russians to share as a partner of ours," he said. "Because if there are strains that present a unique problem with respect to vaccines and treatment, it is in the interests of all freedom-loving people to have as much information as possible."

Former UN inspectors have said Saddam displayed an increased interest in smallpox vaccines after 1990 and the reason had previously been unknown.

[blam]

This story does not sound very 'solid.'

[Cicero]

It sounds worrisome to me. Toby Harden and The Telegraph aren't given to exaggeration. A new strain of smallpox, immune to vaccine would not be funny. It has taken a dog's age to ready the present supply of vaccine, and it may be a couple more years before the vaccine gets to the general public. Even if the Russians hand over samples of the Aralsk virus, it could take years to develop and manufacture a new vaccine.

[Ben Ficklin]

It is a NYT story published today. ABC also reported it and attributed it to NYT.

[Heartlander2]

Please take a look at the article I posted from Pravda.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/800071/posts

It says something interesting in the last paragraph.

[Nebr FAL owner]

The old soviet system & the "Bio-preperat" organization are to thank for this they literally would infect animals with a disease treat with mild doses of antibiotics so that the animal would partially recover then discontinue the treatment so that the animal would die . Then recover samples of the disease & start the process all over again but using a different medication to create a strain of disease that had immunity to a variety of broad spectrum antibiotics.Now Ivan hasn't got any real idea what he has,were its at & who is in charge of what is left over from the old soviet bio warfare program. Ain't we just so lucky !

[blam]

"Please take a look at the article I posted from Pravda."

"It is not yet clear why the sudden rush has taken place in four separate countries, all of them pressing for vaccine for the same disease. Either an intelligence report has appeared confirming that something has gone missing from a laboratory or a warning has been made. To date, there is no official confirmation or denial of either option."

Thanks, it just got more 'solid' for me. Somebody is spooked!!

[Heartlander2]

You're welcome. I wish that others would take a look at this and comment on it. I think it is rather spooky myself.

[swarthyguy]

Did you see TV pictures of the cops getting spvaccines in Florida today. Maybe the clip showed them getting the shot for the flu or something but i could've sweared the newsreader said "today in florida".

[blam]

Sorry, didn't watch any TV today so I don't know anything about this.

[ApesForEvolution]

If it is true, the likelihood of it being a vaccine-resistant strain are higher than average. Sounds like government propaganda to begin vaccinations.

[willyone]

And how would you know? Please tell us how you know so much. Or are you just hoping it is not true.

[blam]

"And how would you know? Please tell us how you know so much. Or are you just hoping it is not true."

Yes. Hoping it's not true!

I just commented to someone else that " none of my worst fears have ever come true."

[goody2shooz]

As to all our fears -- there is always a first time for them to come true.

[aruanan]

The institute held 120 strains of smallpox and the variety she is said to have passed to Iraq could be resistant to vaccines.

How resistant is it to nuclear fireballs?

[StockAyatollah]

This is probably the smallpox story to which you are referring. I think there has to be something out there or Bush would not have ordered 300 million doses of the vaccine. If Al Qaeda or the Iraqis do possess the virus, they would probably want to keep it as their trump card. They would also want our government to know they have it.

[swarthyguy]

Thanks. You do get the feeling of events happening "behind the scenes".