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CNN Live At Daybreak

Who Has Stockpiles of Chemical and Biological Weapons?

Aired October 17, 2001 - 07:35   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ZAHN: Time now to go back to the issue of the anthrax investigation.

The source of the anthrax is a major mystery. Government sources tell CNN the anthrax tested so far in the investigation of those tainted letters had not been genetically altered. They say it is natural in origin, and matches strains that have been around for some time.

CNN's Miles O'Brien joins us from Atlanta, now, with a look at locations around the world where stockpiles of biological and chemical weapons are suspected to be found.

Good morning, Miles.

MILES O'BRIEN: Good morning, Paula. It probably should come as no surprise to us that these are attacks, involve anthrax.

Anthrax, after all, exists naturally in dirt, and it is commonly found in soil samples all throughout the world. In addition to that, it is a real threat to livestock, and so it is studied at several hundred facilities all over the world to try to find a vaccine. And so, anthrax is as common as any of these kinds of things that could threaten human life or life in general.

Let's take a look at some of the other stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons suspected by the Central Intelligence Agency, think tanks and various other organizations.

Let's begin with Libya, and give you a sense of what might be going on there. Libya appears to have the goal of establishing a chemical weapons capability. It is believed to possess chemical weapons and has some sort of stockpile, and it is actively working to get biological agents. The scope of it is unclear.

Syria is another one that has a stockpile of nerve gas, serin gas, and it is trying to develop more toxic nerve agents, according to the CIA. It apparently does have or is developing an offensive biological weapons capability. Once again, the scope not clear there.

Israel has a stockpile, as well, although it does not officially talk about it. Chemical and biological weapons program is said to exist there, although not officially admitted to. Iraq, of course, is one of the big players in this. Iraq has acknowledged claims that it has biological weapons on the tips of missiles that were in the stockpile during the Persian Gulf War. The United Nations continued inspections there after the war. Nobody on the ground there now, so it's unclear exactly what the situation is in Iraq now. Those inspections not existing in the current timeframe.

Iran also apparently a big player in all this. They are apparently have -- developing stockpiles of blister, blood, choking, and nerve agents, as well. And apparently are also -- and this is an important part -- the bombs and artillery shells to deliver them to their neighbors if need be.

Pakistan also has stockpiles, as well. India -- the Chinese have helped the Pakistanis, and the Russians have helped the Indians over time as they have tried to develop these chemical weapon stockpiles.

Moving up to Russia, Russia probably has the single largest stockpile of chemical weapons. Russia has committed to dismantling this capability, but you have to consider the important fact that Russia's economy is so strained that there is a temptation on the experts within the Russian chemical weapons and biological weapons community to sell their expertise and perhaps some of their raw materials. So there is some concern that might be a problem.

Moving along to some of the other players in this game, North Korea, which of course, there are concerns about ballistic missiles there, as well, has declared the existence of a chemical weapons program and production facilities. And it is known to have a biological weapons capability.

South Korea has been trying to keep up with North Korea in that realm, and Taiwan, as well.

And just to bring you back to the U.S., in Hawaii as well as the continental United States, the second largest stockpile of chemical weapons exists in the U.S.

It is considered a defensive stockpile to learn, in other words, how to, how to protect U.S. troops against these attacks, not offensive, but nevertheless exists.

Now, if you want to find out more about this, we invite you to go to CNN.com. There's an excellent map which sort of lays out what you just saw before you. Click on the various countries and it'll give you a brief indication of where they stand and really, quite frankly, the grim facts about chemical and biological weapons.

So, let's send it back to Paula in New York.

ZAHN: Thanks, Miles.

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