ISIS determined to produce chemical weapons

But we know and bear in mind that there is also a risk of chemical or bacteriological weapons.

U.S. intelligence officials don’t think Islamic State has the capability to develop sophisticated weapons such as nerve gas.

At the same time, Iraqi officials warned that control over vast territories in Iraq and Syria gives the militants many opportunities for experiments, leaving Iraq’s forces largely unaware of the Islamic State actions.

“They now have complete freedom to select locations for their labs and production sites and have a wide range of experts, both civilians and military, to aid them”, said the official”.

According to an unidentified Iraqi general, the country’s military distributed gas masks to troops deployed to the west and north of Baghdad Province over the summer.

Hakim Al Zamili, head of the Iraq parliament’s security and defence committee, said IS had hired experts from Chechnya and south-east Asia.

In a recent report, the United Nations and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) confirmed the use of sulfur mustard near Syria’s northwestern city of Aleppo in August this year. “That would threaten not just Iraq but the whole world”.

“They are working very seriously to reach production of chemical weapons, particularly nerve gas”, he said.

However, retired Lt. Gen. Richard Zahner, a former top U.S. military intelligence officer now leading the NSA electronic surveillance arm, emphasized that the USA has consistently underestimated the idea Islamic State that could possibly develop a “limited” chemical weapon program.

“Even a few competent scientists and engineers, given the right motivation, can produce hazardous chemicals in limited quantities”, he said.

Today, French prime minster Manuel Valls warned ISIS extremists could use chemical weapons in their next attack.

Western officials, as well as allies in the Middle East, are trying to keep a close watch on what may be an ambitious and growing chemical weapons program by the Islamic State terror group.

But he said the Islamic State has shown itself to be more innovative than al-Qaeda and has much deeper pockets. “The difficulty they may face is in obtaining the raw materials”, he said.

Al-Khalifawy was killed by rebels in Syria in early 2014.

The recruits include scientists who worked for Saddam Hussein.

IS revealed its determination to get chemical weapons in a report written in 2013 by a senior deputy to its leader, Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi.

Sulphur mustard is a class of related cytotoxic and chemical warfare agents, regulated under 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention. The Syrian government allowed Iraqi officals to interrogate him in prison but refused to hand him over. “His release adds significantly to our concerns”.