Vials Containing Nerve Gas Found at U.N.
This is breaking news, so reports are sketchy. First impressions are that this is just improper storage of hazardous substances by U.N. Weapons Inspectors. I’ll update when more information is released and if warranted.
Nerve gas found at United Nations building
(New York – ABCNews, August 30, 2007) – ABCNews has learned that United Nations weapons inspectors discovered six to eight vials of a dangerous nerve gas, phosgene, as they were cleaning out offices at a U.N. building in New York Thursday morning.
Federal authorities said the office, in a U.N. building near headquarters, was being evacuated and the White House had been notified at 10 a.m.
New York police and fire officials said federal authorities had not notified them of any problem at the U.N. building, as of 11 a.m.
A U.N. spokesperson said a statement would be issued shortly.
Authorities said the phosgene was believed to have been discovered in Iraq and manufactured prior to 1991.
Former U.N. weapons inspectors told ABCNews.com that vials of phosgene had also been used by inspectors in Iraq to help calibrate air sampling instruments.
The former inspectors said the remaining vials were supposed to have been destroyed.
“If it is properly sealed, it should not pose much of a threat unless it is dropped,” said former New York City emergency services director Jerry Hauer, an ABC News consultant.
“They need to get it out of there and put it in a safe canister,” Hauer said. “It shows immense stupidity to have that kind of thing sitting around as a souvenir.”
According to the Web site of the Centers for Disease Control, phosgene at room temperature is a poisonous, colorless gas with a suffocating odor like newly mown hay.
According to an article in Foreign Affairs, the chemical was allegedly used by Iran in the Iran-Iraq war in 1987.
Phosgene was used extensively during World War I as a “choking agent” and, according to the CDC Web site, among the chemicals used in the war, it was responsible for the large majority of deaths.
The chemical also has numerous commercial applications in the manufacture of plastics and pesticides.
30 August, 2007 at 12:07 pm
Gee, I wonder who’s office was being cleaned out-the one from the Saddamites or the one from the Krazy Khomeinis? Either way, these people will hide this stuff anywhere, won’t they?
30 August, 2007 at 12:28 pm
I believe that Phosgene is more accurately described as a blister agent, causing large bubbles to form and burst in the lungs of exposed personnel. You effectively drown in blister puss.
30 August, 2007 at 12:31 pm
I bet it was a in the French office. Changing of the guard with Sarkozy and all. The crazies that were there would be the types to use this in assembly.
30 August, 2007 at 12:36 pm
Blackdog,
And, the really insidious nature of phosgene is that it smells like freshly cut grass or hay, causing unsuspecting victims to inhale even more of its deadly poison.
Cheers
30 August, 2007 at 12:49 pm
Don’t give the Yankee Candle people any ideas for naming…
30 August, 2007 at 12:50 pm
Don’t give the Yankee Candle people any ideas for naming…
30 August, 2007 at 1:03 pm
Yup, what I like about this is that Saddam is getting his revenge from beyond the grave.
No WMD’s my ass!
Cheers
30 August, 2007 at 1:05 pm
WMD Phosgene from Iraq Found at United Nations
U.N. weapons inspectors who had been in Iraq discovered potentially dangerous chemical substances in their office near U.N. headquarters. One item may contain “phosgene, an old generation chemical warfare agent.” Fox headline: Vials of Dangerous Chem…
30 August, 2007 at 1:36 pm
Now we know where the WMDs went
They were at the UN. Kind of makes you wonder about the UN inspectors. They couldn’t keep track of WMDs at their office, so how are they going to tell what is what in Iraq Dangerous Iraq chemicals found stored
30 August, 2007 at 3:39 pm
Bush did it.
30 August, 2007 at 3:54 pm
If you have to store dangerous substances inside the UN is a great place. There is nothing of value inside it and no one would care if something went wrong and you spilled it. I say we all pitch in a few bucks and let them buy some more.
30 August, 2007 at 8:16 pm
Hmm, this would be a nice way to be rid of the Useless Nations. No doubt the Jews would be blamed for it.
1 September, 2007 at 3:32 am
Second impression:
No wonder the WMDs weren’t found in Iraq… They were right here, all along!
(Now, if only we’d known this beforehand, we could have avoided this whole war!!)