WASHINGTON Ñ The Pentagon has determined that the Hamas terrorist organization has been conducting research in the use of
chemical weapons for suicide bombers.
U.S. officials said the Islamic militant group
has experimented with explosives and chemicals that could spread lethal
agents over a wide area, Middle East Newsline reported.
"Some of the groups, like Hamas, are exploring ways to utilize WMD [Weapons of Mass Destruction],"
Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Marshall Billingslea said. "Hamas is
working with poisons and chemicals and an effort to coat suicide bomber
fragments."
In testimony to the Senate International Security subcommittee on
Monday, Billingslea said Hamas's efforts represent a growing focus by
Islamic insurgency groups to develop biological and chemical
weapons. The Pentagon official said Hamas and other group could be obtaining
help from such countries as Iran, Iraq and Syria, who are themselves
pursuing WMD programs.
Hamas might be obtaining help in the WMD effort from other Islamic
groups as
well as such state terror sponsors as Iran and Syria, the officials said.
They said Hamas has benefited from the use of commercial and dual-use
material for their development of weapons of mass destruction.
"With increasing frequency since the mid-1980s, we have seen a steady
growth in the awareness of, and interest in, WMD by terrorist groups,"
Billingslea said. "These groups are aggressively trying to procure the
necessary materials to conduct such an attack."
U.S. officials said the equipment required for the production of
biological and chemical weapons are small and can fit into a small
auditorium. They said WMD can be constructed or adapted from
commonly-available materials or systems, such as pesticide sprayers.
Billingslea said Hamas and other Islamic groups might have obtained
training facilities from such countries as Iran, Iraq and Syria to pursue
the development of biological and chemical weapons. Hamas has offices in
Lebanon, Syria and Iran.
"First, these countries give wide latitude to terrorist groups that
operate within their borders," Billingslea said. 'Terrorists are able to
establish training and research camps where they are free to develop WMD and
to perfect their plans for delivery."
[On Tuesday, a Palestinian blew himself up in downtown Jerusalem,
injuring five Israelis. The ruling Fatah movement claimed responsibility for
the attack.]
