Chemical security

IBC Threat Assessment September 2015

Late August and early September there have been three chemical attacks in Iraq and three chemical attacks in Syria in which Daesh reportedly used mustard gas, a class 1 chemical agent. The attacks are interpreted as a major escalation of the Daesh terrorist campaign and the psychological warfare on those who oppose the organization. The alleged use of mustard has triggered an intense debate on its origin. Of all the available hypotheses the possibility of a small production facility in Iraq is currently believed to be most likely. Laboratories of the university of Mosul are mentioned as a possible location where Daesh could produce the mustard gas using their own operatives with chemical skills. This program could be a revival of an earlier production program near Baghdad that was disrupted in 2013 with the help of foreign intelligence services.