Syria chemical attack: Authority finds 'incontrovertible' evidence of Sarin

[DonViejo]

Source: CNN



By Angela Dewan and Hamdi Alkashali, CNN
Updated 7:20 AM ET, Thu April 20, 2017


(CNN)International chemical weapons inspectors have found "incontrovertible" evidence that Sarin gas, or a similar substance, was used in a chemical attack in Syria earlier this month that killed 89 people.

The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) took biomedical samples from 10 victims of the April 4 attack on Khan Sheikhoun and found indications that they had been exposed to Sarin or a Sarin-like substance.

The findings show that stockpiles of Sarin still exist in Syria. The OPCW was in 2013 responsible for overseeing the destruction of Syria's chemical weapon stockpile, following an attack in the Ghouta area of Damascus that activists say killed 1,400 people.

The OPCW's Director General, Ahmet Uzumcu, said the biomedical samples were collected from three deceased victims during their autopsies, as well as seven others undergoing treatment in hospital. "While further details of the laboratory analyses will follow, the analytical results already obtained are incontrovertible," Uzumcu said in a statement.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2017/04/20/middleeast/syria-chemical-attack-sarin-opcw/

[DetlefK]

1. No, that does not prove that Syria has stockpiles of Sarin.

Sarin isn't that hard to synthesize. You need a lab the size of a big apartment and a good chemist.

Even if Syria gave up all their Sarin, they could easily set up a new facility almost anywhere.

[pampango]

2. From the OPCW: ... the Fact-Finding Mission is continuing with interviews, evidence management and

sample acquisition. The Director-General reported that an FFM team is ready to deploy to Khan Sheikhun should the security situation permit. He reminded the Executive Council of the 27 May 2014 attack on an FFM team and the action the Council subsequently took in emphasising the importance of safety and security of OPCW experts deployed to Syria.

The FFM is still anticipated to complete a first report of its findings to be submitted to States Parties of the Chemical Weapons Convention within two weeks and the Director-General will make the report available to the OPCW-UN Joint Investigative Mechanism.

Ambassador Üzümcü repeated his request for the continued support of all States Parties, including through the provision of relevant information, to ensure that the Technical Secretariat is able to pursue its work, and to allow it to fulfil the OPCW mission within a reasonable time frame.

The Executive Council decided to reconvene tomorrow, 20 April, to vote on a draft decision under discussion.

https://www.opcw.org/news/article/opcw-director-general-shares-incontrovertible-laboratory-results-concluding-exposure-to-sarin/