Iraq 'preparing troops for chemical warfare' - report

Iraqi documents obtained by the BBC appear to suggest that Saddam Hussein is preparing to use chemical weapons against Western troops in the event of war, it was reported today.

The hand-written Arabic-language notes state that elite units of the Iraqi military have been issued with new chemical warfare suits and supplies of the drug atropine, used to counter the effects of nerve gas.

They were passed on to the BBC by opposition group the Iraqi National Coalition, which claims to have received them from serving members of Baghdad’s military during secret meetings, the Radio 4 Today programme reported.

The documents were brought out of Iraq within the past month have been verified by three different experts, said the programme.

They suggest that the chemical suits and anti-nerve gas drugs have been smuggled into Iraq from neighbouring countries.

Also included are details of methods for attacking ships in the Gulf region.