LONDON, Nov. 15 -- There are various publications supporting the claim in a British newspaper that Israel is working on a biological weapon that will target its victims by their ethnic origin. The Sunday Times published its report today based on what it described as Israeli and western intelligence sources. But the so-called 'ethno-bomb' claims have earned further credence in Foreign Report, a publication by the Jane's organization which monitors and reports on security and defense matters. Foreign Report in October cited unnamed South African sources saying Israeli scientists used South African research in a bid to develop an 'ethnic bullet' against Arabs. The head of a South African chemical and biological warfare plant, Dr. Daan Goosen, said his team was ordered in the 1980s to develop a 'pigmentation weapon' to target only black people. He said the team discussed spreading a disease in beer, maize or even vaccinations but never managed to develop one. Foreign Report says Israelis discovered specific aspects of the Arab genetic make-up that could be used to produce such a biological weapon by researching 'Jews ofArab origin, especially Iraqis.' The British Medical Association has become so concerned about the lethal potential of genetically based biological weapons that it has opened an investigation, which is due to report in January. The report in today's Sunday Times says Israeli scientists are seeking to identify genes to produce an 'ethno-bomb,' that would kill through a genetically modified bacterium or virus. According to the British news report, the intention is to use the ability of viruses and certain bacteria to alter the DNA inside their host's living cells.
The Sunday Times report says 'The scientists are trying to engineer deadly micro-organisms that attack only those bearing the distinctive genes.' According to the Sunday Times, the effort is part of Israel's reaction to reports of research and production of chemical and biological weapons in Iraq. The newspaper identified the site of the Israeli research as Nes Tziyona. Quoting an unnamed scientist at the facility, the newspaper reported him as saying, 'They have, however, succeeded in pinpointing a particular characteristic in the genetic profile of certain Arab communities, particularly the Iraqi people.' A spokesman at Porton Down, Britain's biological defense establishment, acknowledged last week that such weapons were theoretically possible. The spokesman said, 'We have reached a point now where there is an obvious need for an international convention to control biological weapons.' ---
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