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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| ‘Germ warfare’ fear over African monkeys taken to Iran |
| 2008-07-06 |
| Manji said scientists at the Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute in Iran had bought 215 vervet monkeys from him this year but he had become suspicious about their true motive, although he was still trading with them. They had “spent a lot of money” on getting the monkeys, even sending over scientists to check on each consignment. “Iran is very secretive,” said Manji, who has been exporting monkeys for 22 years. “They said it [the monkeys] was for ‘our country’, for vaccine. [They said] ‘We don’t buy vaccine from anywhere; we prepare our own vaccine’. “But I think they use it for something else. You know why? Because they don’t go on kilos. Iran wants [monkeys weighing] 1.5kg to 2.5kg, [but] 1.5kg for vaccine is not possible.” Rubibira indicated that finding out what the Iranians wanted the monkeys for would be difficult. “They cannot say, you know. They are secretive. They wouldn’t tell the truth.” The revelation will fuel speculation that the monkeys may be used for research involving biological weapons. Primates are typically used by scientists wishing to test both the effectiveness of germ warfare agents and defences against them. The Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, which has its headquarters in Karaj, near Tehran, has been accused in the past by an Iranian opposition group of conducting biological weapons testing. According to US intelligence, the pharmaceutical industry in Iran has long been used as a cover for developing a germ warfare capability. In 2005 the US Office of the Director of National Intelligence said Iran “continued to seek dual-use biotechnology materials, equipment and expertise that are consistent with its growing legitimate biotechnology industry but could benefit Tehran’s assessed probable BW [biological weapons] programme”. Earlier this year it reiterated this. The Razi institute, which was established in 1925, does legitimate research but does not publicly list on its website the use of primates in any of its current projects. Other animals being used for experiments, such as guinea pigs and mice, are mentioned |
| Posted by:Frank G |
| #7 Much more innocuous. Ahmadinejad be looking for another wife. |
| Posted by: Cheregum de Medici2624 2008-07-06 22:57 |
| #6 Don't the Mullahs believe, like Osama bin Laden, that by creating disaster they will force their god to intercede on their side? |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2008-07-06 22:33 |
| #5 The mullah's must really, really want armageddon because if they unleash any of that shit in ny way and it gets traced back to them they're vapor and they're country's glass. |
| Posted by: FOTSGreg 2008-07-06 22:17 |
| #4 DEBKA [6/16] > DAVID ALBRIGHT > IRAN HAS THE [blueprint]TECHNOLOGY FOR NUCLEAR WARHEAD FIT ON ITS SHEHAB-3 MISSLE. |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2008-07-06 21:46 |
| #3 After the Islamofascist "revolution" the Ayatoilets set up a movement - Basij - to defend their power. There can be no doubt that scientists are equally conscripted to float clerical power. |
| Posted by: McZoid 2008-07-06 17:44 |
| #2 yeah, I caught that too.... |
| Posted by: Frank G 2008-07-06 13:36 |
| #1 Something tells me that Tom Clancy could sue Iran for copyright infringement, no? |
| Posted by: AlanC 2008-07-06 13:28 |