Rll-1731 AS SAIMAN CHEMICAL WPN STOR (S)

File: 961031_950811_0100pgv_91d.txt
Page: 91d
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Rll-1731 AS SAIMAN CHEMICAL WPN STOR (S)

Filename:0100pgv.91d
[B.2]
[    b.2.    ]
26\0l\9l  0445 SENT BY:  [B.6]
FROM:  DIA WASHINGTON DC
VIA:   NMIST
TO:   ARCENT

SUBJ:  Rll-1731 AS SAIMAN CHEMICAL WPN STOR (S)
REFERENCE: [    b.2.    ]


IN RESPONSE TO YOUR RII-l73l THE FOLLOWING IS SUBMITTED:

- THERE ARE NO KNOWN CW FACILITIES IN THE AS SAlman area.  THE 
CLOSEST 5-SHAPED
BUNKER (NORMALLY ASSOCIATED WITH CW STORAGE) IS AT TALLIL 
AIRFIELD,
APPROXIMATELY 105 NM ENE OF AS SALMAN.  WE DO BELIEVE THAT FURTHER 
DISPERSAL FROM
THE 5-SHAPED BUNKERS PROBABLY HAS OCCURRED, BUT THERE IS LITTLE OR 
NO EVIDENCE TO
RELIABLY SUGGEST WHERE.  MOREOVER, ANY BUNKER COULD BE USED TO 
TEMPORARILY STORE
CW.  THERE IS NO EVIDENCE THAT CW HAS BEEN SHIPPED TO AS SALMAN, 
BUT THIS DOES
NOT RULE OUT THAT POSSIBILITY.

- INITIAL BDA OF AIRSTRIKES IS PROVIDED IN REFERENCE (A).  
APPARENTLY, 8 OF l2
HARDENED AIRCRAFT BUNKERS WERE DAMAGED AS WELL AS TWO PERSONNEL 
BUNKERS.  THERE
IS NO EVIDENCE THAT ANY DECON VEHICLES WERE AT THE FACILITY BUT 
PARTIAL CLOUD
COVER PREVENTED COMPLETE COVERAGE.  THERE IS NO EVIDENCE  OF 
CIVILIAN EVACUATION
FROM THE AREA.

- REGARDING THE BREACH OF A CW BUNKER AND POSSIBILITY OF 
SUBSEQUENT
CONTAMINATION, A RECENT, EXHAUSTIVE DIA STUDY [    b.2.    ] 
CONCLUDED THAT
CONTAMINATION WOULD BE RESTRICTED TO THE IMMEDIATE AREA ONLY.  TO 
THE BEST OF OUR
KNOWLEDGE, THE UNITS WHICH DETECTED THE NERVE AGENT WERE NEAR 
RAFHA, 5A,
APPROXIMATELY 85 NM SW OF AS SALMAN.  IT IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY, THAT 
THEY WOULD BE
ABLE TO DETECT NERVE AGENT RELEASED AT AS SALMAN, EVEN IF THERE 
WAS A RELEASE.

2. BASED ON THE ABOVE, WE CANNOT EXPLAIN THE REPORTED DETECTION BY 
THE FRENCH AND CZECH FORCES.