UK faces growing risk of chemical & biological attacks in ‘breakdown of world order’, Defence Secretary warns
DEFENCE Secretary Ben Wallace has warned the UK faces a growing threat of chemical and biological attacks.
He blamed a “breakdown of world order” for some regimes now believing it was acceptable to use nerve agents and pathogens against their opponents, after attacks in Britain and Syria.
Mr Wallace said the greatest threat was the knowledge obtained by states being passed on to proxies or terrorist groups.
But he fingered Russia as the nation “that used a chemical nerve agent”.
Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were targeted with the deadly nerve toxin Novichok in an attack widely believed to have been ordered by Vladimir Putin.
The Skripals survived the poisoning, blamed on Russian agents, but locals Charlie Rowley and Dawn Sturgess were accidentally poisoned and Miss Sturgess, 44, died.
Mr Wallace the internet gave a “turbo boost” to knowledge and understanding of such techniques.
“Globally, I think there is a growing threat of chemical or biological [attack]. It depends on what is at hand for people using the internet,” he told
“It is unfortunately what happens in a sort of breakdown of world order where you see countries like Syria use it on its own people.”
Referring to the Salisbury attack, he said: “There has been a worry that some states think it is acceptable to use that type of method to carry out or further their aims.”
The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) found in 2019 that the Syria regime used a "toxic chemical" containing chlorine was used in an air attack on the town of Douma.
The strike on April 7, 2018, killed dozens and prompted missile strikes against Bashar al-Assad's chemical weapons capabilities by Britain, France and the US.
The Defence Secretary’s concerns come as the UK’s terrorism threat level has been reduced from “severe” to “substantial” - but an attack is still “likely”.
Home Secretary Priti Patel told MPs the threat level was lowered following a significant reductions in the momentum of attacks in Europe.
But she warned the new level still meant an attack on the UK remained “likely” and the public should remain vigilant.
The threat level was raised to severe by the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC) in November following attacks in Austria and France.
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But on Thursday last week the expert analysts reduced the level, Ms Patel told MPs on Monday.
“The decision to lower the threat level from severe to substantial is due to the significant reduction in the momentum of attacks in Europe since those seen between September and November 2020,” the Home Secretary said.
“However, the UK national threat level is kept under constant review and is subject to change at any time.