AMSTERDAM — Terrorist cells in the Benelux region, Germany, France and Britain have chemical weapons, a newspaper has claimed.

The flow of these weapons of mass destruction (WMD) into the region is increasing in intensity according to information Israel’s security service Mossad has supplied to its European counterparts, Dutch daily newspaper De Telegraaf reported on Thursday.

The Benelux region includes the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg.

Earlier this month, the same publication reported it had information that Iraq’s as-of-yet undiscovered cache of WMD was being concealed in neighbouring Syria. This charge has been laid on previous occasions but, as with allegations of Saddam Hussein’s illegal arsenal, the evidence remains elusive.

De Telegraaf has based its latest claims about WMD in Europe on meetings the Dutch security service AIVD allegedly had with Mossad. Dutch Liberal VVD MP Geert Wilders has also claimed the exchange of information has taken place.

The report claims that AIVD officials recently attended a briefing at the Mossad headquarters in Herzliya, Israel, to discuss the threat terrorists armed with chemical weapons posed to Europe.

But the AIVD told the newspaper that on the basis of information supplied by its own sources there appeared to be no question of an “immediate and pressing” threat to the Netherlands.

Rejecting this, VVD Wilders said that he was briefed on the subject while on a visit to Israel last week and was warned that terrorists in the Benelux did in fact have access to chemical weapons.

Wilders also said he will demand answers about the possible threat from the Dutch Cabinet.

[Copyright Novum Nieuws 2004]

Subject: Dutch news + WMD