Nato warns of bioweapon attack in light of the coronavirus pandemic

Brussels - In view of the devastating consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, NATO is stepping up its efforts in the field of bioweapons defense.

Soldiers of the NBC Defense Battalion 750 in Bruchsal train for a mission in the field of biological weapons defense.
Soldiers of the NBC Defense Battalion 750 in Bruchsal train for a mission in the field of biological weapons defense.  © Fabian Sommer/dpa

The coronavirus is not a virus created in a laboratory, but it shows the dangers associated with the use of biological warfare agents, said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg (61) in an interview with the German Press Agency in Brussels.

The defense alliance must therefore strengthen its threat prevention. For example, NATO is already in the process of improving the exchange of intelligence in order to prevent possible attacks with biological weapons.

"Just like chemical weapons, these weapons are banned under international law, but we must be prepared for their use because we know that they still exist," explained Stoltenberg. They could be used by state actors, but also by terrorists.

Stoltenberg also did not rule out the possibility that a large-scale biological weapons attack resulting in hundreds of thousands of deaths could also lead to a retaliatory strike with conventional or nuclear weapons.

"NATO does not possess any prohibited weapons, but we have a whole range of capabilities to respond appropriately," he said. If Article 5 on collective defense were to be triggered after a biological weapons attack, NATO could use all these capabilities.

Horror scenario: warfare agents in the hands of fanatics

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg (61) warned of possible consequences following an attack with biological weapons.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg (61) warned of possible consequences following an attack with biological weapons.  © Francisco Seco/AP Pool/dpa

In addition to smallpox and anthrax pathogens, influenza and coronaviruses have also been considered possible bioweapons for years.

The background to this is that researchers have repeatedly shown that viruses can be artificially made more dangerous in the laboratory. The background to such experiments is efforts to be better prepared for the consequences of natural virus mutations.

At the same time, however, they also show what the consequences could be if, for example, terrorists were to gain access to such capabilities.

One horror scenario is that viruses could be modified in such a way that they are only deadly for selected groups of people - for example, only for black people or only for white people.

Another horror scenario is that biological warfare agents are used by fanatics who think, for example, that the world can only be saved from its end by drastically reducing the population.

Strengthening the ban on biological weapons

Bundeswehr soldiers on deployment in Kunduz (Afghanistan).
Bundeswehr soldiers on deployment in Kunduz (Afghanistan).  © Kay Nietfeld/dpa

UN Secretary-General António Guterres also warns of the dangers of terrorist attacks with bioweapons. He said back in July that the pandemic had shown that preparations for a disaster could be inadequate.

He also called for the Convention on the Prohibition of Biological Weapons, which came into force in 1975, to be strengthened. This does not yet contain a monitoring mechanism, for example.

In addition, 14 states have not yet joined the treaty. These include Eritrea, Israel, Egypt, Somalia and Syria.

With regard to the current corona pandemic, Stoltenberg emphasized in the dpa interview that NATO is still ready to help. "NATO and the military could provide support in the distribution of vaccines," said the Norwegian.

The NATO Civil Protection Center has already been coordinating aid in other areas for months. For example, numerous ventilators had recently been delivered to Balkan countries and other allied states.