Drugs stockpiled in case of Olympics attack

Source: AAP|Published: Monday August 14, 2:25 AM

Australia is reportedly stockpiling drugs to treat members of the public in case terrorists attack the Olympic Games with chemical or biological weapons.

It was reported today that under a secret deal, the US Government is lending Australia a range of medications to treat deadly bacterial agents, such as anthrax and plague, and the nerve agent sarin gas for the period of the Olympics.

Australian authorities have assessed the threat of terrorists using chemical, biological or nuclear weapons to attack the Games as extremely low.

But Federal Government sources said Australia could not afford to be unprepared to deal with the disastrous consequences of a major public health outbreak such an attack could cause.

http://www.theage.com.au/breaking/0008/14/A2609-2000Aug14.shtml

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), August 13, 2000