IDF to hold exercises simulating WMD attacks

 JP:   Israel will hold a series of exercises over the coming months preparing the country for potential biological, chemical and radioactive attacks. One of the exercises, called "Dark Cloud," will be held in January and will be the first time the Israeli defense establishment and emergency services simulate a radioactive "dirty bomb" attack in northern Israel.

The exercise will be held in Haifa and will simulate a radioactive dirty bomb attack in the city and will involve the IDF's Home Front Command, Israel Police and other emergency services. Road blocks will be setup throughout the city and hospitals will also be tested for their level of preparedness for such an attack.

Later this week the Defense Ministry will hold its annual "Orange Flame" exercise simulating a biological terror attack against Israel. The drill will be held in the North and will involve hospitals in Tiberias, Afula and Nazareth. Mock patients will arrive at the hospitals with various symptoms and doctors will need to diagnose and determine the biological agents that caused the symptoms.

The Defense Ministry has a special branch responsible for preparing the country and its emergency services for a non-conventional terrorist attack.

These exercises are part of the ministry's annual training regimen, but there is concern among Western countries and Israel that terrorist groups are working to obtain chemical and biological agents, possibly from unstable Middle Eastern countries such as Libya and Syria .

Syria is reported to have a significant arsenal of chemical weapons such as mustard gas, sarin and VX gas.

Libya was also discovered to have an arsenal of chemical weapons, but those are believed to be under government control.