In view of the devastating consequences of the corona pandemic, NATO is increasing its efforts in the field of biological weapons defense. The coronavirus is not a virus created in a laboratory, but it shows the dangers that exist in connection with the use of biological warfare agents, said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in an interview with the German Press Agency in Brussels. The defense alliance must therefore strengthen security. For example, NATO is already in the process of improving the exchange of intelligence in order to prevent possible attacks with biological weapons.

Defense against Terrorists and state actors “These weapons, like chemical weapons, are prohibited by international law, but we must be prepared for their use because we know that these weapons are still available”, explained Stoltenberg. They could be used by state actors, but also by terrorists.

Stoltenberg also did not rule out that a broad-based bioweapons attack with hundreds of thousands of deaths would also kill one Retaliate with conventional or nuclear weapons. “NATO has no prohibited weapons, but we have a range of capabilities to respond appropriately,” he said. If Article 5 for collective defense were triggered after a biological weapon attack, NATO could use all of these capabilities.

In addition to smallpox and anthrax pathogens, flu and corona viruses have also been considered possible biological weapons for years . Researchers have repeatedly shown that viruses occurring in nature can be artificially made more dangerous. However, virus changes are mainly researched in order to better arm oneself against the consequences of natural virus mutations. At the same time, the research results also show what consequences it could have if, for example, terrorists were given access to such capabilities.

Various threat scenarios A horror scenario is that modified viruses are only fatal for selected groups of people – for example only for blacks or only for whites. Another horror scenario is that biological warfare agents are used by fanatics who believe that the world can only be saved from its end by a drastic reduction in population.

Warns of the dangers of terrorist attacks with biological weapons also UN Secretary General António Guterres. The pandemic showed that preparations for the disaster could be inadequate, he said in July. He also calls for the 1975 entered into force agreement on the prohibition of biological weapons to be strengthened. So far, for example, this does not contain a monitoring mechanism. In addition, 14 states have not acceded to the agreement to date. These include Eritrea, Israel, Egypt, Somalia and Syria.

With a view to the current corona pandemic, Stoltenberg emphasized that NATO was still ready to help. “NATO and the military could help distribute the vaccines,” said the Norwegian. The NATO center for disaster control has been coordinating aid in other areas for months. For example, recently numerous ventilators were delivered to Balkan countries and other alliance states.

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