SCIENTIFIC INTELLIGENCE WEEKLY REVIEW

• Document Type: FOIA
• Collection: FOIA Collection
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06157656
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 28, 2022
• Document Release Date: September 26, 2017
• Case Number: F-2012-01432
• Publication Date: January 8, 1978

pproved for Release: 2015/01/05 006157656.
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National
Foreign
Assessment
Center
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(b)(3)
Scientific Intelligence
Weekly Review
8 January 1979
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SI WR 79-002
Copy
pproved for Release.
pproved for Release: 2015/01/05 006157656
Approved for Release: 2015/01/05 006157656
pproved for Release: 2015/01/05 006157656
NOFORN-NOCONTRACT
CONTENTS
LIFE SCIENCES
BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL WARFARE
Laos: Use of Chemical Warfare Against Meos
Reported
According to a former Laotian Army officer
in Thailand, the Laotian Army has killed
1,200 Meos with CW agents this year.
NUCLEAR ENERGY
SI WR 79-002
8 Jan 79
Approved for Release: 2015/01/05 006157656
(b)(3)
(b)(3)
pproved for Release: 2015/01/05 006157656
Approved for Release: 2015/01/05 006157656
pproved for Release: 2015/01/05 006157656
BIOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL WARFARE
Ron Stocks/LSD
8232G
Laos: Use of Chemical Warfare Against Meos Reported
According to a former Laotian Army officer in Thai-
land, the Laotian Army has killed 1,200 Meos with CW
agents this year. The use of CW and the casualty figures
have not been confirmed.
Laotian refugees who fled to Thailand early this
month have reported the use of CW agents by Laotian
troops against their village in western Laos. The leader
of the group, a former Army officer, stated that L-19
aircraft fired rockets to disseminate the agent, which
was described as a green or red smoke. He said that
those he saw effected by the agent vomited, hemorrhaged
from the nose and mouth, fell unconscious, and usually
died within 24 hours. He added that the residue from
the agent remained dangerous for a week unless washed
away by rains.
This latest report supp,rts several recent Asian
newspaper articles that discussed the use of toxic agents
against the Meos. The Army officer comes from an area
west-northwest of Vientiane, 100 to 150 miles from a
similar attack that was reported in November. Both the
colors of the agent or agents and the physiological symp-
toms cited are similar to those reported earlier. This
recent report, however, states that the residue remained
hazardous for a week unless it rained. Such persistency,
if true, would eliminate both chlorine and phosgene, as
reported earlier, since both are nonpersistent agents.
Persistency of one week is characteristic of a mustard
agent. Further clarification of the agent or agents in-
volved must await medical examination of the refugees,
who would have deep blisters on exposed skin if mustard
was indeed one of the agents used.
SI WR 79-002
8 Jan 79
Approved for Release: 2015/01/05 006157656
(b)(3)
(b)(3)