28 September 2000 Unlikely That Chemical Agents Made at Kuwaiti Cement Factory The U.S. Department of Defense released on September 28 a final report that states that it was unlikely that chemical warfare agents were present at an industrial area outside Kuwait during the Gulf War in 1991. At the time, it was reported that agents were suspected of being manufactured at a cement factory there. On March 12, 1991, a team of chemical defense and explosive ordnance specialists from the 2nd Marine Division inspected the site, which was thought to be an Iraqi chemical weapon filling station. Within a half mile of the inspection site, the Fox vehicle team reported an alert for chemical warfare agents, stated the report. "Although some of the Marines involved in the cement factory incident thought chemical warfare agents were present, this investigation could find no evidence of the presence of chemical warfare agents at the cement factory," according to the report. Following is the text of the September 28 DOD press release: Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs) Washington, D.C. September 28, 2000 Final Version of Cement Factory Narrative Released The Department of Defense released today its final report on the possibility that chemical warfare agents were present at an industrial area outside Kuwait City during the 1991 Gulf War. This final report concludes it is unlikely that chemical warfare agents were present at the site known as the cement factory. The final report concurs with investigators' original findings released as an interim report in 1999. On March 12, 1991, a team of chemical defense and explosive ordnance specialists from the 2nd Marine Division inspected the site, which was thought to be an Iraqi chemical weapon filling station. Within a half mile of the inspection site, the Fox vehicle team reported an alert for chemical warfare agents. Although some of the Marines involved in the cement factory incident thought chemical warfare agents were present, this investigation could find no evidence of the presence of chemical warfare agents at the cement factory. Case narratives examine incidents during the Gulf War that might have involved chemical warfare agents. They are part of DoD's efforts to inform the public about its investigations into the nature and possible causes for the illnesses experienced by some Gulf War veterans. This narrative, and other publications of the Office of the Special Assistant for Gulf War Illnesses, is posted on the GulfLINK website at http://www.gulflink.osd.mil/cement_factory_ii. (The Washington File is a product of the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov) Return to the Washington File