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Article: KILLER GERMS.(anthrax bacteria buried by Soviets in 1980s poses hazard for Uzbekistan)(Brief Article)
- Article from:
- New York Times Upfront
- Article date:
- November 1, 1999
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1999 Scholastic, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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FOR YEARS, THE OLD SOVIET UNION BUILT A SECRET PROGRAM FOR GERM WARFARE. TODAY THE SOVIET UNION IS GONE. BUT THE DEADLY GERMS ARE STILL ALIVE.
In the spring of 1988, germ scientists 850 miles east of Moscow were ordered to undertake their most critical mission.
The scientists, working in great haste and total secrecy, first transferred hundreds of tons of anthrax bacteria--enough to destroy the world's people many times over--into giant stainless-steel canisters. They were trying to cover up a massive program of germ warfare by their government, the Soviet Union.
The scientists poured bleach on the germs to try to kill the anthrax, a deadly ...