By Sammie Jones-
An expert today said that the coronavirus can be used as a biological weapon, stating that it has shown how a “not very virulent pathogen can bring the world to its knees” and this will not go “unnoticed by bad actors”, a chemical and biological weapons expert has warned.
Describing the disease as having caused “more of a shock than the Second World War”, Hamish de Bretton-Gordon(pictured) said that while he is not suggesting Covid-19 is a biological weapon, “it could be” used as one.
He said: “Unfortunately, there are bad actors around who want to do us harm.
“A lot of them are thinking there’s no better way to do it than a SARS-type pathogen. But like any threat, if you face up to it, you can mitigate it.”
Mr de Bretton-Gordon suggests the Salisbury Novichok attack demonstrated Russia has an ongoing chemical weapons programme, and that terrorist organisations like the so-called Islamic State will learn from how effective this type of warfare can be.
He said: ‘But like any threat, if you face up to it, you can mitigate it. I think Covid has been a big wake-up call on the biological security front.
He added: “Although Covid is not a biological weapon – and I wouldn’t suggest that – but it could be, you then start to get very concerned.”
While “lip service” had been paid towards defending countries against such attacks ever since the end of the Cold War, a “concerted effort” is needed to make sure the UK can defend itself against another Novichok-type incident in future, he said, as he urged the British and American governments to continue to strengthen their defences.
In his latest book, he writes that his “jaw almost hit the floor” when he heard the news while in the Middle East and, after suspecting the involvement of Novichok, he frantically phoned his family to urge them to stay indoors.
The expert also urged British and American governments to continue to strengthen their defences. More also needs to be done to tackle the spread of disinformation, particularly online, in the wake of an attack which can cause ‘mayhem’, he said. ‘Warfare and conflict is changing very definitely,’ he added.