notice today to the U.S. government that it will be
sending an international team of weapons inspectors to
Edgewood Chemical Biological Center in Maryland on
Sunday, February 23, 2003 to investigate U.S.
involvement in the development and storage of chemical
and biological weapons of mass destruction.
The international Inspection Team is composed of
prominent Canadian, British, American Danish and Italian
parliamentarians, scientists, academics, faith and union
leaders. The delegation includes: Libby Davies, Member
of Parliament (Canada -- NDP Party); Christy Ferguson,
Organizer and Spokesperson, Rooting Out Evil; David
Langille, Director of Public Affairs, Centre for Social
Justice; Alan Simpson, Member of Parliament (United
Kingdom --- Labour Party) and head of Labour Against the
War; Edward Hammond, Director, Sunshine Project; Peter
Shorett, Director of Programmes, Council for Responsible
Genetics; Samaa Elibyari, Representative, Canadian
Islamic Congress; Deborah Bourque, National President,
Canadian Union of Postal Workers; Steven Staples,
Defense Analyst, Polaris Institute; Mel Watkins,
Professor Emeritus - Economics and Political Science,
University of Toronto; Francesco Martone, Italian Green
Party Senator; Graziella Mascia, Member of Parliament
(Italy -- Rifondazione Communista); Pernille
Rosenkrantz, Member of Parliament (Denmark --- Red-Green
Alliance). In addition to the formal Inspection Team,
Rooting Out Evil has recruited over 20,000 honorary
inspectors through its website, www.rootingoutevil.org.
According to the letter, which was addressed to U.S.
Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, the Edgewood
facility may be engaged in chemical and biological
weapons activities that contravene both the Chemical
Weapons Convention (CWC) and the Biological and Toxin
Weapons Convention (BWC). The letter further expresses
concerns about U.S. contravention of the Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty, one of the same treaties the
U.S. claims Iraq is contravening.
In its inspections, Rooting Out Evil expects a level of
assistance comparable to that which the United States
expects of other nations suspected of harboring weapons
of mass destruction. However, Inspection Team member and
Rooting Out Evil organizer Christy Ferguson is dubious
about the likelihood of a positive response to the
request for cooperation with the Edgewood inspections.
``While we have sent the letter of request in good
faith, the United States has demonstrated a troubling
history of refusal to meet its obligations and allow
weapons inspections,'' Ferguson commented.
Rooting Out Evil is a Canadian-based coalition of
international citizens opposed to the development,
storage, and use of weapons of mass destruction by any
nation. This effort is supported by a broad coalition of
Canadian and international groups including Greenpeace
Canada, the Centre for Social Justice, the Canadian and
American sections of the Women's International League
for Peace and Freedom, the National Network to End the
War Against Iraq, Global Exchange, and International
A.N.S.W.E.R.
For further information:
Rooting Out Evil - Media Relations
1-416-927-0777
1-888-803-8881 (toll-free)
info at rootingoutevil.org <http://www.rootingoutevil.org/index.php3/Media>
*****
Jenny Brown