The former head of South Africa's biological and chemical weapons
initiatives on Monday defended those efforts as primarily aimed at
protecting the people of his country, the South African Press
Association reported .
Cardiologist Wouter Basson, also known as "Dr. Death," told the Health Professions Council of South Africa that the then-head of the country's national defense establishment and its surgeon general asked him roughly three decades ago to create a program for safeguarding South Africa from possible biological and chemical weapons attacks.
It was believed at the time that chemical warfare agents supplied by Cuba were being used during Angola's civil war.
“The guidelines were given by the surgeon general, who was a medical doctor of international standing and who advised several governments in other countries,” Basson told the council, which has accused him of behaving unethically. “As a medical doctor I could live with the idea that I was preventing injuries and death through my involvement in developing the substances.”
Basson said he was not closely involved with the work of South African chemical weapons scientists, who worked out of the classified Delta G complex. The cardiologist said the chemical and biological weapons development did not progress to production efforts.
He did acknowledge, though, that tear gas-filled mortars were provided to Angola rebel fighters.
He urged the council to view his actions "with 1980s glasses" (South African Press Association I/Daily News, March 26).
The 1980s, under the nation's apartheid government, were "crazy years," SAPA quoted Basson as saying on Tuesday.
"People did things. Doctors planted bombs. Decisions were made in the context of the time," he said. "Nothing I did was aimed at harming anyone. In fact it was aimed at preserving life and minimizing loss of life. .. I never acted unethically or unprofessionally."
The council is moving forward with its hearing on four counts of unprofessional and unethical conduct filed against Basson (South African Press Association II/IOL News, March 27).
Prosecutor Salie Joubert on Tuesday charged that Basson and his former co-workers were "waging a chemical war against the population which they are trying to justify," the Johannesburg Mail & Guardian reported on Tuesday (Faranaaz Parker, Mail & Guardian, March 27).
http://www.nti.org/gsn/
Cardiologist Wouter Basson, also known as "Dr. Death," told the Health Professions Council of South Africa that the then-head of the country's national defense establishment and its surgeon general asked him roughly three decades ago to create a program for safeguarding South Africa from possible biological and chemical weapons attacks.
It was believed at the time that chemical warfare agents supplied by Cuba were being used during Angola's civil war.
“The guidelines were given by the surgeon general, who was a medical doctor of international standing and who advised several governments in other countries,” Basson told the council, which has accused him of behaving unethically. “As a medical doctor I could live with the idea that I was preventing injuries and death through my involvement in developing the substances.”
Basson said he was not closely involved with the work of South African chemical weapons scientists, who worked out of the classified Delta G complex. The cardiologist said the chemical and biological weapons development did not progress to production efforts.
He did acknowledge, though, that tear gas-filled mortars were provided to Angola rebel fighters.
He urged the council to view his actions "with 1980s glasses" (South African Press Association I/Daily News, March 26).
The 1980s, under the nation's apartheid government, were "crazy years," SAPA quoted Basson as saying on Tuesday.
"People did things. Doctors planted bombs. Decisions were made in the context of the time," he said. "Nothing I did was aimed at harming anyone. In fact it was aimed at preserving life and minimizing loss of life. .. I never acted unethically or unprofessionally."
The council is moving forward with its hearing on four counts of unprofessional and unethical conduct filed against Basson (South African Press Association II/IOL News, March 27).
Prosecutor Salie Joubert on Tuesday charged that Basson and his former co-workers were "waging a chemical war against the population which they are trying to justify," the Johannesburg Mail & Guardian reported on Tuesday (Faranaaz Parker, Mail & Guardian, March 27).
http://www.nti.org/gsn/
