BBC News | In Depth | Military Fact Files

Introduction



			Introduction



			Delivery



			Spread



			Protective clothing



			Protective kit



			Proliferation

Chemical and biological weapons are among the world's deadliest munitions. Their use has been banned for decades.

Concerns about them have increased since the 2001 anthrax attacks in the US and with war looming in Iraq, the first country to use nerve agents in war.

But chemical and biological agents can only cause mass casualties if they are released effectively and defeat the defences used against them.

Click on the tabs to read about how biological and chemical weapons work and how those trained to deal with attacks protect themselves.