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BRITISH
troops are being made to sign a legal waiver to prevent their
families suing the Ministry of Defence if they die from anthrax
during a war with Iraq.
Nearly 30,000
earmarked to go to the Gulf for Desert Storm II are being
offered jabs which will protect them against the deadly
biological weapon.
Those who
refuse are being made to sign a paper which bars their family
from taking legal action if they are killed or injured by
anthrax.
The move
follows the controversy over the so-called Gulf War Syndrome
that affected soldiers who fought in the 1991 conflict.
More than
2,000 claim being given a cocktail of vaccine and nerve agents
gave them a variety of illnesses - and are demanding millions of
pounds in compensation.
The MoD
denies the syndrome exists.
Troops
currently on readiness to go to the Gulf are being given
priority for anthrax vaccinations. They are not compulsory and
soldiers are given a presentation about the jab beforehand.
Troops
require a number of injections over a period of time and it
takes three months for the vaccination to render them immune.
Drugs to combat chemical warfare are not given until troops are
in a potential combat zone.
James
Moore, of the National Gulf Veterans and Families' Association,
said last night: "The fact that the MoD is giving servicemen and
women a choice whether to have the jab - and then asking them to
sign a legal waiver - means they will be able to escape
responsibility for the consequences.
"My advice
would be that the risks from taking anthrax vaccine far outweigh
the risks of being killed by anthrax."
An MoD
spokeswoman said: "The Ministry offered an immunisation
programme to fully protect its troops as necessary. The health
of service personnel is paramount."
IRAQI
dictator Saddam Hussein has secret plans to pay Libya £2billion
to provide a safe haven for his family and 12 top aides if
America declares war, it was reported yesterday. |
