Dutch company gave Syria chemicals used to make deadly weapons

A Dutch company exported 38 tonnes of chemical materials to the Syrian regime which were used to manufacture chemical weapons without obtaining the necessary licenses, Netherlands’ Nederlandse Omroep Stichting (NOS) reported yesterday,

“A Rotterdam-based company has exported 38 tonnes of banned acetone, which is being used in the production of chemical weapons, to Syria without obtaining the necessary permits,” NOS said.

The acetone, which was exported two years ago, travelled through the port of Antwerp in Belgium.

The Dutch customs authorities, NOS reported, began an investigation into the matter two months ago, stressing that the company would be prosecuted “for not obtaining the necessary export licenses”.

Authorities in Belgium recently informed Netherlands that the same company was believed to have exported 200 tonnes of acetone to Syria via Russia.

In April, three Belgian companies were prosecuted for exporting chemicals to Syria, one of which could be used in the production of banned sarin gas which the Syrian regime is thought to have used against civilians in the country.

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