There are no viable chemical weapons left in Libya and even if there were, there are no functioning missile systems with which to fire them at Malta, according to a weapons expert who surveyed the country’s arms stockpile.

Ben RemfreyBen Remfrey

“In my view and from my experience there are no chemical weapons left in Libya and certainly no chemical weapons have been moved to Misurata, for use, anyway,” award-winning weapons expert Ben Remfrey told Times of Malta.

“Even if there were, and they landed in the hands of Isis [also known as Islamic State], there are no delivery systems with which to fire them at Malta or [mainland] Europe.”

His comments come after Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper recently quoted an anonymous military source saying that militias fighting the Libyan Army (allied to the Tobruk government) seized large quantities of mustard gas and the nerve gas sarin from a weapons depot in the Al Jufra District.

However, Mr Remfrey believes the source quoted may have fabricated or exaggerated the information as part of an attempt by Egypt, the Tobruk government and their military ally, General Khalifa Hiftar, to have the arms embargo on Libya lifted.

More on Times of Malta and the e-paper on timesofmalta.com Premium.

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