Nerve gas found in UN building

Updated 21.45 Thu Aug 30 2007

Keywords: America, Nerve gas, UN

A dangerous nerve gas has been found in a UN building in New York.

United Nations weapon inspectors found six to eight vials of unidentified chemicals in a UN building during an office clean out, a spokeswoman said.

United Nations weapon inspectors found six to eight vials of unidentified chemicals in a UN building

The building is located near the organisation's Manhattan headquarters.

One of the substances has been identified as phosgene which can be used as a chemical warfare agent, said Marie Okabe, UN deputy spokeswoman.

She added: "The only information we have of the contents of that bag is from an inventory of a 1996 inspection which indicates that one of the items may contain phosgene, an old generation chemical warfare agent."

Ms Okabe said experts immediately secured the material at the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) and that the UN had sought assistance from authorities in having the material safely removed.

The building was not evacuated and no toxic vapours were found. UNMOVIC staff are said to be still working on the premises.