Examples of Attacks Using Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

To date, there has not been an incident of attack using WMD on Canadian territory or involving Canadian interests. However, the threat posed by WMD is evident internationally, including the following examples: 

• In 1995, the Aum Shinri Kyo, a Japanese religious cult, released the nerve agent sarin in the Tokyo subway, killing 12 and injuring thousands. 
• In 1998, India and Pakistan shocked the world with a series of nuclear tests that demonstrated the potential consequences of future conflict in the region.
• Between 1999 and 2000, Al Qaeda had an active WMD program in Afghanistan that focussed mainly on chemical and biological agents.
• In 2004, Mohammed Naeen Noor Khan was arrested in Pakistan for various terrorist offences and was linked to a terrorist cell in England that was allegedly planning for possible WMD attacks.