ISIS making chemical weapons

ISIS is aggressively pursuing dev-elopment of chemical wea-pons, setting up a branch dedicated to research and experiments with the help of scientists from Iraq, Syria and elsewhere in the region, according to Iraqi and US intelligence officials. Their quest raises an alarming scenario for the West, given the determination to strike major cities that the group showed with its bloody attack last week in Paris.

On Thursday, French Prime Minister Manuel Valls warned that Islamic extremists might at some point use chemical or biological weapons.

“Terrorism hit France not because of what it is doing in Iraq and Syria ... but for what it is,” Mr Valls told the lower house of Parliament.

“We know that there could also be a risk of chemical or biological weapons,” he added, though he did not talk of a specific threat.