Crop-spray planes grounded after germ war scare

War on Terrorism: Security

American aviation officials have ordered the grounding of all crop-spraying planes amid fears of a germ warfare attack.

The order to halt all flights was given by the Federal Aviation Authority after the discovery of a manual on crop-dusting in a suspected terrorist hide-out, which prompted fears of an aerial attack using nerve agents or other chemicals.

Crop-dusting planes were first grounded nationwide on 16 September, five days after the attacks, and the order remains in place after evidence was found of a planned attack by individuals with links to Osama bin Laden's network.

Time magazine reported last night that a grounding order was first issued after a manual on crop-dusting was found among the belongings of Zacarias Moussaoui, one of the suspects in the 11 September attacks.

Mr Moussaoui is a French-Moroccan who travelled frequently to Afghanistan where, according to French intelligence, he underwent training in camps run by Osama bin Laden. He lived in London for several years until he left for the US earlier this year to take flying lessons in Oklahoma and Minnesota. But his instructors grew suspicious and tipped off the authorities. He has been detained in the US since last month.

Crop-duster mechanics told CNN yesterday that a group of Arab men, including one who resembled Mohamed Atta, one of the hijackers, approached them last month to ask about crop-duster specifications, including carrying capacity.

The planes, used to spray farmland with pesticide, would be ideal for spraying toxic chemicals, bacteria such as anthrax or a virus such as smallpox over a large urban area.

It was reported last week that Afghans with possible links to Mr bin Laden tried to buy 10 Russian crop-dusting planes at an auction in Romania last year. According to the reports the Afghans identified themselves as Turks and were put under surveillance by Romanian intelligence.

The National Agricultural Aviation Authority in the US announced on its website yesterday: "Members should be vigilant to suspicious activity relative to the use, training in or acquisition of dangerous chemicals or airborne application of same, including threats, unusual purchases, suspicious behaviour by employees or customers and unusual contacts with the public."

Local health officials have been told to look out for signs of any epidemic.