Dark Harvest Commando
Encyclopedia
The Dark Harvest Commando was a militant group which in 1981 demanded that the British government decontaminate Gruinard Island
, a site which had been used for anthrax
weapon testing during World War II.
The group placed a container of soil outside the Chemical Defence Establishment at Porton Down
in Wiltshire
. A second container of soil was placed at Blackpool
, a resort town where the Conservative Party was holding a conference. The first package was found to contain Bacillus anthracis
(the causative agent of anthrax), while the second was uncontaminated, but of the same soil type as found on the island.
One news source claimed that a resurgent DHC (possibly affiliated with the Scottish National Liberation Army
) collected spores from Gruinard Island for an attack on Prince William in December, 2001.
Gruinard Island
Gruinard Island ) is a small, oval-shaped Scottish island approximately long by wide, located in Gruinard Bay, about halfway between Gairloch and Ullapool. At its closest point to the mainland it is just more than offshore...
, a site which had been used for anthrax
Anthrax
Anthrax is an acute disease caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. Most forms of the disease are lethal, and it affects both humans and other animals...
weapon testing during World War II.
The group placed a container of soil outside the Chemical Defence Establishment at Porton Down
Porton Down
Porton Down is a United Kingdom government and military science park. It is situated slightly northeast of Porton near Salisbury in Wiltshire, England. To the northwest lies the MoD Boscombe Down test range facility which is operated by QinetiQ...
in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
. A second container of soil was placed at Blackpool
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
, a resort town where the Conservative Party was holding a conference. The first package was found to contain Bacillus anthracis
Bacillus anthracis
Bacillus anthracis is the pathogen of the Anthrax acute disease. It is a Gram-positive, spore-forming, rod-shaped bacterium, with a width of 1-1.2µm and a length of 3-5µm. It can be grown in an ordinary nutrient medium under aerobic or anaerobic conditions.It is one of few bacteria known to...
(the causative agent of anthrax), while the second was uncontaminated, but of the same soil type as found on the island.
One news source claimed that a resurgent DHC (possibly affiliated with the Scottish National Liberation Army
Scottish National Liberation Army
The Scottish National Liberation Army , sometimes dubbed the 'Tartan Terrorists', is a militant group, which aims to bring about Scottish independence from the United Kingdom. The SNLA has been proscribed by the British government...
) collected spores from Gruinard Island for an attack on Prince William in December, 2001.
Sources
- Story of SNLA Animal Liberation Front.