South African Government Seeks to Retry Former Head of Biological Weapons Program

The South African government yesterday sought to appeal for the third time the 2002 acquittal of Wouter Basson, the former head of apartheid-era South Africa’s “Project Coast” biological and chemical weapons program, according to Agence France-Presse (see GSN, June 20, 2003).

After a 30-month trial that cost more than $6 million, the one-time military officer dubbed “Dr. Death” was acquitted on 46 charges stemming from his involvement in Project Coast, including murder and attempted murder. The South African government yesterday filled an appeal in the country’s highest court, the Constitutional Court, to attempt to retry Basson. Two lower courts have rejected the government’s request, AFP reported (Agence France-Presse/Yahoo!News, Feb. 21).

Witnesses at Basson’s trial testified that Project Coast involved efforts to develop bacteria that would only harm blacks, and that the program sought to stockpile cholera, HIV and anthrax, the Associated Press reported (Associated Press/Canada.com, Feb. 21).

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