“Abu Khabab, al Qaeda’s WMD chief, singled out Uzbekistan–a country on Afghanistan’s northern border that was formerly part of the Soviet Union–as a possible source of materials for his chemical weapons program. This is an extract from an order he wrote on April 2, 2001, in a document recovered near Jalalabad. ‘Obtain the liquid and nonliquid chemicals as soon as possible from Uzbekistan because we need them. Take all necessary precautions to ensure the correct delivery of the materials and the lives of our men. Try and recruit Uzbek army individuals who are experienced in this sphere. Procure necessary face masks, protective clothing and protective footwear. Execute this order without delay.’ ”
– Peter Bergen, The Osama bin Laden I Know, Page 341