Porton Down

"Work started in Porton Down in 1940, directed almost entirely to the exploration of offensive possibilities in order to supply evidence on which defensive action can be taken and on which means of retaliation could be based if authorised."

Files reveal Britain's secret biological weapons trials in second world war 2010

The scale of the outbreak is still being assessed, with checks being conducted at the top-secret Porton Down laboratory in Wiltshire, where biological and chemical weapons are tested.

Anthrax deaths expose addicts' plight Jack Saville 2010

The government was known to have produced 5m anthrax-filled cakes to infect cattle in Germany during the war, but the latest documents show research was carried out into a far larger variety of diseases, mostly in Porton Down, near Salisbury, and Pirbright in Surrey.

Files reveal Britain's secret biological weapons trials in second world war 2010

Alien bodies were then taken to Porton Down biological warfare centre for analysis, it was claimed, prompting the comparisons with Roswell, the 1947 incident in which, conspiracy theorists claimed, the US military recovered an alien spacecraft in New Mexico? the story that gave birth to 60 years of ufology, movies and all.

UFO files from National Archive allow believers to revisit 'Welsh Roswell' 2010

He added: "The process [at Porton Down] most likely involved starting with a list of likely sources for infections and then finding that some are difficult to aerosolise or are unstable or are otherwise unsuitable for weaponisation."

Files reveal Britain's secret biological weapons trials in second world war 2010

The result was preliminary only and would have to be backed up with thorough testing at Porton Down, but the laboratory would work around the clock and provide a definitive answer within days.

William Langewiesche on Mouloud Sihali Langewiesche, William 2008

On January 7, the very day that Porton Down came to its negative conclusion, Blair took the opportunity to make a prominent public statement.

William Langewiesche on Mouloud Sihali Langewiesche, William 2008

Furthermore, Sweeney had to contend with the fact that no ricin had been found, that the recipe was available on the Internet (it had originated with right-wingers in California), and that when Porton Down followed the recipe to make a batch of poison the resulting mixture did not concentrate sufficient ricin to be lethal.

William Langewiesche on Mouloud Sihali Langewiesche, William 2008

BBC: Scientists from Porton Down have been deployed in the UK a "number of times this year", the government's head of counter-terrorism has told MPs...

Archive 2008-10-01 Deft 2008

BBC: Scientists from Porton Down have been deployed in the UK a "number of times this year", the government's head of counter-terrorism has told MPs...

Terror Shorts Patrick Vessey 2008