Alexander Coker (born 1969) was formerly a Chief Inspector of the Chemical Weapons team in Iraq, while working for the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC). Prior to that he held various other posts at UNMOVIC and had been seconded from the British Government to carry out work for UNMOVIC’s predecessor, the United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM).Graham S. Pearson, The Search for Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction: Inspection, Verification and Non-Proliferation, Palgrave Macmillan, New York 2005, pages 139-141, 146.BBC Radio 4, Weapons Inspectors Uncovered, Thursday 10 July 2003 (Radio 4 programme, 8pm).
He holds a Ph.D from King's College London,Alexander Coker, University of London (Senate House) Theses, University of London Research Theses: Coker, Alexander, 1995. where he published work on the stability of particular chemical systems.
It is believed Dr. Coker was a leading contributor to the chemical section of UNMOVIC’s working document on Iraq’s Unresolved Disarmament IssuesUNMOVIC Working Document, Unresolved Disarmament Issues - Iraq’s Proscribed Weapons Programmes, 6 March 2003. and to the revision of the list of dual-use chemical items subject to notification by Iraq, under the Export/Import Mechanism approved by Security Council Resolution 1051.UNMOVIC, “Revised Annex II”: “Dual-Use” Chemicals of the “1051 Lists” of dual-use equipment, UN document number S/2001/560, 1 June 2001.
Under Dr. Coker’s leadership, what is now known to have been the last remnants of chemical weapons (artillery shells containing mustard gas) were destroyed at Al Muthanna State Establishment (Iraq's former chemical weapons facility) - the shells were apparently part of an old stock pile remaining from prior to the first Gulf War.
Dr. Coker is mentioned in the evidence of the Hutton Inquiry investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Dr. David KellyThe Hutton Enquiry Archives, Evidence - Files retrieved from Dr Kelly’s home computer: E-mail from Dr Kelly 9 July 03, Inquiry File reference COM/4/0084. and by the Verification Research, Training and Information Centre (VERTIC).Jessica McLaughlin, Confidentiality and verification: the IAEA and OPCW, Trust and Verify, May-June 2004 (Issue 114), page 11.
References
External links BBC News Channel Interview on use of CW in Syria World News Interview on use of CW in Syria