The militaristic possibilities of the chemicals sold to Syria were well well known; had this not been the case the manufacturers and exporters would be in breach of all safety regulations.
Assad and his dynasty were well known as torturers and killers; this was long known even before the Amnesty report, yet Britain traded chemicals capable of being converted into weapons along with small arms ammunition (probably sniper rifle bullets)
The bullets were acknowledged in the press at the time as possible being used at Homs, and it is more than likely that the chemicals supplied by Britain were used to develop the chemical weapons now being used.
Assad is exactly the type of trading partner Trade Minister Vince Cable described as "untrustworth" yet he was sold materials which it must have been known could be used in the way that it has been.
Monster regimes like Assad's should be subject to a permanent trade ban by nations described as civilised - certainly not sold weapons to.
You were among the first to support the Israeli ban on essential agricultural fertilizer into Palestine - lets here it from you now then
Jim Carroll