Homemade mustard gas at teacher's home

In October last year, mustard gas was found in the cellar of a deceased physics teacher in Ede. It is now suspected that he made the chemical himself. After an investigation done by the Public Prosecution Service (OM), the teacher made the mustard gas without any help in 2001. In the cellar, 56 different kinds of chemical substances were found. Next to the mustard gas, three other poison gases were found, such as tear gas.

The OM believes that the physics teacher was able to get his hands on all the substances himself, and concocted the poison gases alone. As far as is known, the teacher bought all substances legally at chemical companies. In October of last year, the police received a tip and subsequently found chemical substances in a cellar under an apartment building. It was quickly determined to be mustard gas as well as other chemicals. The building, with 50 other homes, was evacuated as the police did not want to take risks in clearing the cellar. The cellar belonged to a 65-year old physics teacher who died not long before. He had left a letter behind upon his death for his brother, in which he warned about the chemicals in his cellar. He also explained in the letter how to handle the substances. The brother warned the police. The chemical substances seemed to have been locked in a safe for years. Readings were done in the cellar, which revealed that no dangerous substances were released. The situation did make the neighbors uncomfortable, however. It is not illegal to be in possession of a small quantity of chemical substances such as tear gas. Trading the substances, however, is. Possession of mustard gas is illegal, even in small quantities. The OM is calling it a "hobby that went extremely out of hand". All substances have been destroyed.