A report in the Independent newspaper in London shows that the British government authorized the export of two chemicals that can create Sarin gas to be sold and shipped to Syria last year.

Business Secretary Vince Cable is now facing an inquiry by British members of parliament about the sale and approval.

Licenses were issued for a British company to sell sodium fluoride and potassium fluoride. MPs want to know why the chemicals were sent to Syria in the middle of a civil war where people had raised the very real fear the government would use Sarin or other chemical weapons on civilians.

The Department for Business, Innovations and Skills is insisting the materials were not sent to Syria despite a six month gap between approval and the revocation of the permits after European Union sanctions in July 2012.

Western intelligence sources claim they long suspected Syria of using front companies to import “dual use” materials for chemical weapons. (Dual-use means a chemical that can have a beneficial purpose as well as being used for weapons.)