CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News- April 30, 2008

DOR BioPharma Initiates Non-Human Primate Efficacy Studies of RiVax(TM), Its Vaccine Against Ricin Toxin
“DOR BioPharma, Inc. […] announced today the initiation of a comprehensive program to evaluate the efficacy of RiVax(TM) in non-human primates. […] While prior Phase 1 clinical trial results for RiVax(TM) demonstrated that the vaccine is well tolerated and induces antibodies in humans that neutralize ricin toxin in tissue culture, it will be critical to obtain data proving that this response is protective. In the studies to be done at Tulane, it will be important to establish that vaccinated non-human primates are not only protected against lethality from ricin aerosol exposure, but also against lung damage.” (The Earth Times; 29Apr08) http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/dor-biopharma-initiates-non-human-primate,370372.shtml

ICx Technologies Awarded $4.9 Million R&D Contract under Department of Homeland Security’s ‘Detect to Protect’ Project
“[…] a developer of advanced sensor technologies for homeland security, force protection and commercial applications, announced today that it has won a $4.9 million, Phase IIb research and development contract under the Department of Homeland Security’s ‘Detect to Protect’ project, which was previously called the IBADS program. The project is designed to develop rapid sensors that can influence immediate actions to limit exposure to an attack involving biological agents.” (ICX Technologies; 29Apr08) http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20080429005157&newsLang=en

Scientists reveal evolutionary intricacies of Rickettsia pathogens
“Scientists from the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute (VBI) at Virginia Tech and the University of Maryland School of Medicine have unveiled some of the evolutionary intricacies of rickettsial pathogens by analyzing over a decade’s worth of genomic data. Some species of Rickettsia are known to cause harmful diseases in humans, such as epidemic typhus (R. prowazekii) and Rocky Mountain spotted fever (R. rickettsii), while others have been identified as emerging pathogens and organisms that might possibly be used for the development of biological weapons.” (Eureka Alert; 28Apr08; Barry
Whyte)
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-04/vt-sre042808.php

Detector Permits Debated Tomorrow [New York, NY]
“A controversial bill that would create a permit process for companies that possess weapons detection equipment will have a second hearing at City Hall tomorrow morning, and myriad environmental groups are pledging to testify against it. The bill (Intro 650) mandates companies get a permit if they have any equipment, which can detect radioactive, biological or chemical weapons. The bill, which was drafted by the Police Department, has been toned down since its original introduction, which was hotly contested.” (Gotham Gazette; 28Apr08; Courtney Gross) http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2008/04/28/detector-permits-debated-tomorrow/

No chemical warfare for UC [University of Cincinnati]
“In compliance with the Department of Homeland Security's Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards, an analysis of the University of Cincinnati's chemical inventory was recently compiled through the Office of the Vice President of Research. […] ‘Homeland Security has identified specific chemicals of interest and established reportable threshold quantities a facility may posses,’ said Jan Utrecht, director of UC's Environmental Health and Safety Office, which was charged with compiling the data. ‘If a facility exceeds the limits, then the university would have been obligated to report to the agency, and based on their analysis, may have to develop a facility security plan.’” (The News Record; 28Apr08; Taylor Dungjen) http://media.www.newsrecord.org/media/storage/paper693/news/2008/04/28/News/No.Chemical.Warfare.For.Uc-3351672.shtml

Utah man [Thomas Tholen] tied to ricin case pleads not guilty
“A Utah man charged with a federal crime in a case involving ricin has pleaded not guilty. Thomas Tholen of Riverton made his first appearance in federal court Tuesday since he was indicted April 3.” (Deseret News; 29Apr08)
http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695274858,00.html

U.K. to provide [10 million pounds sterling] a year for nuclear safety in CIS [Commonwealth of Independent States]
“An official from Russia's Federal Industry Agency said Moscow intends to spend $1.4 billion in 2008 on the destruction of its chemical weapon stockpiles. Yelena Radushkina said that last year Russia spent $1.5 billion on the destruction of chemical weapons, while the national chemical weapons destruction program was worth a total of $9 billion. She added that Russia fulfills in good faith its international obligations, pointing out that ‘as of April 18, 10,000 tons of all chemical weapons stockpiles had been destroyed, or 27% of the total.’” (Russian News & Information Agency; 29Apr08) http://en.rian.ru/world/20080429/106193657.html

UN [United Nations] chief pays tribute to victims of chemical warfare
“In a message marking the Day of Remembrance for Victims of Chemical Warfare, Ban urged the world to use this ‘solemn occasion’ to honor the victims and ensure their suffering will not be forgotten nor repeated. Citing the Chemical Weapons Convention, which entered into force on April 29, 1997, Ban reminded all states parties to the convention of their obligation to destroy existing chemical weapons stockpiles by April 29, 2012. […] At an international conference on the elimination of chemical weapons held in November, 2005, more than 120 countries agreed to designate April 29 as the international Day of Remembrance for Victims of Chemical Warfare.” (China View; 30Apr08; Mu Xuequan) http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-04/30/content_8076907.htm

Brigade in bomb alert [West Midlands, United Kingdom]
“West Midlands Fire Service is stepping up its training to deal with terrorism ‘dirty bomb’ after an internal review concluded it needed improving. […] The reassurance follows an e-mail leaked to the Birmingham Mail which admitted that the brigade was not properly prepared for any kind of contamination incident. […] The Government gave them money to buy special fire engines containing all the contamination equipment to deal with a chemical or nuclear attack. Three engines in the West Midlands and around 850 firefighters and officers at 23 stations have received training in how to use them.” (Birmingham Mail; 29Apr08; Jane Tyler) http://www.birminghammail.net/news/birmingham-news/2008/04/29/brigade-in-bomb-alert-97319-20835032/

Remarks by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff at the National Marine Manufacturers Association American Boating Congress
“One thing which we are doing along these lines is we're operating a pilot program up in the state of Washington to see what our capability is to have stand-off detection technology for radioactive or nuclear material on small vessels entering a port area. So that, for example, vessels coming into the channel entering into a port area would pass by detection devices. They wouldn't have to stop. And those detection devices would be configured to determine whether or not there are radioactive admissions of a kind that are associated with a possible dirty bomb or nuclear device. This is in the pilot stage. We're actually currently testing it in the state of Washington.” (Department of Homeland Security; 28Apr08; Michael Chertoff)
http://www.dhs.gov/xnews/speeches/sp_1209472037198.shtm

Tehran [Iran], Moscow [Russia] vow to continue regional, Int'l cooperation
“Secretary of Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Saeed Jalili and Deputy Secretary of the Russian National Security Council Valentin Sobolev in their second round of talks here Tuesday explored ways of bolstering mutual cooperation and helping to restore peace and stability to the region and the world. […] The two sides also discussed various topics such as regional and international developments, terrorism, drug trafficking, defense, nuclear disarmament, and the need for destruction of chemical and bio-chemical weapons.” (Islamic Republic News Agency; 29Apr08) http://www2.irna.ir/en/news/view/menu-236/0804293432175338.htm

U.N. extends non-proliferation mandate
“A mandate to end nuclear, chemical and biological weapons proliferation has been extended by the U.N. Security Council at U.N. headquarters in New York. […] According to the Security Council, the mandate also requires countries to follow existing international treaties and full compliance with the resolution including the ‘physical protection of weapons, border security and law enforcement efforts, as well as controls over exports and trans-shipments,’ the release said.” (Middle East Times; 28Apr08; United Press International) http://www.metimes.com/Security/2008/04/28/un_extends_non-proliferation_mandate/b9af/

CNS ChemBio-WMD Terrorism News is prepared by the Chemical and Biological Weapons Nonproliferation Program of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in order to bring timely and focused information to researchers and policymakers interested in the fields of chemical, biological, and radiological weapons nonproliferation and WMD terrorism.