CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News- July 30, 2008

Universal Detection Technology Releases Corporate Update From Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
“It is unfortunate that we are living under the threat of terrorism and biological warfare. What's of greatest concern is the lack of proper preparation at various levels for dealing with a potential attack with these deadly agents. Consequently, we have intensified our efforts to address the growing need to protect our families and businesses.” (CNN Money; 29July08) http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/marketwire/0419949.htm

Slow to Pick Up The Pepper Trail
“Just after the Fourth of July, Cheryl Grubbs called her local health department in Cortez, Colo., to report that her husband had nearly lost his only kidney to a salmonella infection after eating several raw jalapeÒos and a sandwich with a tomato in it during a camping trip. By then, investigators had been searching for the source of a nationwide salmonella outbreak for more than two months; tomatoes were the prime suspect. Grubbs told three nurses her story and was transferred to the voice mail of a fourth. After hearing nothing for three days, she called the state health department in Denver.” (Washington Post; 30July08; Annys Shin)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/29/AR2008072902287.html

UCF professor develops vaccine to protect against black plague bioterror attack
“University of Central Florida researcher may have found a defense against the Black Plague, a disease that wiped out a third of Europe's population in the Middle Ages and which government agencies perceive as a terrorist threat today. UCF Professor Henry Daniell and his team have developed a vaccine that early research shows is highly effective against the plague. Findings of his National Institutes of Health and USDA funded research appear in the August edition of Infection and Immunity. The vaccine, which is taken orally or by injection, was given to rats at UCF and the efficacy was evaluated by measuring immunity (antibody) developed in their blood.” (EurekAlert; 30July08) http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-07/uocf-upd073008.php

Opponents of bio-hazard lab in Triangle heckle feds
“Opponents of a proposed $450 million research lab took control of two public hearings Tuesday, making it clear to state and federal officials that efforts to build the project in Granville County would trigger a lengthy battle. The 520,000-square-foot lab -- about five times the size of a regular Wal-Mart -- would handle a wide range of pathogens that could be used as biological threats. About 10 percent of the lab would be set aside for viruses with no known cures.” (McClatchy News Service; 30July08) http://www.thetimesnews.com/news/lab_16134___article.html/opponents_security.html

White powder creates a scare at office building
“An envelope containing a white, powdery substance sent workers inside a South County office [St. Louis] building out into the heat Tuesday morning while federal and local officials investigated. Tests done in Jefferson City later determined that the substance was not dangerous, authorities said, but they did not immediately reveal what the substance was.” (St. Louis Post-Dispatch; 30July08; Carolyn Tuft) http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/laworder/story/3DA13D17F3913A9086257496000A7599?OpenDocument

Canada donates $209K worth of anti-biological warfare suits to RP
“A total of 300 modern suits that could be used in responding to possible biological and nuclear attacks by terrorist groups were donated Wednesday by the Canadian government to Filipino authorities. The suits, with a combined worth of C$209,425, could also be used in responding to calamities involving hazardous chemicals.” (GMA News; 30July08) http://www.gmanews.tv/story/110328/Canada-donates-209K-worth-of-anti-biological-warfare-suits-to-RP

Two Residents Taken to Hospital With Suspected Anthrax in Kyrgyz Southwest
“The press service of the Emergencies Ministry of the Kyrgyz Republic has announced that a 23-year-old resident of Nooken District has been taken to the infectious diseases department of the Kochkor-Ata territorial hospital with suspected anthrax. According to information from the press service of the Emergencies Ministry, the total number of people who were taken to hospital is 35, of which 28 have been discharged and seven are being given appropriate treatment.”(Red Orbit; 30July08) http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/1501034/two_residents_taken_to_hospital_with_suspected_anthrax_in_kyrgyz/

Army: Mustard gas leaks at Blue Grass
“The Army said yesterday that a mustard gas leak had been detected inside a storage igloo at the Blue Grass Army Depot near Richmond. But the leak presents no danger to the community or the environment, the U.S. Army Chemical Materials Agency said. Richard Sloan, spokesman for the Blue Grass Chemical Activity, said the leak was ëvery small, very minute.” (Courier-Journal; 30July08; James R. Carroll)
http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080730/NEWS01/807301095

Museveni aide ëbought chemical, bio weapons
“A Danish national appeared before a London court on Monday on charges of transferring chemical and biological weapons to Mr Ananias Tumukunde, an aide to President Museveni who has been in the custody of British authorities for several weeks on charges of money laundering.” (Daily Monitor; 30July08) http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/news/Museveni_aide_bought_chemical_bio_weapons_69027.shtml

Digger [slang: New Zealand and Australia military] advisers to help Pakistan
“Australia is prepared to send military advisers to Pakistan to help its Army in training for counter-insurgency warfare and stabilising the border with Afghanistan. Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon will today call for a more concerted international effort to combat Taliban insurgents based in Pakistan's tribal areas, including economic aid and providing its Army with the skills to conduct counter-insurgency campaigns as well as civil operations.” (The Australian; 30July08; Patrick Walters) http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24099496-31477,00.html

Hawaii, California troops train with island locals
“Hawaii and California National Guard troops are joining Big Island police and fire units for a week of training and exercises to deal with a terrorist attack or a major hazardous material release. This week's effort is designed to help the personnel respond to an act of terrorism involving chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear weapons, officials said.” (Sign on San Diego; 29July08) http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/military/20080729-1853-wst-trainingexercise.html

Careful science can help to fight terrorism
“Science and Technology are usually seen as western strengths in fighting terrorism. Counterterrorism depends on science ñ but, at the same time, science generates terrorist risks and could compound the problems terrorism creates. For a start, scientists, engineers and doctors have played a considerable role as terrorists since the mid-20th century. The high status of these professions may be partly responsible, as modern terrorists are drawn disproportionately from the better-educated sections of societies.” (Financial Times; 28July08; Richard Mottram and Clive
Cookson)
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/0a5579ac-5ca3-11dd-8d38-000077b07658.html

U.S. air strike on al-Qaeda hideout lays bare Pakistan's border weakness
“U.S. forces struck a suspected al-Qaeda hideout inside Pakistan Monday, exposing growing tensions between the allies over Pakistan's inability to deal with militants in its tribal regions. The attack, believed to have killed a top al-Qaeda chemical and biological weapons expert, came as Pakistan's Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani arrived in Washington in an effort to reassure Americans of his country's efforts to eradicate the militants based in Pakistan, who are believed to be feeding the rising insurgency in Afghanistan.” (Globe and Mail; 29July08; Saeed Shah, Graeme Smith)
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20080729.wpakistan29/BNStory/Afghanistan/home

Nanotechnology At NASA Could Play Medical Role On Earth
“Nanotechnology-driven development could affect many areas of space exploration: it could create new materials that are stronger and self-healing, for example, or develop tiny rovers capable of driving, flying and taking measurements. Other applications in security, for example the sensor could be useful in detecting nerve gas or anthrax. It could also be used in environmental monitoring, which is why a partnership formed between Dr. Meyyappan's team and Early Warning, a company based in New York that develops systems to detect biohazards.” (U.S. Medicine; 29July08; Katie Leitch)
http://www.usmedicine.com/dailyNews.cfm?dailyID=399

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.