CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News, April 30, 2010

U.S. unlikely to respond to biological threat with nuclear strike, experts say
“The United States is not likely to use nuclear force to respond to a biological weapons threat, even though the Obama administration left open that option in its recent update to the nation’s nuclear weapons policy, experts say. ‘The notion that we are in imminent danger of confronting a scenario in which hundreds of thousands of people are dying in the streets of New York as a consequence of a biological weapons attack is fanciful,’ said Michael Moodie, a consultant who served as assistant director for multilateral affairs in the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency during the George H.W. Bush administration. Scenarios in which the United States suffers mass casualties as a result of such an event seem ‘to be taking the discussion out of the realm of reality and into one that is hypothetical and that has no meaning in the real world where this kind of exchange is just not going to happen,’ Moodie said this week in a telephone interview. ‘There are a lot of threat mongers who talk about devastating biological attacks that could kill tens of thousands, if not millions of Americans,’ according to Jonathan Tucker, a senior fellow with the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies. ‘But in fact, no country out there today has anything close to what the Soviet Union had in terms of mass-casualty biological warfare capability. Advances in biotechnology are unlikely to change that situation, at least for the foreseeable future.’ No terrorist group would be capable of pulling off a massive biological attack, nor would it be deterred by the threat of nuclear retaliation, he added.” (Global Security Newswire; 29Apr10; Martin Matishak) http://gsn.nti.org/gsn/nw_20100429_7133.php

Foes question public stake in BU [Boston University] lab
“Opponents of the Boston University biolab project say the school should develop vaccines on the site for illnesses plaguing the community, such as cancer and AIDS, instead of agents for diseases that they say pose no public health threat to the area. Activists gathered before last night’s public meeting on the project, which was held at the Boston Marriott Copley Place, and spoke out against the facility, where scientists plan to hunt for vaccines for illnesses such as Ebola and to combat a plague. They said such research would put residents of the South End and Roxbury at risk without offering any benefits. ‘We don’t get anything out of it,’’ said Klare Allen of Roxbury Safety Net, a group opposing the lab. She added that federal officials have also not made residents aware of the risks surrounding the $192 million National Emerging Infectious Disease Laboratory, located on Albany Street. ‘They just aren’t doing their jobs,’’ she said. Representatives from the school and the National Institutes of Health, which is providing most of the funding for the lab, said they would have no immediate comment on the activists’ proposal to develop certain vaccines. Activist Lynn Klotz, a biotechnology consultant and former Harvard professor, said that lab workers are planning to pursue a ‘one bug, one vaccine strategy’’ that will have a limited scope. ‘For example, a drug designed to cure anthrax would only cure anthrax; a drug designed to cure plague would only cure plague,’’ he said, reading from a prepared statement. ‘None of the [targeted] agents [are] a public health threat, so in the US, whatever they develop will have almost no public health value,’’ he added.” (Boston Globe; 29Apr10; Travis Andersen) http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/04/29/f
oes_question_public_stake_in_bu_lab/

Two arrests made in contaminated food case [FL]
“According to the allegations of the complaint, Francisca Josefina Lopez and Jorge Alexis Ochoa Lopez imported four shipments of cheese from Nicaragua between December 2009 and March 2010, with a declared value of more than $322,000. According to testing conducted by U.S. Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) district laboratory in Atlanta, Georgia, three of the four shipments were contaminated with Staphylococcus aureus [...] All four shipments, totaling in excess of 170,000 pounds, were refused entry into the commerce of the United States, and were subsequently ordered destroyed or re-exported [...] a search warrant was executed at the Lacteos Factory, which revealed that the three other shipments of the cheese product had been sold to over thirty customers, despite still being on hold. It was also determined that one customer conducted independent testing of the cheese, found it to be contaminated with S. aureus and returned the product. Despite that, the cheese was repackaged and sold to other customers.” (Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations; 23Apr10) http://www.fda.gov/ICECI/CriminalInvestigations/UCM209740?sms_ss=email

Las Vegas [NV] a natural fit for conducting epidemic study
“A multimillion-dollar research project involving UNLV [University of Nevada, Las Vegas] is aimed primarily at better protecting U.S. troops, but it is also expected to shore up the Las Vegas Valley’s defenses against epidemics and bioterrorism. UNLV Associate Professor Chris Cochran is helping lead the effort and hopes it will help hospitals and public health officials do a better job of quickly identifying the sources and pathways of influenza, E. coli and other contagious pathogens that can quickly spread through a population. Suppose Clark County health officials learned that a group of tourists who came down with the flu in Las Vegas arrived by plane the previous day from Anytown, USA. Because symptoms don’t usually appear until two or three days after infection, it’s likely the tourists contracted the virus back home. Health officials could then issue flu alerts to authorities in Anytown and to the airlines that brought the visitors to Las Vegas to help prevent a more widespread outbreak in Southern Nevada.” (Las Vegas Sun; 23Apr10; Steve Kanigher) http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2010/apr/23/vegas-natural-fit-epidemic-study/

Illnesses at Afghan girls’ schools prompt poisoning fears
“Seventeen-year-old Nadia considers herself lucky. She bolted when she saw three classmates at her all-girls school pass out on the afternoon of April 24. Forty-seven schoolgirls either fell unconscious or complained of nausea and dizziness that day at Khadijatul Kubra High School in Konduz. The illnesses are the latest in a series of suspected poisoning incidents at girls’ schools in the northeastern Afghan city. On April 21, 23 girls at Fatimatul Zohra High School mysteriously fell ill. On April 25, another 13 at the Sahe Darra Middle School for Girls became sick. Nobody has claimed responsibility for the outbreaks, and local authorities are still investigating their exact cause. But the Taliban’s well-known opposition to girls’ education has prompted many to accuse the group of waging a poisoning campaign. [...] Konduz Province government spokesman Mohibullah Sayedi tells RFE/RL’s Radio Free Afghanistan that local authorities are investigating the incidents, and have sent blood samples of the affected girls to Kabul to determine the cause of their sickness. He says that when the investigation was launched after girls first became sick on April 21 at Fatimatul Zohra school, pesticide poisoning was suspected.” (Radio Free Afghanistan; 26Apr10; Noor Mohammad Sahim) http://www.rferl.org/content/Illnesses_At_Afghan_Girls_Schools_Prompt_Poisoning_Fears/2024984.html

Citizens group: new weapon plan ‘flawed’ [CO]
“The regular meeting of the panel monitoring weapons destruction here started out to be part two of the ongoing discussion started Tuesday night, questioning a new Pentagon plan to use explosive technologies to destroy some of the weapons. The Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives program, the Defense Department agency assigned to destroy Pueblo’s mustard agent stockpile, has been asked to come up with a way to start destruction early by bringing in devices that will use explosive technology to destroy the weapons before and maybe while the $3.6 billion water neutralization plant is in operation. Currently, water neutralization may not start until 2015 but the explosive units could be in operation by 2012. Irene Kornelly, chairwoman of the Colorado Chemical Demilitarization Citizens Advisory Committee delivered a letter to Kevin Flamm, the manager of the ACWA program, outlining the commission’s concerns and criticisms of an environmental assessment. The assessment found there would be no significant impact from the additional process. The commission’s questions center around cost, how much land will be needed and pollution concerns.” (Pueblo Chieftain ; 28Apr10; John Norton) http://www.chieftain.com/news/local/article_e0aa79c6-534b-11df-97c6-001cc4c03286.html

NY man splashed bleach at laundromat worker
“Police say a New York man was so enraged at a Laundromat employee who he believed had lost some of his clothes that he hit her in the face with an open bottle of bleach. Randy Stith of Hempstead was charged Wednesday with assault and possession of a dangerous weapon.” (Find Law; 29Apr10; Source: AP) http://news.findlaw.com/ap/o/1110/04-29-2010/20100429042011_43.html?DCMP=ESPcons_top

Local group preparing to take over 7,100 acres as Army shuts down W. Ind. chemical depot site [Newport, IN]
“A local group that hopes to attract businesses to the Army’s Newport Chemical Depot expects to take possession of the western Indiana site by the end of this year. The depot that for decades produced and stored the deadly VX nerve agent is scheduled to close this summer. Newport reuse authority president Jack Fenoglio says its first projects will be to update the 70-year-old water system and convert the electrical system for use by commercial and industrial companies. The group plans to open about half the depot’s 7,100 acres to potential business development. The rest will remain as open land or for agriculture use.” (Fox News WXIN; 29Apr10) http://www.fox59.com/news/sns-ap-in--newportdepot-future,0,6342336.story

Troops fine tune disaster skills at Rockingham Speedway [NC]
“North Carolina National Guard troops were tested Wednesday on how they would respond to the release of a chemical nerve agent during drill at Rockingham Speedway. ‘It’s like a novel that I hope never comes true,’ Track General Manager Robert Ingram said during a walk-through of the exercise. The scenario was a track employee was drawn to a generator outside a storage building on the backstretch, where recreational vehicles park to watch the race. During an investigation of the inside of the building, a rudimentary laboratory was found, and law enforcement was called, which in turn contacted the North Carolina National Guard for support. The 22-member Greenville-based 42nd Civil Support Team had no notice of the drill, and received a call at 4 a.m. to respond to The Rock. They brought millions of dollars worth of vehicles and equipment. The team specializes in mitigating chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive threats, and had been staged in Scotland County for the past several days. At the track, U.S. Air National Guard Lt. Col. Tim Murphy oversaw the exercise for the Guard, and explained the hypothetical situation: race day is tomorrow, the governor is attending functions in Southern Pines and evidence of a domestic terrorist group plot has been uncovered ‘They will be going into the suspect building to take samples and pictures - primarily to figure out what the components are, and then advise the local authorities on what steps to take,’ Murphy said. He explained there are other factors the team would consider, such as the direction and strength of the wind to determine when and where people should be evacuated.” (Richmond County Daily Journal; 29Apr10; Philip D. Brown) http://www.yourdailyjournal.com/view/full_story/7238954/article-Troops-fine-tune-disaster-skills-at-Rockingham-Speedway?instance=home_news_lead

Chem[ical] weapon monitoring suit settled [CO]
“State and Defense Department agencies reportedly have settled a lawsuit over how the Army monitors its stockpile of chemical weapons at the Pueblo Chemical Depot. Details were not available Monday because the Army had not sent back a copy of the settlement but a spokesman for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment said that one provision calls for the Army to close the vents on the igloos where the weapons are stored to prevent uncontrolled chemical releases to the environment and to put charcoal filters on the igloos in the near future. Previously, the Army had checked igloos on a quarterly rotation but state officials said that was not often enough and sued to require tougher rules. As an example of the cooperation between the Army and Colorado officials, state health department representatives were on hand Monday for what was a major trash day at the Pueblo Chemical Depot.” (Pueblo Chieftain ; 27Apr10; John Norton) http://www.chieftain.com/news/local/article_73e6ec5a-51b8-11df-a9b1-001cc4c03286.html

FDNY, Marines train for chemical attack [NY]
“The New York City Fire Department and the Marines’ Chemical Biological Incident Response Force responded to a simulated exploded bus, a subway chemical attack, a building collapse and two IED attacks, April 22. The all-day exercise was the culmination of a weeklong training evolution at FDNY Fire Academy on Randall’s Island pairing Marines and firefighters. The Chemical Biological Incident Response Force (CBIRF), based in Indian Head, Md., has a history with the FDNY going back to the unit’s founding in 1996. Deputy Chief and Marine veteran Raymond Downey helped develop the original training for the unit. After he died in the World Trade Center rescue effort, their training facility was named after Downey. CBIRF is never in command of an incident, instead they respond and augment at the request of local, state or federal agencies, said Col. John Pollock, CBIRF commanding officer. The Marines go to large-scale events, such as presidential visits and sporting events, so they can respond quickly in case of emergency.” (U.S. Marine Corps Division of Public Affairs; 23Apr10; Sgt. Randall A. Clinton) http://www2.marines.mil/unit/divpa/nycpa/Pages/104022-CBIRFFDNY.aspx

Govt to install radiation monitoring portals at ports
“The government has decided to install Radiation Monitor Portals (RMP) at all ports and entry points in the country amid reports that the recent radiation leak in West Delhi could have happened due to scrap brought in from outside. The decision to purchase the RMPs was taken at a high-level meeting held recently in Mumbai which was called to discuss Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for scanning and disposing of junk materials carrying radioactive waste, official sources said. The meeting was attended by officials of the department of atomic energy, prime minister’s office, home and health ministries besides representatives from various intelligence agencies and came close on the heels of radioactive leaks detected in Mayapuri industrial area of West Delhi earlier this month. In the meeting, the SOPs that were finalised on checking the junk, which is also imported at times from different countries before being sold off to scrap dealers, including installation of RMP which can monitor and detect if any radiation material is brought from outside. RMPs are designed to detect ionizing radiation penetrating out of a container. In most cases gamma radiation is detected, while in some cases neutron detection when sensitivity for nuclear material is desired.” (Daily News and Analysis; 25Apr10)
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_govt-to-install-radiation-monitoring-portals-at-ports_1375392

Raytheon awarded contract for integrated standoff inspection system
“The Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) has awarded Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) a $20.5 million contract to research and develop an automated system for the standoff detection and identification of shielded special nuclear material. The Integrated Standoff Inspection System, or ISIS, is an active interrogation nuclear radiation detection system that will provide the government with an accurate and reliable inspection system that is fully integrated and automated. ‘The need to effectively detect and track the movement of nuclear material increases every day,’ said Michael Del Checcolo, vice president of Engineering for Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems. ‘ISIS will enable our government to more effectively identify and classify nuclear materials to help prevent their unauthorized entry into this country.’“ (PR Newswire; 30Apr10) http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/raytheon-awarded-contract-for-integrated-standoff-inspection-system-92083954.html

MU reactor to ditch weapons grade uranium [MO]
“The MU Research Reactor Center is laying the groundwork to switch from using weapons-grade uranium to a safer fuel as part of a national push to minimize security threats. Civilian reactors such as the one at MU have become the focus of federal security strategists working to minimize the likelihood that terrorists could attack a reactor or steal highly enriched uranium that can be used to make atomic bombs. MU is anticipating the switch to low-enriched uranium, and officials are keen on preserving its efficiency as a scientific research and pharmacy drug production facility after the fuel change. In a three-step conversion process that is likely to be replicated in other civilian reactors in the U.S., the Idaho National Lab Advanced Test Reactor is leading federal efforts to test a lower grade fuel that can provide an alternative source of power for research reactors. If test results are positive, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission will certify the fuel for use by the five research reactors in the U.S., including the one at MU, that still use enriched, weapons-grade uranium. The long-term goal is to convert all 130 civilian reactors around the globe to run on the safer fuel.” (Columbia Missourian; 29Apr10; Washington Gikunju) http://www.columbiamissourian.com/stories/2010/04/28/mu-reactor-braces-fuel-conversion/

Feds extend pact with Cleveland biolabs
“Cleveland BioLabs is continuing a project for the federal government that explores therapies for conditions resulting from acute radiation exposure. The company announced April 29 that the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) of the Department of Health and Human Services has exercised the second and third milestone-based options on its $15.6 million, three-year contract with Cleveland BioLabs, awarded last fall. The project deals with select tasks in the advanced development of Protectan CBLB502. According to a prepared release, option two includes $1.47 million to support additional manufacturing and release of a new lot of CBLB502, as well as additional animal studies. Option three includes $460,000 to support additional good laboratory practice efficacy studies in non-human primates. All are activities necessary for completion of a biologic license application with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).” (Buffalo Business First; 29Apr10; Tracey Drury) http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/stories/2010/04/26/daily43.html

Dirty-bomb test for terror[ism] may aid cancer research
“With a few drops of blood, scientists are creating a way to tell who’s absorbed dangerous radiation levels, part of the government’s preparations against a terrorist attack -- and research that just might point toward new cancer care, too. Duke University’s work aims to allow rapid triage in wake of a dirty bomb explosion or other radiological emergency, to sort out who among potentially thousands of panicked people need treatment for radioactive fallout and who can go home. At the same time, it illustrates an evolving new approach to developing so-called ‘medical countermeasures’ for defense: They ought to have an everyday use, too. ‘There has to be a return on investment from this program in peacetime,’ Dr. Nicole Lurie, assistant secretary for preparedness at the Health and Human Services Department, told the Associated Press. At issue: The nation’s stockpile of treatments, vaccines and tests against bioterrorism and chemical or radiological threats. Saying the arsenal isn’t growing fast enough, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius ordered a major review of how to jumpstart the development of countermeasures. That process now is spurred by contracts from the federal Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, or BARDA, that help fund research of promising products, often with guaranteed purchase of a certain amount if the work pans out.” (Associated Press; 26Apr10; Lauran Neergaard)
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jom1ZCLJ4cuC0nb9b0EmLJWJNNugD9FAUI7G3

Antiterror[ism] security ring encircles New York
“New York City’s neighboring municipalities have received equipment intended to help safeguard the area against radiological ‘dirty bomb’ attacks, Newsday reported today. Since 2007, the federal Securing the Cities program has provided 5,000 radiation sensors and other gear to counties around New York City. Other protective measures in the area include Coast Guard countermeasures, port security equipment and monitoring of local transit routes. ‘We depend on partners,’ said New York City Police Department Capt. Michael Reggio, who heads the chemical, biological and nuclear services unit within the department’s counterterrorism division. A ‘dirty bomb’ attack would use conventional explosives to disperse radioactive material over a wide area. ‘It can range from anywhere to a nuisance bomb spreading weakly radioactive stuff like uranium ... at the upper end you can imagine a scenario where you are dispersing things like cesium 137,’ said Federation of American Scientists expert Charles Ferguson. ‘If we didn’t have radiation detectors, you could drive a dirty bomb right into New York City and you wouldn’t even see it,’ said Inspector Stuart Cameron, who heads the office in charge of the Suffolk County Police Department’s radiation detection program. County officers are equipped with 400 sensor devices.” (Global Security Newswire; 26Apr10) http://gsn.nti.org/gsn/nw_20100426_8742.php

Liberty RadEx drill to test national clean-up and recovery efforts after mock ‘dirty bomb’ attack [Philadelphia, PA]
“More than 700 personnel from federal, state and local agencies and the private sector are participating in a 5-day homeland security exercise that began today in Philadelphia. The exercise, called Liberty RadEx, is the largest drill of its kind sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to test the country’s capability to clean up and help communities recover from a dirty bomb terrorist attack. [...] ‘The LibertyRAD exercise marks another milestone in Philadelphia’s preparedness efforts by evaluating how federal, state and local governments will work collaboratively following a disaster with the long-term devastating consequences a dirty-bomb attack causes,’ said MaryAnn E. Tierney, deputy managing director for the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Emergency Management. ‘Conducting the exercise in a densely populated urban area that is home to some of our nation’s most treasured historic sites and critical infrastructure will be a valuable learning experience for all involved.’“ (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; 26Apr10) http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/28c5b280d311903a8525771100525103?OpenDocument

Gimme shelter: the need for a contemporary civil defense program
“Of the 15 terrorism and natural disaster scenarios used by the Department of Homeland Security for planning purposes, the first scenario is the most feared: Terrorists detonate a 10-kiloton improvised nuclear device at ground level in the National Mall in Washington at 10 a.m. on a weekday morning. In an attempt to understand what can be done to mitigate the consequences of such an attack, I, along with Stanford graduate students Sylvie Denuit and Youngsoo Choi, constructed a detailed mathematical model of this scenario that includes the initial effects of the detonation, the radiation fallout in subsequent days, the traffic flow of vehicles exiting the city, and the behavioral responses with respect to shelter versus evacuation. (Our full study will appear in an upcoming issue of the journal Risk Analysis.) [...] Our analysis suggests that there is only a tiny fraction of people who would be better off by evacuating. And we should note that these people won’t know who they are when the decision about evacuation needs to be made. Accurate plume information--the cloud can be irregularly shaped due to different wind directions at different altitudes--and travel-time estimates won’t be available, and the ability for the government to communicate to those impacted by the attack will be extremely limited, perhaps restricted to battery-powered radios. And even if the information and communication were perfect, historical data suggests that citizen compliance to a government-managed evacuation would be far from perfect. [...] Moreover, our traffic-flow calculations suggest that even if a small percentage of those who aren’t supposed to evacuate do so anyway, all of the evacuees will be stuck in traffic jams and therefore, exposed to much more radiation, especially because vehicles provide almost no protection from fallout. Thus, the only robust strategy is to advise everyone to shelter.” (Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists; 28Apr10; Lawrence M. Wein) http://www.thebulletin.org/web-edition/op-eds/gimme-shelter-the-need-contemporary-civil-defense-program

Ex-guard says Bin Laden wants to use nukes
“Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin laden has sought and wanted to use nuclear arms, former bodyguard Nasser al-Bahri said in an interview with an Arab newspaper published today. ‘Sheikh Osama used to dream of possessing nuclear weapons, and I am sure that if he were to get his hands on a nuclear weapon, he would not have hesitated to use it,’ the Yemeni guard told the London-based Al-Quds Al-Arabi. The United States warned earlier this month that al-Qaeda’s interest in nuclear weapons was still strong and said the risk of nuclear terrorism was serious. ‘Al-Qaeda has been engaged in the effort to acquire a nuclear weapon for over 15 years, and its interest remains strong today,’ said John Brennan, President Barack Obama’s top anti-terrorism and Homeland Security adviser. But Mr Brennan said he had ‘no indication that al-Qaeda has a nuclear weapons capability’. Bahri, who now lives in Yemen with two wives and five children, said he was ‘proud to have worked as a guard for a great personality’, saying he was instructed to kill Bin Laden if that was the only way to avoid his capture.” (News Limited; 29Apr10; Source: AFP)
http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/ex-guard-says-bin-laden-wants-to-use-nukes/story-e6frfku0-1225859703802

U.S. military develops non-toxic cleaners for terrorist attacks
“The U.S. military has developed non-toxic, ultra-strength cleaners that could be used in the aftermath of a terrorist attack. The peroxide-based ‘green’ decontaminants are tough enough to get rid of nerve gas, mustard gas, radioactive isotopes and anthrax [spores], report U.S. military scientists in the American Chemistry Society’s Industrial Engineering and Chemistry Research, a bimonthly journal. The scientists say they developed ‘Decon Green’ cleaners because chlorine- and lye-based agents are potentially hazardous and can react with chemical weapons and other materials in the environment to form new toxic substances. The main ingredients in each formula are peroxides, used in household cleaners and whitening toothpaste. To bolster their efficacy, they’re mixed with bicarbonates and other non-toxic bases.” (USA Today; 29Apr10)
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/greenhouse/post/2010/04/us-military-develops-non-toxic-cleaners-for-terrorist-attacks/1

Phila. unveals new emergency operations center in a box [Philadelphia, PA]
“As the federal government conducts an emergency simulation in town this week, the city of Philadelphia is showcasing its new emergency operations center in a box. [...] Deputy managing director for Emergency Management MaryAnn Tierney says the EOC in a box has everything one would need: ‘Laptops, so people can work, an AV system, an audio system, so people will be able to hear discussions that occur, a projector and screen so that people will be able to display either maps or other information.’ The EOC in a box was funded by a $559,000 grant from [H]omeland [S]ecurity.” (KYW Newsradio 1060 Philadelphia; 28Apr10; Karin Phillips) http://www.kyw1060.com/pages/6914621.php

CBS always on’ digital newsstand network to conduct first street-level emergency alert test Wednesday, April 28th -- 10am - 2pm
“CBS Always On, Philadelphia’s Digital Newsstand Network, will conduct the City’s first street-level emergency alert test tomorrow, Wednesday, April 28th beginning at 10 a.m. through 2 p.m. in cooperation with Philadelphia’s Office of Emergency Management. An emergency test tone and message will appear on the newsstands’ news ticker and High Definition TV screens for 30 seconds at the top of each hour that day. The emergency test is being conducted in conjunction with a Homeland Security exercise called Liberty RadEx taking place in Philadelphia April 26th through 30th. In the event of a city-wide emergency, center city residents and the workforce would be able to get up-to-the-minute details and information through the CBS Always On network. The system has already been used since its installation -- to alert people to move their cars from snow emergency routes during this past winter’s record snow storm.” (Marketwire; 27Apr10) http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/CBS-Always-On-Digital-Newsstand-Network-Conduct-First-Street-Level-Emergency-Alert-Test-1154377.htm

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.