Primate center unveils biosafety lab [LA]
“Five years in the making and prompted by an influx of federal financing for bioterrorism research after anthrax scares and the Sept. 11 attacks, Tulane University’s [LA] National Primate Research Center on Friday showed off its new $27.5 million lab for studying airborne contaminants and infectious diseases. The Regional Biosafety Laboratory, a 38,000-square-foot facility within the center near Covington, is not expected to open for business until mid-summer, but on Friday morning, national, state and local officials used an oversized pair of scissors to cut a green ribbon, officially marking the lab's completion. ‘The focus is how you prevent exposure for a new emergent disease that is moving this way, or for a bioterrorism event,’ said Andrew Lackner, the center’s director. He said the facility will work ‘to protect the community and the nation.’” (Times-Picayune; 06Dec08; Benjamin Alexander-Bloch)
http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1228544506295490.xml&coll=1
Data published in Nature Medicine highlights ability of Peregrine Pharmaceuticals’ bavituximab to cure lethal virus infections
“Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. reported publication of data in Nature Medicine that supports the broad anti-viral potential of the company's novel anti-phosphatidylserine (anti-PS) antibody platform, showing that its PS-targeting drug bavituximab can cure lethal virus infections in animal disease models. Bavituximab is in clinical trials for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and in preclinical development for the treatment of viral hemorrhagic fevers under a contract worth up to $44.4 million with the bioterrorism program of the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA).” (NewsRx.com; 12Dec08)
http://www.newsrx.com/article.php?articleID=1350558
Secret labs outsourced by Defra [U.K.’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs]
“Britain’s top-secret laboratories battling to prevent outbreaks of anthrax, foot-and-mouth, mad cow disease and Asian bird flu with some installations so sensitive they do not officially exist have been privatised. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is transferring the maintenance of 186 sites and 800 Civil servants to outsourcing specialist Interserve. The contract includes three labs, whose work is so top secret their locations are undisclosed. […] Interserve, which also provides private-sector services to Buckingham Palace, said the 15-year Defra contract will be worth at least £500 million.” (The Daily Mail; 05Dec08) http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/article-1092263/Top-secret-laboratories-outsourced-Defra.html
Earmark helps [NY] businesses, not troops
“Scientists have discovered a lotion that can save the lives of U.S. soldiers exposed to chemical weapons a product vastly superior to the standard-issue decontamination powder. […] But there’s a problem: After being lobbied by the companies making the powder, several members of Congress pushed through two earmarks worth $7.6 million that forced the military for the past two years to keep buying the inferior product. The product, known as M291, is made from a resin sold exclusively by a Pennsylvania chemical company, which is then processed into powder by a New York company, then assembled into individual kits at a facility in Arkansas. Among the lawmakers who championed the earmarks are Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., Arlen Specter, R-Pa.; and Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.” (Seattle Times; 08Dec08; Christine Willamsen and David Heath) http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008479423_apwaearmarkreport.html
[U.S. oil-services firm] Schlumberger's Iran sale [of ‘dirty bomb’ useable materials] raises questions
“The U.S. oil-services firm Schlumberger is using a legal loophole to supply machines with radioactive chemicals to Iran, The Boston Globe reported Sunday. The Globe says its investigation revealed the company has sold a 2,000-pound drilling tool to Iran powered by a kind of radioactive chemical that scientists say could fuel a so-called ‘dirty bomb.’ U.S. officials have sought to keep the chemical out of Iranian hands, but Schlumberger made the sale using a legal loophole allowing multinational corporations to employ foreign subsidiaries to sidestep U.S. sanctions, the Globe said. […] Victor Comras, a specialist on international trade embargoes, said Schlumberger's oil tools sale to Iran ‘is certainly activity that goes against the spirit, if not the letter, of the law.’” (United Press International; 07Dec08; Source: Boston Globe) http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2008/12/07/Schlumbergers_Iran_sale_raises_questions/UPI-90781228672600/
U.S. commission [on the prevention of weapons of mass destruction, proliferation, and terrorism] says urgent need to secure Pakistan's biological and nuclear weapons
“A U.S. bipartisan commission has warned that the next attacks on America might originate from Pakistan’s volatile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), adding that there is an urgent need for Washington to secure Pakistan’s biological and nuclear weapons. The report, which was due to be presented to U.S. President Bush on Wednesday, says: ‘Indeed, many government officials and outside experts believe that the next terrorist attack against the US is likely to originate from within the Federally Administered Tribal Areas in Pakistan.’[…] [The report] warns that the recently-concluded US-India Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement may significantly affect Asian security, saying incoming President Barack Obama will have to manage the actions that states may take in response to the agreement.” (News Track India; 07Dec08; Source: Asian News
International)
http://www.newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/46429
India, Russia sign milestone nuclear pact, vow to fight terror
“The two strategic partners [India and Russia], whose ties have ‘withstood the test of time,’ signed 10 agreements in areas ranging from Civil space programme, Civil nuclear cooperation, economy, tourism and defence, and combatting terrorism. […] Reiterating their commitment to a multi-polar world, the two countries discussed a host of global issues, including terrorism, the global financial crisis, the Iranian nuclear issue, trilateral cooperation between India, Russia and China, and reform of leading international institutions.” (Newstrack India; 05Dec08; Source:
Indo-Asian News Service)
http://www.newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/46079
World leaders try to ban nuclear weapons
“A new international group committed to eliminating nuclear weapons over the next 25 years has enlisted scores of world leaders as its campaign gets under way at a conference in Paris on Tuesday. […] The group, Global Zero, is proposing deep cuts in U.S. and Russian nuclear arsenals, a verification and enforcement system, and phased reduction leading to the elimination of all stockpiles. […] Ultimately, the planners are hoping to stage a world summit in January 2010. More than 100 political, military, business, religious and civic leaders have lent their support to the campaign. ‘In recent months, the threat of proliferation and nuclear terrorism has led to a growing chorus of world leaders calling for the elimination of all nuclear weapons,’ the group said in a statement announcing its plans.” (The China Post; 08Dec08; Source: Associated Press; Barry Schweid) http://www.chinapost.com.tw/international/europe/2008/12/08/186640/World-leaders.htm
Commentary [by Peter Bergen, CNN National Security Analyst]: WMD terrorism fears overblown
“Terrorists have already used weapons of mass destruction in the past decade in attacks around the world, and they have proven to be something of a dud. […] In fact, there is only one weapon of mass destruction that can kill tens or hundreds of thousands and that is a nuclear device. […] Even if al Qaeda successfully deployed a crude chemical, biological or radiological weapon […] these would be weapons of mass disruption, whose principal effect would be panic -- not mass casualties. […] What we are likely to see again and again are the tried and tested tactics that terrorists have used for decades: […] Deploying true WMDs remains beyond the capabilities of terrorist groups today and for the foreseeable future.” (CNN.com; 05Dec08; Peter Bergen) http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/05/bergen.wmd/index.html?iref=newssearch
[U.S. Representative Jane] Harman [D-CA] warns against overplaying WMD ‘fear card’
“After a series of dire new warnings about possible terrorist threats -- capped by a government commission's report [from the Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction, Proliferation, and terrorism] that terrorists are likely to stage a biological or nuclear attack somewhere in the world during the next five years -- some experts are urging officials ‘to retire the fear card,’ as California Rep. Jane Harman puts it. ... Harman, who heads the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Intelligence and terrorism Risk Assessment, added, ‘It’s time for the rhetoric about that threat to calm, instead of inflame, an anxious public.’” (U.S. News & World Report: 08Dec08) http://www.usnews.com/usnews/politics/bulletin/bulletin_081208.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.
Showing posts with label arkansas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label arkansas. Show all posts
Monday, December 08, 2008
Thursday, October 02, 2008
DHS’ FIFTH ANNUAL NATIONAL PREPAREDNESS MONTH
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Ready Campaign joined with more than 3,200 National Preparedness Month coalition members in the month of September to educate individuals, families and communities on the importance of emergency preparedness. This year’s coalition of national, regional, state, and local organizations was the largest in the five year history of National Preparedness Month, and represents a 4,000 percent increase in participation to date.
“We’ve made great strides over the past five years in encouraging Americans to take steps to get prepared and to get involved during National Preparedness Month,” said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. “But, the civic duty we all share to prepare ourselves, our home and work for an emergency does not end in September. Disasters can happen at any time, and I urge all Americans to make personal preparedness a priority in their daily lives.”
National Preparedness Month began in September 2004 with 80 coalition members. Participation has grown steadily each year, to include roughly 1,400 coalition members joining in 2007. The largest area of growth has been from nonprofit organizations, followed by military, faith-based and health organizations.
This year, National Preparedness Month coalition members coordinated more than 420 events and activities across the country, ranging from seminars and fairs, to community outreach events, workshops, webinars, and training. They include:
Pennsylvania joined the growing list of states and regions that have localized the Ready Campaign by launching ReadyPA during National Preparedness Month. ReadyPA unveiled a web site and localized public service advertisements that direct citizens to visit www.readypa.org for local emergency preparedness information. ReadyPA also partnered with Wal-Mart to feature in-store displays with key emergency kit items and informational handouts in 84 stores statewide.
Arkansas Department of Emergency Management (ADEM): ADEM highlighted National Preparedness Month by partnering with local sports teams. They displayed a new Mobile Communications Unit outside War Memorial Stadium for the Arkansas Razorbacks vs. Louisiana Monroe football game on Sept. 6. ADEM distributed literature and played Ready Campaign public service advertisements during the game, which had an estimated 60,000 people in attendance.
ADEM also held preparedness nights at Dickey-Stevens Park, a minor league baseball stadium in North Little Rock. The Ready Campaign’s public service announcements were played during playoff and championship games, and ADEM employees distributed brochures with information on how to put together a family emergency kit.
Oklahoma Office of Homeland Security (OKOHS): OKOHS partnered with Radio Disney to host a kick-off event at the Tulsa Zoo. Vendors distributed information and OKOHS handed out items promoting Ready Oklahoma and emergency preparedness. OKOHS and Radio Disney also held a preparedness competition for schools in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, where the most “prepared” school in each district received a “Rockin’ Recess.”
In addition, OKOHS, Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club partnered to host a statewide Emergency Preparedness Weekend from Sept. 19-21, when stores displayed emergency preparedness kits and provided preparedness information.
For additional information on National Preparedness Month 2008, please visit www.ready.gov.
“We’ve made great strides over the past five years in encouraging Americans to take steps to get prepared and to get involved during National Preparedness Month,” said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff. “But, the civic duty we all share to prepare ourselves, our home and work for an emergency does not end in September. Disasters can happen at any time, and I urge all Americans to make personal preparedness a priority in their daily lives.”
National Preparedness Month began in September 2004 with 80 coalition members. Participation has grown steadily each year, to include roughly 1,400 coalition members joining in 2007. The largest area of growth has been from nonprofit organizations, followed by military, faith-based and health organizations.
This year, National Preparedness Month coalition members coordinated more than 420 events and activities across the country, ranging from seminars and fairs, to community outreach events, workshops, webinars, and training. They include:
Pennsylvania joined the growing list of states and regions that have localized the Ready Campaign by launching ReadyPA during National Preparedness Month. ReadyPA unveiled a web site and localized public service advertisements that direct citizens to visit www.readypa.org for local emergency preparedness information. ReadyPA also partnered with Wal-Mart to feature in-store displays with key emergency kit items and informational handouts in 84 stores statewide.
Arkansas Department of Emergency Management (ADEM): ADEM highlighted National Preparedness Month by partnering with local sports teams. They displayed a new Mobile Communications Unit outside War Memorial Stadium for the Arkansas Razorbacks vs. Louisiana Monroe football game on Sept. 6. ADEM distributed literature and played Ready Campaign public service advertisements during the game, which had an estimated 60,000 people in attendance.
ADEM also held preparedness nights at Dickey-Stevens Park, a minor league baseball stadium in North Little Rock. The Ready Campaign’s public service announcements were played during playoff and championship games, and ADEM employees distributed brochures with information on how to put together a family emergency kit.
Oklahoma Office of Homeland Security (OKOHS): OKOHS partnered with Radio Disney to host a kick-off event at the Tulsa Zoo. Vendors distributed information and OKOHS handed out items promoting Ready Oklahoma and emergency preparedness. OKOHS and Radio Disney also held a preparedness competition for schools in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, where the most “prepared” school in each district received a “Rockin’ Recess.”
In addition, OKOHS, Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club partnered to host a statewide Emergency Preparedness Weekend from Sept. 19-21, when stores displayed emergency preparedness kits and provided preparedness information.
For additional information on National Preparedness Month 2008, please visit www.ready.gov.
Monday, September 29, 2008
CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News-September 29, 2008
Emergent BioSolutions signs $29.7 million contract with BARDA
[Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority] NIAID [National
Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases]
“Emergent BioSolutions, a biopharmaceutical company, has signed a contract with BARDA/NIAID, valued at up to $29.7 million, to fund the further development of AV7909, a next generation anthrax vaccine candidate within the company's portfolio of anthrax countermeasures. The three-year contract provides up to $24.9 million of funding for manufacturing of clinical lots […] and for stability studies to further demonstrate that the vaccine candidate does not need refrigeration during storage, a key requirement of this vaccine development initiative.” (Datamonitor; 29Sep08; Source: COMTEX)
http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/1908457/
Congress to fund UA [University of Arkansas] research [on nano-sensors]
“Congress is expected to approve by the end of the week a spending bill that includes money for research into biological weapons detection systems at the University of Arkansas […] center for nanoscale bio-sensors. According to the university, the money would be for research into creation of small devices that can detect and alert people to biological weapons. […] Arkansas officials said nanoscale bio-sensors would be small enough for soldiers to wear on helmets or sleeves and would alert forces of biological agents in the air.” (YourIndustryNews.com; 29Sep08)
http://www.yourindustrynews.com/news_item.php?newsID=11611
Scientists peer into heart of compound that may detect chemical, biological weapons
“A light-transmitting compound that could one day be used in high-efficiency fiber optics and in sensors to detect biological and chemical weapons at long distance almost went undiscovered by scientists because its structure was too difficult to examine. […]This two-for-one wavelength boost is paired with greater transparency, so the material can actually transmit the whole higher-wavelength beam. This could have eventual real-world applications in identifying biological and chemical weapons at long distances and in optical communications. […] The material, (A)ZrPSe6, where A can be potassium, rubidium or cesium, has a unique and difficult chemical structure that does not crystallize very well. It grows lengthwise, but not in other directions.” (Medical News Today; 29Sep08) http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/123343.php
Two rival biotech companies receive approval to develop anthrax vaccines
“Emergent BioSolutions of Rockville and PharmAthene of Annapolis received separate federal development contracts to develop an improved form of the anthrax vaccine. PharmAthene of Annapolis was awarded with a multi-year contract by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, a part of the National Institutes of Health.” (Eflux Media; 29Sep08; Alice Carver)
http://www.efluxmedia.com/news_Two_Rival_Biotech_Companies_Receive_Approval_to_Develop_Anthrax_Vaccines_25374.html
National Institutes of Health gives Dynavax a $17M contract
“Berkeley’s Dynavax Technologies Corp. will develop immune system triggers useful for vaccines under a $17 million contract from the National Institutes of Health. The award comes through the NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and is enough money to pay all the costs of Dynavax’s work on this program. This research will be useful for anthrax vaccines and also for protection against other diseases.” (East Bay Business Times; 29Sep08)
http://eastbay.bizjournals.com/eastbay/stories/2008/09/29/daily9.html?t=printable
[Indian National Security Advisor] Narayanan learns American way of tackling terrorism
“[…] National Security Advisor MK Narayanan visited the US homeland security department for a firsthand understanding of US security establishment. […] Charles Allen, under secretary in the office of intelligence and analysis, took the NSA and his team through a drill on how America tackles terror. […] The issues that are being addressed […] include regional counter-terrorism efforts, threat assessments in South Asia, Middle East and South East Asia, bioterrorism, anti-terrorism assistance training programme and cooperation in the field of forensic epidemiology.” (The Economic Times; 29Sep08; ET bureau)
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-3537975,prtpage-1.cms
Chemical weapons destruction at Anniston Army Depot [Alabama] at halfway point
“The effort to destroy the chemical weapons stored at the Anniston Army Depot reached the halfway point Saturday. More than 330,900 nerve agent-filled rockets, artillery shells and land mine have been disposed of since the incineration process began in 2003. […] The munitions loaded with nerve agents VX and GB or the blister agent mustard gas have been stored at the installation since 1961.” (Birmingham News; 28Sep08; Thomas Spencer)
http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2008/09/chemical_weapons_destruction_a.html
OPCW [Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons]
Director-General addresses basic course for national authorities in France “The OPCW Director-General, Ambassador Rogelio Pfirter, addressed a basic course for personnel of national authorities involved in implementing the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) that was jointly organised by France’s National Authority and the OPCW from 22 to 26 September 2008 […] in Paris. During his visit to Paris the Director-General also held discussions with high-level officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defence, who assured him of France’s continued strong support for the CWC and the work of the OPCW.” (OPCW News; 29Sep08)
http://www.opcw.org/
Toxic chemicals missing from hospital lab [Vancouver]
“Substance can cause burns, blindness and death but only small amount gone. A box of toxic chemicals that can cause burns, blindness or even death has mysteriously disappeared from […] Royal Jubilee Hospital. […] the box, containing 21 vials of osmium tetroxide and a bottle of uranyl acetate[…] is clearly labelled and staff are at a loss to explain what has happened to it, although they are hoping that it has been compacted in the garbage. The chemical is like bleach and evaporates when it is exposed to air.” (Vancouver Sun; 28Sep08; Judith Lavoie)
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=454f0717-c1a6-49e1-bbbc-3c8a2540f203
Nuclear security institute in Vienna [Austria] launched with US funding
“An international institute to work on the improvement of global nuclear security practices was launched in Vienna Monday, funded by the Unites States and the Nuclear Threat Initiative organization. The World Institute for Nuclear Security will provide a forum for experts, industry and government officials to discuss standards for protecting nuclear materials from criminals or terrorists. […] Around 200 cases of illicit trafficking of radioactive sources are reported to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) per year, but many more are estimated to go unreported.” (Earth Times; 29Sep08)
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/234623,nuclear-security-institute-in-vienna-launched-with-us-funding.html
My Blackberry as a bomb sniffer?
“The current state of the art, ‘spectroscopic’ detectors, can distinguish between the harmless beta rays given off by the potassium-40 in bananas and the very dangerous gamma rays from uranium and plutonium, which are used to produce nuclear fuel and nuclear weapons. But they're expensive. In the run-up to the Olympics, China bought many detectors, at $27,000 each, from the Beijing firm RAE-KLH Technologies to check people and vehicles entering the Olympic Village, airports and other venues. The detectors, too, are limited because they can work only at choke points, such as entrances to buildings or compounds […] By contrast, to search for dirty-bomb radiation at large calls for cheaper electronics technologies, which are just now starting to become available. […] In June, Splinternet Holdings, a security firm in Norwalk, Conn., began ‘wrapping’ buildings with radiation-detecting cameras that cost less than half as much as the Chinese model. The detectors differentiate between benign and dangerous radiation, a big help for organizations such as hospitals that are trying to prevent the theft of radioactive material.” (Newsweek; 27Sep08; Benjamin Sutherland)
http://www.newsweek.com/id/161056
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.
[Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority] NIAID [National
Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases]
“Emergent BioSolutions, a biopharmaceutical company, has signed a contract with BARDA/NIAID, valued at up to $29.7 million, to fund the further development of AV7909, a next generation anthrax vaccine candidate within the company's portfolio of anthrax countermeasures. The three-year contract provides up to $24.9 million of funding for manufacturing of clinical lots […] and for stability studies to further demonstrate that the vaccine candidate does not need refrigeration during storage, a key requirement of this vaccine development initiative.” (Datamonitor; 29Sep08; Source: COMTEX)
http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/1908457/
Congress to fund UA [University of Arkansas] research [on nano-sensors]
“Congress is expected to approve by the end of the week a spending bill that includes money for research into biological weapons detection systems at the University of Arkansas […] center for nanoscale bio-sensors. According to the university, the money would be for research into creation of small devices that can detect and alert people to biological weapons. […] Arkansas officials said nanoscale bio-sensors would be small enough for soldiers to wear on helmets or sleeves and would alert forces of biological agents in the air.” (YourIndustryNews.com; 29Sep08)
http://www.yourindustrynews.com/news_item.php?newsID=11611
Scientists peer into heart of compound that may detect chemical, biological weapons
“A light-transmitting compound that could one day be used in high-efficiency fiber optics and in sensors to detect biological and chemical weapons at long distance almost went undiscovered by scientists because its structure was too difficult to examine. […]This two-for-one wavelength boost is paired with greater transparency, so the material can actually transmit the whole higher-wavelength beam. This could have eventual real-world applications in identifying biological and chemical weapons at long distances and in optical communications. […] The material, (A)ZrPSe6, where A can be potassium, rubidium or cesium, has a unique and difficult chemical structure that does not crystallize very well. It grows lengthwise, but not in other directions.” (Medical News Today; 29Sep08) http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/123343.php
Two rival biotech companies receive approval to develop anthrax vaccines
“Emergent BioSolutions of Rockville and PharmAthene of Annapolis received separate federal development contracts to develop an improved form of the anthrax vaccine. PharmAthene of Annapolis was awarded with a multi-year contract by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, a part of the National Institutes of Health.” (Eflux Media; 29Sep08; Alice Carver)
http://www.efluxmedia.com/news_Two_Rival_Biotech_Companies_Receive_Approval_to_Develop_Anthrax_Vaccines_25374.html
National Institutes of Health gives Dynavax a $17M contract
“Berkeley’s Dynavax Technologies Corp. will develop immune system triggers useful for vaccines under a $17 million contract from the National Institutes of Health. The award comes through the NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, and is enough money to pay all the costs of Dynavax’s work on this program. This research will be useful for anthrax vaccines and also for protection against other diseases.” (East Bay Business Times; 29Sep08)
http://eastbay.bizjournals.com/eastbay/stories/2008/09/29/daily9.html?t=printable
[Indian National Security Advisor] Narayanan learns American way of tackling terrorism
“[…] National Security Advisor MK Narayanan visited the US homeland security department for a firsthand understanding of US security establishment. […] Charles Allen, under secretary in the office of intelligence and analysis, took the NSA and his team through a drill on how America tackles terror. […] The issues that are being addressed […] include regional counter-terrorism efforts, threat assessments in South Asia, Middle East and South East Asia, bioterrorism, anti-terrorism assistance training programme and cooperation in the field of forensic epidemiology.” (The Economic Times; 29Sep08; ET bureau)
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-3537975,prtpage-1.cms
Chemical weapons destruction at Anniston Army Depot [Alabama] at halfway point
“The effort to destroy the chemical weapons stored at the Anniston Army Depot reached the halfway point Saturday. More than 330,900 nerve agent-filled rockets, artillery shells and land mine have been disposed of since the incineration process began in 2003. […] The munitions loaded with nerve agents VX and GB or the blister agent mustard gas have been stored at the installation since 1961.” (Birmingham News; 28Sep08; Thomas Spencer)
http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2008/09/chemical_weapons_destruction_a.html
OPCW [Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons]
Director-General addresses basic course for national authorities in France “The OPCW Director-General, Ambassador Rogelio Pfirter, addressed a basic course for personnel of national authorities involved in implementing the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) that was jointly organised by France’s National Authority and the OPCW from 22 to 26 September 2008 […] in Paris. During his visit to Paris the Director-General also held discussions with high-level officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Defence, who assured him of France’s continued strong support for the CWC and the work of the OPCW.” (OPCW News; 29Sep08)
http://www.opcw.org/
Toxic chemicals missing from hospital lab [Vancouver]
“Substance can cause burns, blindness and death but only small amount gone. A box of toxic chemicals that can cause burns, blindness or even death has mysteriously disappeared from […] Royal Jubilee Hospital. […] the box, containing 21 vials of osmium tetroxide and a bottle of uranyl acetate[…] is clearly labelled and staff are at a loss to explain what has happened to it, although they are hoping that it has been compacted in the garbage. The chemical is like bleach and evaporates when it is exposed to air.” (Vancouver Sun; 28Sep08; Judith Lavoie)
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=454f0717-c1a6-49e1-bbbc-3c8a2540f203
Nuclear security institute in Vienna [Austria] launched with US funding
“An international institute to work on the improvement of global nuclear security practices was launched in Vienna Monday, funded by the Unites States and the Nuclear Threat Initiative organization. The World Institute for Nuclear Security will provide a forum for experts, industry and government officials to discuss standards for protecting nuclear materials from criminals or terrorists. […] Around 200 cases of illicit trafficking of radioactive sources are reported to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) per year, but many more are estimated to go unreported.” (Earth Times; 29Sep08)
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/234623,nuclear-security-institute-in-vienna-launched-with-us-funding.html
My Blackberry as a bomb sniffer?
“The current state of the art, ‘spectroscopic’ detectors, can distinguish between the harmless beta rays given off by the potassium-40 in bananas and the very dangerous gamma rays from uranium and plutonium, which are used to produce nuclear fuel and nuclear weapons. But they're expensive. In the run-up to the Olympics, China bought many detectors, at $27,000 each, from the Beijing firm RAE-KLH Technologies to check people and vehicles entering the Olympic Village, airports and other venues. The detectors, too, are limited because they can work only at choke points, such as entrances to buildings or compounds […] By contrast, to search for dirty-bomb radiation at large calls for cheaper electronics technologies, which are just now starting to become available. […] In June, Splinternet Holdings, a security firm in Norwalk, Conn., began ‘wrapping’ buildings with radiation-detecting cameras that cost less than half as much as the Chinese model. The detectors differentiate between benign and dangerous radiation, a big help for organizations such as hospitals that are trying to prevent the theft of radioactive material.” (Newsweek; 27Sep08; Benjamin Sutherland)
http://www.newsweek.com/id/161056
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.
Monday, August 18, 2008
CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News- August 18, 2008
F.B.I. will present scientific evidence in anthrax case to counter doubts
“Growing doubts from scientists about the strength of the government’s case against the late Bruce E. Ivins, the military researcher named as the anthrax killer, are forcing the Justice Department to begin disclosing more fully the scientific evidence it used to implicate him. […] ‘That is going to be critically important, because right now there is really no data to make a scientific judgment one way or the other,’ Brad Smith, a molecular biologist at the Center for Biosecurity at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. ‘The information that has been put out, there is really very little scientific information in there.’ F.B.I officials say they are confident that their scientific evidence against Dr. Ivins, who killed himself last month as the Justice Department was preparing an indictment against him, will withstand scrutiny, and they plan to present their findings for review by leading scientists. But the scrutiny may only raise fresh questions.” (New York Times; 15Aug08; Eric Lichtblau & David Johnston)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/16/washington/16anthrax.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
U.S. Sen. Grassley: More than $4.1 Million to Iowa from Health and Human Services
“Senator Chuck Grassley today announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has awarded the Iowa Department of Public Health a $4,113,883 grant through the Hospital Preparedness Program. […] The Iowa Department of Public Health must use the funds to help pay for the following capabilities: an interoperable communication system, bed tracking system, emergency system for the advance registration of volunteer health professionals, fatality management plans and hospital evacuation plans. The funds may be optionally used to pay for the following capabilities: alternate care sites, mobile medical assets, pharmaceutical caches, personal protective equipment and decontamination. The funds must incorporate the National Incident Management System, education and preparedness training and exercises, evaluations and corrective actions into the development and maintenance of all capabilities.” (Iowa Politics; 15Aug08)
http://www.iowapolitics.com/index.iml?Article=133694
Labs that perform bioterrorism research proliferating
“There are 326 laboratories authorized by the CDC to work with biological agents, an increase from 194 in 2003. Another 73 are authorized by the USDA.. […] The criteria include that the individual have no convictions of a crime punishable by imprisonment exceeding one year, not be a fugitive from Justice or an illegal alien, and that the individual not have been dishonorably discharged from the Army. […] Of the 399 institutions registered to work with biological agents, 234 are working with anthrax, the records show. Many of them are working with, or at least storing, the ‘Ames strain,’ which was used in the anthrax mailings. Martin Hugh-Jones, a professor at Louisiana State University, said obtaining permission to work with that strain has become almost like a status symbol for labs. LSU was one of 16 laboratories identified by the FBI as working with the Ames strain of anthrax before the letters were mailed.” (Courant; 16Aug08; Dave Altimari)
http://www.courant.com/news/nationworld/nation/hc-labsecurity0816.artaug16,0,1589319.story
Rensselaer researcher wins AIChE Young Investigator Award
“Ravi S. Kane, professor of chemical and biological engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, has won the 2008 Young Investigator Award from the American Institute of Chemical Engineers’ Nanoscale Science and Engineering Forum. […] In a recent publication in Nature Nanotechnology, Kane’s team demonstrated for the first time that upon exposure to invisible and near-infrared light, carbon nanotubes mediate the selective deactivation of attached proteins. Kane’s group used this phenomenon to design nanotube-peptide conjugates that selectively destroy anthrax toxin from a mixture of proteins. The group also used these findings to develop and create transparent ‘self-cleaning’ nanotube coatings.” (Rensselaer; 18Aug08)
http://news.rpi.edu/update.do
Nanocoating preventing corrosion and reducing ice formation on aircrafts
“The development of a transparent coating that causes water to bead up into drops and roll or bounce off a surface will help protect and sustain Air Force systems by preventing corrosion and reducing ice formation on optical elements and aircraft. […] Their recent work has opened the door to new applications that exploit the way the coated surface interacts with liquid droplets. When water droplets roll along the coated surface, they pick up debris as they go. Doctor Brinker explained that this property might make the collection, concentration and identification of aerosol borne particles like anthrax possible.” (Nanotechnology; 17Aug08)
http://www.azonano.com/news.asp?newsID=7185
Siting a national biolab [Plum Island, Mississippi]
“The lab, called the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility, would eventually replace a 24-acre research complex on Plum Island, just off the northeastern tip of Long Island in the Sound. Although a spokeswoman for homeland security has said that an expansion and upgrade of the facility at Plum Island is still on the table, that proposal is costly and apparently not ranked highly among the agency's preferred plans. Overruling their own advisers, homeland security officials selected Flora, Miss. That site was ranked 14th out of 17 locations around the country on grounds that it was too remote from existing biodefense programs and researchers with expertise in contagious diseases.” (Courant; 18Aug08)
http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/editorials/hc-biolab.artaug18,0,7612906.story
Reliable biosafety essential to prevent bioterrorism: Ambassador Masood Khan
“A reliable biosafety and biosecurity regime is essential to prevent and counter bioterrorism and biological warfare, Ambassador Masood Khan said. Speaking at the 2008 meeting of experts of Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) […] While emphasising the importance of a code of conduct for an oversight of the scientific research, he said that it was not possible to have one universal code of conduct. He suggested that each state party needed to intensify its efforts to involve life scientists, policy makers and relevant international organizations to develop flexible but effective codes of conduct containing elements of ethics, education and training programmes [sic].” (Associated Press of Pakistan; 18Aug08)
http://www.app.com.pk/en_/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=49257&Itemid=2
Firms in defence export breaches
“Australian companies have repeatedly breached export control regulations designed to prevent sensitive defence technology falling into the hands of North Korea, Iran, China and Russia. Previously undisclosed information issued by the Minister for Defence, Joel Fitzgibbon, reveals that in the past three years there have been 41 known breaches of Australia's defence export regulations. […] Mr Fitzgibbon did not reveal the names of the
firms involved or the specific equipment or materials involved in each case. But he did confirm the rules were broken in relation to both military equipment and so-called ''dual use'' technology that has both civilian and military applications. The breaches involved military equipment, chemicals, telecommunications and electronic equipment, information security technology, avionics, material processing technology and other controlled goods. Seventeen breaches involved the export of chemicals which are regulated because they could be used in the manufacture of chemical weapons, explosives or missile propellants.” (The Canberra Times; 16Aug08; Phillip Dorling)
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/firms-in-defence-export-breaches/1246064.aspx
Chemical weapon depots look to weapon-less future [Pine Bluff, Arkansas]
“During the Cold War, the Pine Bluff Arsenal held the secrets of the nation's stockpile chemical and biological weapons against prying Soviet eyes. Now, arsenal commander Col. Bill Barnett worries about disclosing how many gas masks and mortar rounds workers can produce in a day. The fear comes not from the threat of foreign spies, but rather the possibility of being undercut by competing private manufacturers. […] As the arsenal prepares to eliminate its remaining mustard gas, the base about 35 miles southeast of Little Rock finds its mission changing as the United States destroys the weapons it and other eight other arsenal sites once housed. While some only housed the biological and chemical agents, other bases now manufacture weapons or other items needed as the nation fights two other wars abroad. The Pine Bluff Arsenal, conceived a month before the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor, had the task of building grenades and bombs for the growing U.S. military. Over time, the arsenal began manufacturing chemical and biological weapons, storing them in earthen igloos that also housed German rockets studied after World War II.” (Chicago Tribune; 17Aug08; Jon Gambrell)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-ar-chemicalweapons-f,0,5049937.story
Preparing for an urban WMD attack [San Francisco, California]
“The scenario was this: a terrorist with a backpack full of sodium cyanide--a chemical used in gold mining operations that quickly attacks and shuts down the human respiratory system--unleashed it inside 555 California. […] The attack instantly kills a number of people and injures others. Because of the victims, the fire department is the first to arrive
on the scene, and when the firefighter discover what's happened, they isolate the building's lobby and deny entry into the building by anyone else, and then quickly set up a mass decontamination system nearby. And then they call in the specialists. […] the whole point: to bring in the many different types of specialists […] the scenario had more to it: emergency personnel also discover an improvised explosive device inside 555 California, and just when they're dealing with everything going on there, there's also a shooting in another office building nearby. […] the exercise, which cost about a quarter million dollars, was paid for with federal grant money. One of the elements of the scenario was that no one actually knows at first what the terrorist has attacked with. […] Finding out and then disseminating that information is one of the goals of the exercise.” (CNet News; 16Aug08; Daniel Terdiman)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13772_3-10018658-52.html?hhTest=1
Site of former [Fernald Preserve near Cincinnati] Ohio uranium plant turns to nature
“A site once home to a Cold War-era uranium processing plant and the focus of a contentious struggle to clean up toxic waste has re-emerged as a haven for wildlife and a memorial to those who worked to make the area safe. The Fernald Preserve and its visitors center make their public debut Wednesday at the former site of the government facility that processed uranium metal for nuclear weapons from 1952 to 1989. […] The $4.4 billion site cleanup was officially completed in January 2007. The visitor's center and preserve, which cost $7 million, are the first developed under Legacy Management, which is responsible for more than 60 other waste sites around the country […]” (San José Examiner; 16Aug08; Lisa Cornwell, AP)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1540544~Site_of_former_Ohio_uranium_plant_turns_to_nature.html
Terror drill finds culprit with dirty bomb [New York, New York]
“More than 17 boats from a variety of agencies, including the Coast Guard, FDNY and New Jersey State Police, set up a checkpoint underneath the Verrazano Bridge at the mouth of the harbor to scan all incoming vessels. Scores of boats were boarded and searched during the drill, which officials said was the largest counterterrorism exercise in the city's history and allowed the NYPD to test two new $750,000 radiation-tracking boats. The Tracs boats successfully stopped a speedboat named The Last Dollar and found a device that simulated the same radiation as a dirty bomb.” (Daily News; 15Aug08; Jonathan Lemire)
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2008/08/15/2008-08-15_terror_drill_finds_culprit_with_dirty_bo-1.html
Iran Rejects Nuclear, Terrorism Charges Against Banks
“Iran has rejected accusations by France, Britain and the United States that its banks are financing illegal nuclear activities and Terrorism. Iran sent a letter to the United Nations Security Council Friday, calling the allegations baseless. It also accused France, Britain and the U.S. of trying to disrupt the financial affairs of millions of Iranian bank customers. Earlier this month, the three countries warned the Security Council of attempts by Iran to use the country's banks to help expand its nuclear capabilities.” (Voice of America; 16Aug08)
http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-08-16-voa12.cfm
Yorkshire schoolboy locked up on terror charge
“Britain's youngest terrorist - a teenager from Wesat Yorkshire – was behind bars today after a guide to death and explosives was found in the schoolboy's home. Hammaad Munshi, just 16 and taking GCSEs when arrested, was part of a cell of cyber groomers that set out to brainwash the vulnerable to kill ‘non-believers’ […] Two bags of ball-bearings – the shrapnel of choice for suicide bombers - were found in one of his pockets. On his PC were al Qaida propaganda videos and recordings promoting ‘murder and destruction.’ […] Also found were US and Canadian military training manuals, a Terrorist's Handbook, a Mujahideen Explosives Handbook, and a Mujahideen Poisons Handbook containing a recipe for ricin and encouragement for ‘brothers’ to experiment on ‘kuffar’ (non-believers).” (Yorkshire Post; 18Aug08)
http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/Yorkshire-schoolboy-locked-up-on.4401314.jp
Nuke [CBRN] trainer says he taught Uganda only ‘defense’
“More information continues to emerge about Uganda’s chemical and biological weapons operation--the U.K. expert who provided the training to top Ugandans insists in an exclusive interview with The Black Star News that the East Africans were trained only on ‘defensive’ and not ‘offensive’ capabilities. ‘There is a big difference between defense and attack—huge difference,’ says Ian Day, Operations Director at U.K.-based The CBRN Team Ltd (an acronym referring to Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear), who provided the training to the Ugandans. […] There have been widespread speculation that biological agents or toxins have been used to kill prominent Ugandans. Last year, when a top Uganda military official, Brigadier Noble Mayombo, permanent secretary at the Ministry of Defense died suddenly, there was speculation that some type of toxins could have caused his demise.” (Black Star News; 15Aug08; Milton Allimadi)
http://blackstarnews.com/?c=122&a=4768
Police personnel to study Terrorism, conflict resolution
“With an aim to prepare them for upcoming challenges, Police personnel will now be given formal training in subjects like Terrorism, biological warfare, forensic science and conflict resolution at the first National Police University to be established here. […] The courses to be offered by the university would include subjects like Terrorism, organised crime, cyber crime, VIP security, forensic science, biological warfare, criminal psychology, human rights, public relation, communal tension, conflict resolution, peace and harmony and man management, he said.” (Zee News; 17Aug08)
http://www.zeenews.com/articles.asp?aid=462631&sid=NAT
The war on terror is shrinking
“As science races to confront Terrorism with new technology, researchers are unveiling a new generation of devices featuring ever-more sophisticated sensors to quickly detect explosives, radiation, chemicals and biological agents. Most share the promise of doing more with far less bulk, suggesting a future in which radiation from a dirty bomb is detected by a commuter’s iPhone, a laptop warns of explosives more than a football field’s length away, a hand-held unit spots airborne anthrax spores within seconds and a device no bigger than a matchbox sniffs out a tiny release of hazardous chemicals. […] The method […] has its origins in […] how certain frequencies of light can produce sound waves when pulsed onto a surface. Importantly, the version devised by Oak Ridge researchers lets them identify materials out in the open instead of within a pressurized chamber that would have undermined the technique’s usefulness. Essentially, the instrument illuminates a target with pulses of laser light. The light reflected off the target’s surface generates a signature sound when it becomes a vibration through an interaction with a tiny quartz crystal tuning fork.” (MSNBC; 18Aug08; Bryn Nelson)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26044715/
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.
Saturday, July 26, 2008
CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News- July 25, 2008
Food industry bitten by its lobbying success
“The industry pressured the Bush administration years ago to limit the paperwork companies would have to keep to help U.S. health investigators quickly trace produce that sickens consumers, according to interviews and government reports reviewed by The Associated Press. The White House also killed a plan to require the industry to maintain electronic tracking records that could be reviewed easily during a crisis to search for an outbreak's source. Companies complained the proposals were too burdensome and costly, and warned they could disrupt the availability of consumers' favorite foods. The apparent but unintended consequences of the lobbying success: a paper record-keeping system that has slowed investigators, with estimated business losses of $250 million.” (Google News; 25July08; Associated Press, Larry Margasak) http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iVHt-zqI9SBYX7gUbzPTug-Ns3ewD924VCTG0
'It could save a lot of lives': 200 'victims' participate in bioterrorism drill [Lake County, IL]
“Lake County [Illinois] has just been infested with an anthrax outbreak. First responders, emergency crews and health officials are waiting to distribute medicines to thousands of infected residents before it is too late. That was the scenario the Lake County Health Department and emergency agencies were faced with Thursday during a bioterrorism drill at St. Peter's United Church of Christ in Lake Zurich.” (Lake CountyNews-Sun; 25July08; Kendrick Marshall) http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/newssun/news/1074115,5_1_WA25_HAZARDDRIL_S1.article
Hospitals put to the test during natural disaster drill [Fayetteville, AR]
“Employees at nine hospitals in Northwest Arkansas tested their responses to a large-scale natural disaster in a drill on Wednesday. Organized by Northwest Regional Hospital Bioterrorism Preparedness Committee, the exercise presented difficulties that would result from four or five tornados hitting the area. The committee is part of a statewide effort coordinated by the Arkansas Department of Health and Human Services and the Arkansas Hospital Association[.] The scenarios were fed to hospitals in Benton, Boone, Carroll and Washington counties from inside the Washington County Emergency Operations Center in Fayetteville.” (NWA News; 24July08; Adam Wallworth) http://www.nwanews.com/adg/News/232184/
One Very Scary Jalapeño [Editorial]
“Federal health officials have finally found a jalapeño tainted with the rare form of salmonella that has poisoned more than 1,200 people in this country since April. The contaminated pepper was grown in Mexico and repacked by a small Texas distributor. The company has pulled its supplies from the marketplace, and the Food and Drug Administration is advising people to eat only jalapeños and serranos that have been safely cooked. This does not mean it’s over. Finding one bad pepper cannot close the lid on the largest outbreak of food-borne illness in America in a decade.”
(New York Times; 24July08)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/24/opinion/24thu3.html
Newport [Indiana] Chemical Depot nearly finished in VX disposal
“During the cold war this rural corner of west central Indiana produced thousands of tons of the toxic nerve agent VX for the government. Since 2005 the same area has been dismantling the VX due to an international treaty. […] ‘We have destroyed over 98 percent so we are down to our last approximately two percent,’ Brubaker said. In the next couple of weeks that, two percent of VX will be neutralized and on it's way out of this area.” (WTHITV; 23July08)
http://www.wthitv.com/Global/story.asp?S=8724538&nav=menu593_2
DNC [Democratic National Convention] security info released
“Contrary to rumors, there will be no weapons that shoot slime, nor will there be ‘pain ray’ guns that immobilize targets at this year’s Democratic National Convention, according to a security budget proposal released by the city of Denver yesterday. The city agreed to release some general DNC security information in return for the American civil Liberties Union (ACLU) postponing its lawsuit against them until after the DNC, said Mark Silverstein, legal director for ACLU’s Colorado chapter. […] Although the city did comply with some of ACLU’s requests, it did not disclose the total amount spent on electronic restraints or chemical weapons, which the non-profit requested.” (Denver Daily News; 24July08; Gene Davis)
http://www.thedenverdailynews.com/article.php?aID=1311
Sarin leak sealed at Richmond [Kentucky] depot
“Workers at Blue Grass Army Depot have sealed the container that was leaking sarin nerve agent, the Army said Friday. The leak was discovered on July 11 during routine daily monitoring of the storage igloo and is ‘under continuous observation to evaluate the effectiveness of the seals,’ said Richard Sloan, spokesman for Blue Grass Chemical Activity, the chemical weapons operation at the depot.” (Herald-Leader; 25July08; Greg
Kocher)
http://www.kentucky.com/181/story/471237.html
Reprieve’s fight for Binyam Mohamed
“Lawyers acting for Binyam Mohamed, a British resident incarcerated in Guantánamo Bay, have urged the Government to disclose evidence which, they say, would demonstrate he was tortured. […] Mohamed was also accused of plotting to buy uranium in Asia, bring it to the US and build a ‘dirty bomb’ in league with Jose Padilla, a US citizen. Mohammed signed a confession but told his lawyer, Clive Stafford Smith, he had never met Padilla, or anyone in al-Qa’ida.” (The Muslim News; 25July08; Zainab
Hemani)
http://www.muslimnews.co.uk/paper/index.php?article=3632
UAD [United Action for Democracy] Chides FG [Federal Government of Nigeria] Over UK security Deal
“The United Action for Democracy (UAD) has accused the Federal Government of compromising Nigeria's sovereignty and internal security in her bid to overcome the lingering militant crisis in the Niger Delta region of the country. […] They further asserted that the implication of the latest deal was what they called ‘imperialist Britain’, similar to the recent failed attempt by America to position its African Command in Nigeria, and that it further showed the mad obsession of the failing regime to commit untold violence against the people of the Niger Delta, plunder the natural endowments, expose the region to the risk of biological and chemical warfare and diseases, and subject the environment to greater destruction.”
(Leadership Nigeria; 25July08)
http://www.leadershipnigeria.com/product_info.php?products_id=31777&osCsid=e872f086f957a289c000693b776414cb
Mega-truck designed for disasters relegated to mundane police work
“In 2005, Uncle Sam bought El Paso County a quartermillion-dollar armored vehicle designed to handle everything from weapons of mass destruction to natural disasters. Since then, it's been used 52 times for ordinary police work: arresting potentially violent suspects or fugitives, protecting dignitaries, handling civil disturbances and dealing with people barricaded in a home or business with hostages. It cost $246,675, with an additional $17,477 spent on such after-market enhancements as ballistic shields, roof-mounted remote-control spotlights, radiation detection equipment, an explosive gas detection system and an intercom system.” (The Gazette; 23July08; Pam Zubeck) http://www.gazette.com/articles/disasters_38536___article.html/police_designed.html
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.
“The industry pressured the Bush administration years ago to limit the paperwork companies would have to keep to help U.S. health investigators quickly trace produce that sickens consumers, according to interviews and government reports reviewed by The Associated Press. The White House also killed a plan to require the industry to maintain electronic tracking records that could be reviewed easily during a crisis to search for an outbreak's source. Companies complained the proposals were too burdensome and costly, and warned they could disrupt the availability of consumers' favorite foods. The apparent but unintended consequences of the lobbying success: a paper record-keeping system that has slowed investigators, with estimated business losses of $250 million.” (Google News; 25July08; Associated Press, Larry Margasak) http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iVHt-zqI9SBYX7gUbzPTug-Ns3ewD924VCTG0
'It could save a lot of lives': 200 'victims' participate in bioterrorism drill [Lake County, IL]
“Lake County [Illinois] has just been infested with an anthrax outbreak. First responders, emergency crews and health officials are waiting to distribute medicines to thousands of infected residents before it is too late. That was the scenario the Lake County Health Department and emergency agencies were faced with Thursday during a bioterrorism drill at St. Peter's United Church of Christ in Lake Zurich.” (Lake CountyNews-Sun; 25July08; Kendrick Marshall) http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/newssun/news/1074115,5_1_WA25_HAZARDDRIL_S1.article
Hospitals put to the test during natural disaster drill [Fayetteville, AR]
“Employees at nine hospitals in Northwest Arkansas tested their responses to a large-scale natural disaster in a drill on Wednesday. Organized by Northwest Regional Hospital Bioterrorism Preparedness Committee, the exercise presented difficulties that would result from four or five tornados hitting the area. The committee is part of a statewide effort coordinated by the Arkansas Department of Health and Human Services and the Arkansas Hospital Association[.] The scenarios were fed to hospitals in Benton, Boone, Carroll and Washington counties from inside the Washington County Emergency Operations Center in Fayetteville.” (NWA News; 24July08; Adam Wallworth) http://www.nwanews.com/adg/News/232184/
One Very Scary Jalapeño [Editorial]
“Federal health officials have finally found a jalapeño tainted with the rare form of salmonella that has poisoned more than 1,200 people in this country since April. The contaminated pepper was grown in Mexico and repacked by a small Texas distributor. The company has pulled its supplies from the marketplace, and the Food and Drug Administration is advising people to eat only jalapeños and serranos that have been safely cooked. This does not mean it’s over. Finding one bad pepper cannot close the lid on the largest outbreak of food-borne illness in America in a decade.”
(New York Times; 24July08)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/24/opinion/24thu3.html
Newport [Indiana] Chemical Depot nearly finished in VX disposal
“During the cold war this rural corner of west central Indiana produced thousands of tons of the toxic nerve agent VX for the government. Since 2005 the same area has been dismantling the VX due to an international treaty. […] ‘We have destroyed over 98 percent so we are down to our last approximately two percent,’ Brubaker said. In the next couple of weeks that, two percent of VX will be neutralized and on it's way out of this area.” (WTHITV; 23July08)
http://www.wthitv.com/Global/story.asp?S=8724538&nav=menu593_2
DNC [Democratic National Convention] security info released
“Contrary to rumors, there will be no weapons that shoot slime, nor will there be ‘pain ray’ guns that immobilize targets at this year’s Democratic National Convention, according to a security budget proposal released by the city of Denver yesterday. The city agreed to release some general DNC security information in return for the American civil Liberties Union (ACLU) postponing its lawsuit against them until after the DNC, said Mark Silverstein, legal director for ACLU’s Colorado chapter. […] Although the city did comply with some of ACLU’s requests, it did not disclose the total amount spent on electronic restraints or chemical weapons, which the non-profit requested.” (Denver Daily News; 24July08; Gene Davis)
http://www.thedenverdailynews.com/article.php?aID=1311
Sarin leak sealed at Richmond [Kentucky] depot
“Workers at Blue Grass Army Depot have sealed the container that was leaking sarin nerve agent, the Army said Friday. The leak was discovered on July 11 during routine daily monitoring of the storage igloo and is ‘under continuous observation to evaluate the effectiveness of the seals,’ said Richard Sloan, spokesman for Blue Grass Chemical Activity, the chemical weapons operation at the depot.” (Herald-Leader; 25July08; Greg
Kocher)
http://www.kentucky.com/181/story/471237.html
Reprieve’s fight for Binyam Mohamed
“Lawyers acting for Binyam Mohamed, a British resident incarcerated in Guantánamo Bay, have urged the Government to disclose evidence which, they say, would demonstrate he was tortured. […] Mohamed was also accused of plotting to buy uranium in Asia, bring it to the US and build a ‘dirty bomb’ in league with Jose Padilla, a US citizen. Mohammed signed a confession but told his lawyer, Clive Stafford Smith, he had never met Padilla, or anyone in al-Qa’ida.” (The Muslim News; 25July08; Zainab
Hemani)
http://www.muslimnews.co.uk/paper/index.php?article=3632
UAD [United Action for Democracy] Chides FG [Federal Government of Nigeria] Over UK security Deal
“The United Action for Democracy (UAD) has accused the Federal Government of compromising Nigeria's sovereignty and internal security in her bid to overcome the lingering militant crisis in the Niger Delta region of the country. […] They further asserted that the implication of the latest deal was what they called ‘imperialist Britain’, similar to the recent failed attempt by America to position its African Command in Nigeria, and that it further showed the mad obsession of the failing regime to commit untold violence against the people of the Niger Delta, plunder the natural endowments, expose the region to the risk of biological and chemical warfare and diseases, and subject the environment to greater destruction.”
(Leadership Nigeria; 25July08)
http://www.leadershipnigeria.com/product_info.php?products_id=31777&osCsid=e872f086f957a289c000693b776414cb
Mega-truck designed for disasters relegated to mundane police work
“In 2005, Uncle Sam bought El Paso County a quartermillion-dollar armored vehicle designed to handle everything from weapons of mass destruction to natural disasters. Since then, it's been used 52 times for ordinary police work: arresting potentially violent suspects or fugitives, protecting dignitaries, handling civil disturbances and dealing with people barricaded in a home or business with hostages. It cost $246,675, with an additional $17,477 spent on such after-market enhancements as ballistic shields, roof-mounted remote-control spotlights, radiation detection equipment, an explosive gas detection system and an intercom system.” (The Gazette; 23July08; Pam Zubeck) http://www.gazette.com/articles/disasters_38536___article.html/police_designed.html
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.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Face of Defense: Brothers Serve Together in Iraq
By Army Spc. Josh LeCappelain
Special to American Forces Press Service
July 14, 2008 - Deployments usually separate families, but for two brothers from Arkansas, deployment to Iraq actually brought them closer. "We live about six miles apart [in Benton and Bryant, Ark.]," said Army 1st Sgt. Joe Snow, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 39th Brigade Combat Team, first sergeant. "Here, it's about 30 steps."
Snow is on his second deployment with his elder brother, Army Sgt. Maj. Jim Snow, 39th BCT operations sergeant major. The brothers previously deployed to Iraq in April 2004.
The bond between the brothers brought them both back to the Middle East; one was scheduled to return, but the other was not.
"I didn't want him here by himself," 1st Sergeant Snow said. "I didn't join the Army to sit on the sidelines."
"It's like when you're a kid and you're picking teams," Sergeant Major Snow said. "You don't want to be sitting on the sidelines when everyone's playing."
In the chaotic world of a constantly evolving war zone, the Snow brothers see some normalcy in each other.
"It's good to see him; I see home," the sergeant major said, noting that the inverse is true as well. "The pendulum swings both ways. ... If there was an attack, I'd want to know right away that he was OK. I would be worried about him."
The sergeant major echoed his concerns for his younger brother's safety and said he believes the deployments have brought them closer.
"It's easier for me, having him here," he said. "It gives me a source to vent to."
The Snows come from a long family history of military service. Their father spent time in the Navy, and their grandfather served in the Army.
Even with the Snow legacy of service behind them, they both agreed that it was tough on their families to have them both deploy at once.
"Our wives are pretty tight. It has the same effect on them as it does on us; they have someone there for them," said the first sergeant, currently on his fourth deployment.
"Our mom, ... she worries a lot," his brother said. "Dad worries too, he just doesn't tell anyone."
Neither brother ever expected to make a career out of the Army.
"I never expected to last past my initial enlistment," Sergeant Major Snow said. "I started looking for something, for my future."
"He was already in when I enlisted," said the first sergeant, who is seven years younger than his brother. "When I was a kid, I wanted two things: to be in the Army and to be a policeman. So, I enlisted as a military policeman."
As children, the age difference between the brothers kept a distance between them. After 1st Sergeant Snow's time in the active Army was over, he returned home and joined his brother in the National Guard. It was then that the brothers became closer.
"When I came home, that's when it transitioned and became more of a friendship than just a brotherhood," he said. "I was grown up then, not just a kid anymore."
The brothers see each other every day here, if only in passing. Both agreed that their favorite moments in this deployment have been the cookouts they've shared.
"Joe cooks every other week," the elder brother said. "It gives us a chance to throw the radios down and relax."
"It gives us our little 'out of the Army' moments," the first sergeant said.
The Snow brothers have about six months left on this deployment. Neither is sure how much longer they will serve in the National Guard upon their return to the United States.
But regardless of when their service to their country ends, they said, they always will have the satisfaction of knowing that they did it together -- as soldiers, as brothers and as friends.
(Army Spc. Josh LeCappelain serves in the Multinational Division Center Public Affairs Office.)
Special to American Forces Press Service
July 14, 2008 - Deployments usually separate families, but for two brothers from Arkansas, deployment to Iraq actually brought them closer. "We live about six miles apart [in Benton and Bryant, Ark.]," said Army 1st Sgt. Joe Snow, Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 39th Brigade Combat Team, first sergeant. "Here, it's about 30 steps."
Snow is on his second deployment with his elder brother, Army Sgt. Maj. Jim Snow, 39th BCT operations sergeant major. The brothers previously deployed to Iraq in April 2004.
The bond between the brothers brought them both back to the Middle East; one was scheduled to return, but the other was not.
"I didn't want him here by himself," 1st Sergeant Snow said. "I didn't join the Army to sit on the sidelines."
"It's like when you're a kid and you're picking teams," Sergeant Major Snow said. "You don't want to be sitting on the sidelines when everyone's playing."
In the chaotic world of a constantly evolving war zone, the Snow brothers see some normalcy in each other.
"It's good to see him; I see home," the sergeant major said, noting that the inverse is true as well. "The pendulum swings both ways. ... If there was an attack, I'd want to know right away that he was OK. I would be worried about him."
The sergeant major echoed his concerns for his younger brother's safety and said he believes the deployments have brought them closer.
"It's easier for me, having him here," he said. "It gives me a source to vent to."
The Snows come from a long family history of military service. Their father spent time in the Navy, and their grandfather served in the Army.
Even with the Snow legacy of service behind them, they both agreed that it was tough on their families to have them both deploy at once.
"Our wives are pretty tight. It has the same effect on them as it does on us; they have someone there for them," said the first sergeant, currently on his fourth deployment.
"Our mom, ... she worries a lot," his brother said. "Dad worries too, he just doesn't tell anyone."
Neither brother ever expected to make a career out of the Army.
"I never expected to last past my initial enlistment," Sergeant Major Snow said. "I started looking for something, for my future."
"He was already in when I enlisted," said the first sergeant, who is seven years younger than his brother. "When I was a kid, I wanted two things: to be in the Army and to be a policeman. So, I enlisted as a military policeman."
As children, the age difference between the brothers kept a distance between them. After 1st Sergeant Snow's time in the active Army was over, he returned home and joined his brother in the National Guard. It was then that the brothers became closer.
"When I came home, that's when it transitioned and became more of a friendship than just a brotherhood," he said. "I was grown up then, not just a kid anymore."
The brothers see each other every day here, if only in passing. Both agreed that their favorite moments in this deployment have been the cookouts they've shared.
"Joe cooks every other week," the elder brother said. "It gives us a chance to throw the radios down and relax."
"It gives us our little 'out of the Army' moments," the first sergeant said.
The Snow brothers have about six months left on this deployment. Neither is sure how much longer they will serve in the National Guard upon their return to the United States.
But regardless of when their service to their country ends, they said, they always will have the satisfaction of knowing that they did it together -- as soldiers, as brothers and as friends.
(Army Spc. Josh LeCappelain serves in the Multinational Division Center Public Affairs Office.)
Monday, July 07, 2008
CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News- July 7, 2008
Still an anthrax mystery [2001 ‘Amerithrax’ attacks]
“It took the Justice Department six years, endless bad publicity and $4.6 million to concede that it had no case against Steven Hatfill, the most famous ‘person of interest’ in the nation's history. Last week, the former Army germ warfare scientist collected close to $3 million in cash and a $150,000-a-year annuity to settle his lawsuit against the federal government. Mr. Hatfill accused FBI agents and Justice Department officials of violating his privacy and recklessly accusing him of involvement in the spate of anthrax letters that killed five - the first victim in Boca Raton - and sickened at least 17 others just after 9/11.
[…] In her 2003 suit, Ms. [Maureen] Stevens accused the government of lax security in safeguarding anthrax samples at the Fort Detrick Army research facility in Maryland. The theory is that the anthrax came from there. Mr. Hatfill once worked at Fort Detrick.” (Palm Beach Post; 05Jul08) http://www.palmbeachpost.com/opinion/content/opinion/epaper/2008/07/05/a10a_hatfill_edit_0705.html
Germ warfare’ fear over African monkeys taken to Iran
“The revelation will fuel speculation that the monkeys may be used for research involving biological weapons. Primates are typically used by scientists wishing to test both the effectiveness of germ warfare agents and defences against them. […] According to US intelligence, the pharmaceutical industry in Iran has long been used as a cover for developing a germ warfare capability. […] America, Russia, China and Iran are among the countries still using wild monkeys.” (The Sunday Times; 06Jul08; Daniel Foggo) http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/africa/article4276460.ece
What’s going on with Ebola? I thought it was going to kill us all.
“Since 2000, there has been an Ebola outbreak every year. In late 2007, Ebola was diagnosed in nearly 100 people in Uganda, killing 25 percent. Ebola is unlikely to cause an epidemic because it is too effective a killer. For a virus to really be successful, its host has to stay alive long enough to find a new host. […] Eventually, the current human volunteers will need to be tested for immunity. Just as it would be unethical to inject people with a weakened Ebola virus, it would be unthinkable to knowingly give anyone the real virus to see if a vaccine is effective. Instead, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has created an exception known as the animal rule for just this situation. The FDA will approve vaccines for highly virulent agents such as Ebola and anthrax if the same immunity can be shown in two different animal species. And if the current National Institutes of Health trial were successful, it would be the first vaccine to invoke the animal rule for approval.” (Science Line; 07Jul08; Katherine Tweed) http://scienceline.org/2008/07/07/ask-tweed-ebola/
Indonesia seeks to shut [U.S.] Navy lab researching avian flu [in Jakarta]
“Indonesia suspended negotiations with the United States over the fate of Naval Medical Research Unit No. 2 last month after senior politicians said it didn't benefit Indonesia and could be a cover for spying. The U.S. Embassy firmly denied that the facility is used to gather intelligence, and said most of the lab's staff members are Indonesians helping with research carried out in cooperation with local health officials. The biomedical research lab opened in Jakarta in 1970 and is used to study tropical diseases, including malaria, dengue fever and avian flu, according to an embassy fact sheet.” (Los Angeles Times; 05Jul08; Paul Watson)
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-virus5-2008jul05,0,2146766.story
Mimic molecules to protect against~plague
“Now, scientists have discovered a way to protect against death following infection with plague bacteria, by using molecules that can mimic the pathogens. According to research published in the July issue of Microbiology, these molecules make antibiotics more effective and can even be used to protect against other diseases. […] The results of this study suggest that synthetic modified lipid A compounds may provide a new therapeutic tool against plague infection. In a control group that did not receive the treatment, only 23% of mice survived for 3 days. When given the mimic molecules, up to 93% of mice survived for 3 days, 70% for 4 days and 34% recovered completely.” (E! Science News; 04Jul08) http://esciencenews.com/articles/2008/07/04/mimic.molecules.protect.against.plague
US medical intelligence center expanding to track health threats at home, abroad
“A U.S. military intelligence unit that had tracked medical threats to troops worldwide is expanding its mission to include civilians at home. The National Center for Medical Intelligence at Fort Detrick had previously been known as the Armed Forces Medical Intelligence Center and focused on protecting military personnel. The center will now be the ‘premier producer and coordinator of all-source medical intelligence,’ the Defense Intelligence Agency announced. […] A ribbon-cutting ceremony was scheduled Wednesday for the renamed center and the base plans to break ground in December on a 15,000 square-foot addition to the center's headquarters. The center's budget is not being released, but it will have less than 200 employees, DIA spokeswoman Paige Parham said.” (Foster’s Daily Democrat; 07Jul08; AP) http://www.citizen.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080707/GJLIFESTYLES/954526536/-1/CITNEWS
The Last Ghost of War broadcasts today
“The spine-chilling documentary Bong Ma Cuoi Cung Cua Chien Tranh (The Last Ghost of War), about the corrosive effects of Agent Orange (the toxic defoliant used by the Americans during the war in Viet Nam), will be aired for the first time on Vietnamese television today. […] ‘Thirty years after the end of the Viet Nam War there are several million people diagnosed by the Vietnamese [health services] as victims of Agent Orange,’ says the Gardner Documentary Group’s website […] ‘These Vietnamese victims are seeking compensation and justice. The question is: were these dioxin-laden herbicides chemical weapons? And if so, who should be held accountable in the wake of what was allegedly the largest chemical warfare operation in history?’” (Vietnam News; 05Jul08)
http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/showarticle.php?num=01FIL050708
[Pine Bluff, Arkansas] Arsenal May Get More Weapons
“The Pine Bluff Arsenal has been so efficient at eliminating stockpiled chemical weapons that the facility is on a Department of Defense list for consideration to receive chemical weapons from other facilities, Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Ark., told the Pine Bluff Commercial last week. […] The lawmaker emphasized during an interview that the report is classified as ‘tentative.’ […] Congress ordered the military to destroy all chemical weapons by the 2017 deadline imposed in a 1997 treaty banning the weapons. The U.S. has already acknowledged it can't meet a 2012 deadline established by the international Chemical Weapons Convention. Destruction facilities are currently under construction at the Pueblo Chemical Depot in Colorado and Blue Grass Army Depot in Kentucky. Options to accelerate ‘destruction of the remaining chemical weapons stockpile’ include incentives to ensure destruction is completed by 2012 at all Army Chemical Materials Agency sites and transporting portions of the stockpile to operational facilities like Pine Bluff.” (The Morning News; 05Jul08; Larry Fugate)
http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2008/07/05/news/070608pbarsenal.txt
Tainted PCI [Pacific Consultants International] to return ¥300 million
“Scandal-tainted construction consultancy Pacific Consultants International has decided to return about ¥300 million in suspected illegal profits to the government in an apparent bid to avoid being sued for fraud, sources close to the matter said. Prosecutors indicted former PCI President Masayoshi Taga, 62, and three others in June on charges of swindling the Cabinet Office by overcharging the government on a project.
The project was aimed at disposing of chemical weapons abandoned by the former Imperial Japanese Army in China at the end of World War Two.” (The Japan Times; 06Jul08) http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20080706a5.html
US wanted to test lethal gas on [Australian Troops]
“Newly declassified Defence and Prime Minister's office files show the US was strongly pushing then prime minister Harold Holt's government in the 1960s to allow tests of two of the deadliest chemical weapons ever developed -- VX and GB, better known as Sarin nerve gas. It says the top-secret plan involved allowing 200 mainly Australian combat troops to be aerially bombed and sprayed with the chemical weapons.” (Mercury News; 07Jul08; AAP) http://www.news.com.au/mercury/story/0,22884,23980051-921,00.html
Japan, U.S. launch joint cargo screening project against nuclear terrorism
“Japan and the United States announced Thursday that they will introduce a nuclear screening project to detect nuclear and other radioactive materials in cargoes at Yokohama port against nuclear terrorism. […] The Megaports Initiative, which has included 27 countries and regions, is part of U.S. efforts to intensify cargo screening inspections to prevent inflows of nuclear materials at the ports of exporter countries.”
(Mathaba; 04Jul08)
http://mathaba.net/news/?x=597384
Analysis: Will terrorists go nuclear?
“From a financial and cost-effective perspective, biological agents remain most likely the cheapest and, in all probability, the most likely agent of mass destruction to become available to terror groups. […] A nuclear device, on the other hand, would completely devastate the immediate area […] but the damage would be confined to the immediate area of detonation, plus the fallout zone […] But psychologically the image of a nuclear blast carries greater impact.” (United Press International; 07Jul08; Claude Salhani)
http://www.upi.com/Emerging_Threats/2008/07/07/Analysis_Will_terrorists_go_nuclear/UPI-21581215440567/
Accused Vegas poker dealer is just a 'patsy', hitman trial told
“A former Las Vegas poker dealer accused of conspiring with a Clare [county] woman to murder her partner and his two sons is a ‘patsy’ that the prosecution is using to secure the conviction of his co-accused, the Central Criminal Court was told yesterday. […] He said the main evidence that the prosecution had of Mr Eid being involved in a murder plot was the finding of an empty contact lens case in his cell in Limerick Prison that had tested positive for the deadly toxin Ricin. He told the jury that they were not being told that Mr Eid was actually in possession of Ricin powder and had made it in his home in Las Vegas.” (Irish Independent; 05Jul08; Abigail Rieley) http://www.independent.ie/national-news/accused-vegas-poker-dealer-is--just-a-patsy--hitman-trial-told-1428097.html
NYPD [New York Police Department] Unveils Super Anti-Terror Patrol Boats
“Just in time for the Fourth of July, the NYPD is dramatically stepping up its war against seaborne terrorist threats. […] It's called a ‘TRACS’ boat. Because of security purposes, WCBS-TV can't reveal all of the equipment on board, but it has the unique capacity to detect even the most minute traces of radiation to prevent one of the city's top security nightmares – the smuggling of radioactive material that could be used to make a dirty bomb. […] Ultimately the city will have 10 TRACS boats. They were custom made after lengthy consultations between scientists and the NYPD Counter terrorism Unit.” (CBS News; 03Jul08) http://cbs4denver.com/watercooler/tracs.boat.nypd.2.763645.html
Japan, Russia plan treaty on Criminal probes
“The Japanese and Russian governments agreed Saturday to conclude a bilateral treaty on criminal investigation cooperation by the end of this year, according to sources. The agreement was reached for the purpose of smoothly and swiftly conducting probes of criminal cases involving parties in the two countries, the sources said. […] Investigative cooperation with Russia is also expected to be helpful in the field of terrorism. After the sarin nerve gas attacks on the Tokyo subway system in 1995 carried out by the Aum Supreme Truth cult, the Russian government said it might have been possible to prevent the incidents if the Russian and Japanese governments had engaged in closer cooperation on antiterrorism measures. At the time, Aum had a base of activities in Russia. It is said Russian intelligence had obtained information that might have helped the Japanese government prevent the cult's terrorist activities.” (Yomiuri Shimbun; 06Jul08) http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20080706TDY01304.htm
Call for Arthington professor [honoured at Leeds University] to be nominated for Nobel Peace Prize
“Arthington [West Yorkshire, England] professor Alastair Hay spent many years working to bring about an international ban on the use of chemical weapons. […] Shirley Beardsworth is calling for the professor to be nominated for the prize which has been awarded to 95 individuals and 20 organisations since 1901.” (Wharfedale & Airedale Observer; 04Jul08; Annette McIntyre) http://www.wharfedaleobserver.co.uk/news/newsroundup/display.var.2377305.0.call_for_arthington_professor_to_be_nominated_for_nobel_peace_prize.php
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.
“It took the Justice Department six years, endless bad publicity and $4.6 million to concede that it had no case against Steven Hatfill, the most famous ‘person of interest’ in the nation's history. Last week, the former Army germ warfare scientist collected close to $3 million in cash and a $150,000-a-year annuity to settle his lawsuit against the federal government. Mr. Hatfill accused FBI agents and Justice Department officials of violating his privacy and recklessly accusing him of involvement in the spate of anthrax letters that killed five - the first victim in Boca Raton - and sickened at least 17 others just after 9/11.
[…] In her 2003 suit, Ms. [Maureen] Stevens accused the government of lax security in safeguarding anthrax samples at the Fort Detrick Army research facility in Maryland. The theory is that the anthrax came from there. Mr. Hatfill once worked at Fort Detrick.” (Palm Beach Post; 05Jul08) http://www.palmbeachpost.com/opinion/content/opinion/epaper/2008/07/05/a10a_hatfill_edit_0705.html
Germ warfare’ fear over African monkeys taken to Iran
“The revelation will fuel speculation that the monkeys may be used for research involving biological weapons. Primates are typically used by scientists wishing to test both the effectiveness of germ warfare agents and defences against them. […] According to US intelligence, the pharmaceutical industry in Iran has long been used as a cover for developing a germ warfare capability. […] America, Russia, China and Iran are among the countries still using wild monkeys.” (The Sunday Times; 06Jul08; Daniel Foggo) http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/africa/article4276460.ece
What’s going on with Ebola? I thought it was going to kill us all.
“Since 2000, there has been an Ebola outbreak every year. In late 2007, Ebola was diagnosed in nearly 100 people in Uganda, killing 25 percent. Ebola is unlikely to cause an epidemic because it is too effective a killer. For a virus to really be successful, its host has to stay alive long enough to find a new host. […] Eventually, the current human volunteers will need to be tested for immunity. Just as it would be unethical to inject people with a weakened Ebola virus, it would be unthinkable to knowingly give anyone the real virus to see if a vaccine is effective. Instead, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has created an exception known as the animal rule for just this situation. The FDA will approve vaccines for highly virulent agents such as Ebola and anthrax if the same immunity can be shown in two different animal species. And if the current National Institutes of Health trial were successful, it would be the first vaccine to invoke the animal rule for approval.” (Science Line; 07Jul08; Katherine Tweed) http://scienceline.org/2008/07/07/ask-tweed-ebola/
Indonesia seeks to shut [U.S.] Navy lab researching avian flu [in Jakarta]
“Indonesia suspended negotiations with the United States over the fate of Naval Medical Research Unit No. 2 last month after senior politicians said it didn't benefit Indonesia and could be a cover for spying. The U.S. Embassy firmly denied that the facility is used to gather intelligence, and said most of the lab's staff members are Indonesians helping with research carried out in cooperation with local health officials. The biomedical research lab opened in Jakarta in 1970 and is used to study tropical diseases, including malaria, dengue fever and avian flu, according to an embassy fact sheet.” (Los Angeles Times; 05Jul08; Paul Watson)
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-virus5-2008jul05,0,2146766.story
Mimic molecules to protect against~plague
“Now, scientists have discovered a way to protect against death following infection with plague bacteria, by using molecules that can mimic the pathogens. According to research published in the July issue of Microbiology, these molecules make antibiotics more effective and can even be used to protect against other diseases. […] The results of this study suggest that synthetic modified lipid A compounds may provide a new therapeutic tool against plague infection. In a control group that did not receive the treatment, only 23% of mice survived for 3 days. When given the mimic molecules, up to 93% of mice survived for 3 days, 70% for 4 days and 34% recovered completely.” (E! Science News; 04Jul08) http://esciencenews.com/articles/2008/07/04/mimic.molecules.protect.against.plague
US medical intelligence center expanding to track health threats at home, abroad
“A U.S. military intelligence unit that had tracked medical threats to troops worldwide is expanding its mission to include civilians at home. The National Center for Medical Intelligence at Fort Detrick had previously been known as the Armed Forces Medical Intelligence Center and focused on protecting military personnel. The center will now be the ‘premier producer and coordinator of all-source medical intelligence,’ the Defense Intelligence Agency announced. […] A ribbon-cutting ceremony was scheduled Wednesday for the renamed center and the base plans to break ground in December on a 15,000 square-foot addition to the center's headquarters. The center's budget is not being released, but it will have less than 200 employees, DIA spokeswoman Paige Parham said.” (Foster’s Daily Democrat; 07Jul08; AP) http://www.citizen.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080707/GJLIFESTYLES/954526536/-1/CITNEWS
The Last Ghost of War broadcasts today
“The spine-chilling documentary Bong Ma Cuoi Cung Cua Chien Tranh (The Last Ghost of War), about the corrosive effects of Agent Orange (the toxic defoliant used by the Americans during the war in Viet Nam), will be aired for the first time on Vietnamese television today. […] ‘Thirty years after the end of the Viet Nam War there are several million people diagnosed by the Vietnamese [health services] as victims of Agent Orange,’ says the Gardner Documentary Group’s website […] ‘These Vietnamese victims are seeking compensation and justice. The question is: were these dioxin-laden herbicides chemical weapons? And if so, who should be held accountable in the wake of what was allegedly the largest chemical warfare operation in history?’” (Vietnam News; 05Jul08)
http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/showarticle.php?num=01FIL050708
[Pine Bluff, Arkansas] Arsenal May Get More Weapons
“The Pine Bluff Arsenal has been so efficient at eliminating stockpiled chemical weapons that the facility is on a Department of Defense list for consideration to receive chemical weapons from other facilities, Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Ark., told the Pine Bluff Commercial last week. […] The lawmaker emphasized during an interview that the report is classified as ‘tentative.’ […] Congress ordered the military to destroy all chemical weapons by the 2017 deadline imposed in a 1997 treaty banning the weapons. The U.S. has already acknowledged it can't meet a 2012 deadline established by the international Chemical Weapons Convention. Destruction facilities are currently under construction at the Pueblo Chemical Depot in Colorado and Blue Grass Army Depot in Kentucky. Options to accelerate ‘destruction of the remaining chemical weapons stockpile’ include incentives to ensure destruction is completed by 2012 at all Army Chemical Materials Agency sites and transporting portions of the stockpile to operational facilities like Pine Bluff.” (The Morning News; 05Jul08; Larry Fugate)
http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2008/07/05/news/070608pbarsenal.txt
Tainted PCI [Pacific Consultants International] to return ¥300 million
“Scandal-tainted construction consultancy Pacific Consultants International has decided to return about ¥300 million in suspected illegal profits to the government in an apparent bid to avoid being sued for fraud, sources close to the matter said. Prosecutors indicted former PCI President Masayoshi Taga, 62, and three others in June on charges of swindling the Cabinet Office by overcharging the government on a project.
The project was aimed at disposing of chemical weapons abandoned by the former Imperial Japanese Army in China at the end of World War Two.” (The Japan Times; 06Jul08) http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20080706a5.html
US wanted to test lethal gas on [Australian Troops]
“Newly declassified Defence and Prime Minister's office files show the US was strongly pushing then prime minister Harold Holt's government in the 1960s to allow tests of two of the deadliest chemical weapons ever developed -- VX and GB, better known as Sarin nerve gas. It says the top-secret plan involved allowing 200 mainly Australian combat troops to be aerially bombed and sprayed with the chemical weapons.” (Mercury News; 07Jul08; AAP) http://www.news.com.au/mercury/story/0,22884,23980051-921,00.html
Japan, U.S. launch joint cargo screening project against nuclear terrorism
“Japan and the United States announced Thursday that they will introduce a nuclear screening project to detect nuclear and other radioactive materials in cargoes at Yokohama port against nuclear terrorism. […] The Megaports Initiative, which has included 27 countries and regions, is part of U.S. efforts to intensify cargo screening inspections to prevent inflows of nuclear materials at the ports of exporter countries.”
(Mathaba; 04Jul08)
http://mathaba.net/news/?x=597384
Analysis: Will terrorists go nuclear?
“From a financial and cost-effective perspective, biological agents remain most likely the cheapest and, in all probability, the most likely agent of mass destruction to become available to terror groups. […] A nuclear device, on the other hand, would completely devastate the immediate area […] but the damage would be confined to the immediate area of detonation, plus the fallout zone […] But psychologically the image of a nuclear blast carries greater impact.” (United Press International; 07Jul08; Claude Salhani)
http://www.upi.com/Emerging_Threats/2008/07/07/Analysis_Will_terrorists_go_nuclear/UPI-21581215440567/
Accused Vegas poker dealer is just a 'patsy', hitman trial told
“A former Las Vegas poker dealer accused of conspiring with a Clare [county] woman to murder her partner and his two sons is a ‘patsy’ that the prosecution is using to secure the conviction of his co-accused, the Central Criminal Court was told yesterday. […] He said the main evidence that the prosecution had of Mr Eid being involved in a murder plot was the finding of an empty contact lens case in his cell in Limerick Prison that had tested positive for the deadly toxin Ricin. He told the jury that they were not being told that Mr Eid was actually in possession of Ricin powder and had made it in his home in Las Vegas.” (Irish Independent; 05Jul08; Abigail Rieley) http://www.independent.ie/national-news/accused-vegas-poker-dealer-is--just-a-patsy--hitman-trial-told-1428097.html
NYPD [New York Police Department] Unveils Super Anti-Terror Patrol Boats
“Just in time for the Fourth of July, the NYPD is dramatically stepping up its war against seaborne terrorist threats. […] It's called a ‘TRACS’ boat. Because of security purposes, WCBS-TV can't reveal all of the equipment on board, but it has the unique capacity to detect even the most minute traces of radiation to prevent one of the city's top security nightmares – the smuggling of radioactive material that could be used to make a dirty bomb. […] Ultimately the city will have 10 TRACS boats. They were custom made after lengthy consultations between scientists and the NYPD Counter terrorism Unit.” (CBS News; 03Jul08) http://cbs4denver.com/watercooler/tracs.boat.nypd.2.763645.html
Japan, Russia plan treaty on Criminal probes
“The Japanese and Russian governments agreed Saturday to conclude a bilateral treaty on criminal investigation cooperation by the end of this year, according to sources. The agreement was reached for the purpose of smoothly and swiftly conducting probes of criminal cases involving parties in the two countries, the sources said. […] Investigative cooperation with Russia is also expected to be helpful in the field of terrorism. After the sarin nerve gas attacks on the Tokyo subway system in 1995 carried out by the Aum Supreme Truth cult, the Russian government said it might have been possible to prevent the incidents if the Russian and Japanese governments had engaged in closer cooperation on antiterrorism measures. At the time, Aum had a base of activities in Russia. It is said Russian intelligence had obtained information that might have helped the Japanese government prevent the cult's terrorist activities.” (Yomiuri Shimbun; 06Jul08) http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20080706TDY01304.htm
Call for Arthington professor [honoured at Leeds University] to be nominated for Nobel Peace Prize
“Arthington [West Yorkshire, England] professor Alastair Hay spent many years working to bring about an international ban on the use of chemical weapons. […] Shirley Beardsworth is calling for the professor to be nominated for the prize which has been awarded to 95 individuals and 20 organisations since 1901.” (Wharfedale & Airedale Observer; 04Jul08; Annette McIntyre) http://www.wharfedaleobserver.co.uk/news/newsroundup/display.var.2377305.0.call_for_arthington_professor_to_be_nominated_for_nobel_peace_prize.php
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.
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News- May 5, 2008
Panel call for biolab safety study that could delay project
“An elite panel of scientists is urging the federal government to take a deeper look at the safety of a proposed biolab that would study the world's most dangerous germs. The recommendation comes from the National Research Council. If the government takes the advice, the lab's opening would be delayed, though officials were uncertain how long.” (WHDH;03May08)
http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/local/BO77750/
Fungi have a hand in depleted uranium's environmental fate
“Fungi may have an important role to play in the fate of potentially dangerous depleted uranium left in the environment after recent war campaigns, according to a new report in the May 6th issue of Current Biology, a publication of Cell Press. The researchers found evidence that fungi can ‘lock’ depleted uranium into a mineral form that may be less likely to find its way into plants, animals, or the water supply.”
(EurekAlert; 05May08; Cathleen Genova)
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-05/cp-fha042908.php
Fla. court to hear anthrax lawsuit
“The Florida Supreme Court is taking up key issues in a lawsuit over the anthrax death of a photo editor for a supermarket tabloid publisher. Robert Stevens died Oct. 5, 2001 after being exposed to the deadly substance. It was in an envelope mailed to the offices of American Media Inc., which publishes the National Enquirer, Sun and Globe newspapers.” (USA Today; 05May08)
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-05-05-anthrax-lawsuit_N.htm?csp=34
Rockville Biotech Buys Rival's Anthrax Vaccine
“The effort to protect the country from another anthrax attack will take an unexpected turn today when Rockville firm Emergent BioSolutions plans to announce that it has bought for $2 million an anthrax vaccine from a California company that federal health officials dropped in 2006. VaxGen of South San Francisco has struggled to survive since losing its $877.5 million contract for a next-generation anthrax vaccine. Having accumulated a $254 million deficit, VaxGen has struck an unlikely deal with Emergent, its once-bitter competitor still eager to compete for millions of dollars under the Bush administration's $5.6 billion Project BioShield program.” (Washington Post; 05May08; Michael S. Rosenwald) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/04/AR2008050401771.html
Ore. man admits sending fake anthrax to feds
“A Tillamook County man has admitted sending numerous threatening letters containing fake anthrax powder to state and federal government offices over a period of nearly three years, federal court papers released Friday show. The documents say David Albert Groves, 48, of Bay City, admitted sending numerous letters containing a powdery substance as well as threats to government agencies, private businesses and at least one individual. He is charged with mailing threatening communications. U.S. Magistrate Judge John Acosta assigned him a public defender and released him, setting an arraignment May 30.” (The World; 05May08; Joseph B. Frazier) http://www.theworldlink.com/articles/2008/05/05/news/doc481dce29a91a7493148593.tx
Man pleads not guilty to federal charges in Vegas ricin case
“A man authorities suspect was poisoned by ricin found in his motel room pleaded not guilty Friday to possession of a biological toxin and weapons charges. A June 17 trial was scheduled for Roger Bergendorff, who has been in federal custody since his April 16 arrest. The charges carry a possible penalty of 30 years in prison and a $750,000 fine.” (Yahoo News; 02May08; Ken Ritter)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080502/ap_on_re_us/ricin_mystery_2
Robotic bugs set to invade the battlefield
“A swarm of robotic insects is being developed for the military to hunt down enemy fighters in buildings and caves, carry mini bombs and identify chemical, nuclear or biological weapons. They look as though they have crawled from the set of a science fiction film, but the bugs are based on the design and size of real insects, including spiders and dragonflies. They are to be fitted with cameras, as well as sensors to identify different types of weapon, and can be kitted out with a small payload of explosives.” (Telegraph; 04May08; Jasper Copping) http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/frontline/1924773/Robotic-bugs-set-to-invade-the-battlefield.html
Pine Bluff Arsenal [Arkansas] Destroys First VX-Filled Landmine
“The Pine Bluff Arsenal has begun destroying VX nerve-agent landmines as it continues disposing of the post's stockpile of chemical weapons. The arsenal destroyed its first landmine Saturday. The destruction of the landmine is the third of four stages in disposing of the chemical weapons stockpile in accordance with an international treaty. The arsenal began destroying GB nerve-agent filled rockets in March 2005, and when that was completed, it destroyed a stockpile of VX-filled rockets.” (Today’s THV;
05May08)
http://www.todaysthv.com/news/news.aspx?storyid=65135
[Congressman Denny] Rehberg [R-Mont.] presses for aid to veterans
“On Thursday, Congressmen Denny Rehberg (R-Mont.) and Mike Thompson (D-Calif.) introduced legislation to provide health care to veterans involved, without their knowledge, in biological and chemical weapons tests in the 1960s and 70s. According to a press statement by Rehberg’s office, the existence of the tests, known as Project 112, was denied by the Department of Defense despite reports from participating veterans that they were being stricken with unusual diseases. The department now acknowledges that the tests took place, but the Veterans Administration will not provide these veterans with health benefits and compensation for their diseases, Rehberg stated.” (Ravalli Republic; 05May08; Joel Gallob) http://www.ravallirepublic.com/articles/2008/05/02/news/news41.txt
British Government refuses to help 'torture flight' victim
“The Government is refusing to help a man prove he was taken to Morocco aboard a CIA torture flight and brutally interrogated. Britain says it will not help Binyam Mohammed - who is facing trial by US authorities - because it has ‘no obligation under international law’ to provide information that might prevent someone being convicted outside the UK on evidence obtained through torture. […] Mohammed, 29, has been held at Guantanamo Bay since 2004 over an alleged plot to detonate a radioactive 'dirty bomb' in New York.” (Daily Mail; 04May08; David Rose) http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=563858&in_page_id=1766&ito=1490
Lost' NHS [National Health Service] equipment sparks dirty bomb fear
“Nine items that could be used to build a dirty bomb are missing from British hospitals, fuelling fears that Al Qaeda terrorists are trying to steal material to build a radioactive device. The revelation comes as a new US State Department intelligence report highlights fears over terror suspects working in the NHS and reveals Britain has launched an urgent operation to track down all radiological material used in its hospitals.” (Daily Mail; 04May08; Jason Lewis)
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=563849&in_page_id=1766&ito=1490
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.
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