Five Defendants Sentenced to Life in Prison in New Mexico Compound Terrorism Plot

A federal judge in New Mexico handed down life sentences without the possibility of parole to five defendants involved in a kidnapping and terrorism conspiracy. Jany Leveille, Siraj Ibn Wahhaj, Hujrah Wahhaj, Subhanah Wahhaj, and Lucas Morton received severe penalties for their roles in a chilling plot that shocked the nation.

After a three-week trial that concluded on Oct. 17, 2023, a federal jury convicted Siraj Wahhaj and Lucas Morton of conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists, providing material support to terrorists, and conspiracy to murder a U.S. officer or employee. Hujrah Wahhaj, Subhanah Wahhaj, and Lucas Morton were also found guilty of conspiracy to commit kidnapping resulting in death and kidnapping resulting in death. Jany Leveille pleaded guilty to conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists and firearm possession charges on Aug. 8, 2023.

The court records reveal a harrowing tale beginning in December 2017 when the group, led by Leveille, abducted Siraj Wahhaj’s three-year-old son from his mother in Georgia and transported him to a remote property in Amalia, New Mexico. The group's intentions were sinister, planning to exploit the child in a plot to dismantle alleged corrupt institutions such as the FBI, CIA, and U.S. military, and to eliminate those who resisted Leveille's ideology.

Tragically, the child, Abdul Ghani, perished at the compound, but Leveille prophesized his resurrection on multiple occasions, leading the group to intensify their preparations for violent acts against society. However, when the resurrection did not occur, law enforcement intervened, executing warrants on the compound on Aug. 3, 2018. They secured the compound and arrested the suspects without incident. During subsequent searches, Abdul Ghani's remains were discovered in an underground tunnel.

The investigation, led by the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, with support from various law enforcement agencies, uncovered the chilling details of the conspiracy. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kimberly Brawley and Tavo Hall, along with Trial Attorneys Jessica Joyce and George Kraehe, prosecuted the case, underscoring the commitment to counterterrorism efforts and ensuring justice for victims of such heinous crimes.

Houstonian Sentenced to Prison for Supporting Terrorism

Houston, TX - In a recent development, a 23-year-old U.S. citizen from Houston has been sentenced to federal prison for attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani and Assistant Attorney General for National Security Matthew G. Olsen.

Kaan Sercan Damlarkaya was found guilty of attempting to join and support ISIS from August 2017 until his arrest in December 2017. He pleaded guilty on July 8, 2019.

U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen has ordered Damlarkaya to serve 165 months in federal prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release.

According to Hamdani, "Damlarkaya wanted to kill in the name of ISIS. He slept with a machete by his bed, ready to use on law enforcement, provided instructions on how to make a bomb to ISIS supporters, and prepared to travel overseas and become a martyr for our enemies. Today's sentence ensures that Damlarkaya will spend many years away from machetes and explosives, making everyone in the Southern District of Texas a lot safer."

In addition to his desire to join ISIS, Damlarkaya also shared information with ISIS supporters on the use of machetes, homemade construction of automatic weapons, and the manufacturing and usage of explosive materials.

James Smith, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Houston Field Office, stated, "Preventing a terrorist attack remains the FBI's number one priority, but the threat of terrorism has morphed significantly from the sophisticated, externally directed plot to the individual, inspired attack. Fortunately, Damlarkaya was stopped before he was able to carry out his terrorism plan. Our Joint Terrorism Task Force will continue to gather and share information 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year to protect our communities."

Damlarkaya had engaged in numerous online conversations with individuals he believed to be fellow ISIS supporters, expressing his intentions to travel overseas to fight for ISIS in Syria or Afghanistan. He also discussed conducting attacks on non-Muslims in the United States if he failed to join the group overseas.

He provided information on bomb-making techniques, specifically describing the process of making explosives using triacetone triperoxide, while emphasizing the importance of safety precautions. Additionally, Damlarkaya shared instructions on constructing automatic weapons, stating that a $15 machete could serve as an affordable alternative for those who couldn't obtain firearms or explosives.

Upon Damlarkaya's arrest, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at his residence and discovered a machete next to his bed.

Damlarkaya will remain in custody until his transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility, which will be determined in the near future.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Rob Jones leading the prosecution, assisted by DOJ Trial Attorneys Kevin Nunnally and Gregory Gonzalez from the National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section.

Crime Mapping

Editor's Note: The discussion will have application for domestic law enforcement in their counterterrorism role.

On January 28, 2010, Conversations with American Heroes at the Watering Hole will feature a discussion with Michael R. King on Crime Mapping.

Program Date: January 28, 2010
Program Time: 1700 Hours Pacific
Topic: Crime Mapping
Listen Live: www.americanheroesradio.com/crime_mapping.html

About the Guest
Michael R. King is a National Law Enforcement Account Manager for ESRI, the Environmental Systems Research Institute, a worldwide leader of GIS software. He was a Product Planning Manager for Motorola, Inc. from 2004-2006. In 2004, Michael R. King retired from full-time Law Enforcement and has over 28 years of service. He began his law enforcement career in 1979. After 8 years of experience with the Ogden Utah Police Department, Michael R. King became the Chief of Staff for Weber County Attorney, Reed M. Richards. He served in that capacity and as lead investigator for 8 years.

In 1993, Michael R. King became an investigator with the Utah Attorney General’s Office where he investigated sexual offenses, cult activity and white-collar crimes. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant and eventually promoted to Chief of Staff under Attorney General Jan Graham. During this time, King was trained as a criminal profiler through the FBI. He served as the co-chair of the FBI’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Program National Board. Michael R. King has consulted on hundreds of complex criminal cases around the world.

Michael R. King has a Master of Criminal Justice Degree and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice. He is an adjunct faculty member for the school of Criminal Justice at Salt Lake Community College and Weber State University. He is a member of the Harvard Medical School Program in Psychiatry and the Law (2003-present) and is a Visiting Scholar for the School of Nursing at Boston College (2005-present).

Mike has authored, in part or whole, a number of books, including: Analyzing Criminal Behavior; Cold Case Methodology; and, Predators: Who They are and How to Stop Them.

About the Watering Hole
The Watering Hole is Police slang for a location cops go off-duty to blow off steam and talk about work and life. American Heroes Radio brings you to the watering hole, where it is Sometimes funny; sometimes serious; but, always interesting.

About the Host
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years. He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant. He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond E. Foster has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a Criminal Justice Department chair, faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University. He has experience teaching upper division courses in Law Enforcement, public policy, Public Safety Technology and leadership. Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One. He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in Law Enforcement.

Listen, call, join us at the Watering Hole:
Program Contact Information
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA
editor@police-writers.com
909.599.7530

Bombs, Bullets and Fast Talk

On May 1, 2009, Conversations with Heroes at the Watering Hole will feature a discussion Special James Botting, FBI (ret.) the author of Bullets, Bombs, and Fast Talk: Twenty-Five Years of FBI War Stories.

Program Date: May 1, 2009
Program Time: 2100 hours, Pacific
Topic: Bullets, Bombs, and Fast Talk: Twenty-Five Years of FBI War Stories.
Listen Live:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement/2009/05/02/Bombs-Bullets-and-Fast-Talk

About the Guest
Special Agent James Botting (ret.) served in the FBI for twenty-five years, sixteen as a crisis/hostage negotiator. He served as the team leader of the FBI’s Crisis Negotiation Team (CNT) from 1981 to 1995 and a supervisory member of its international Critical Incident Negotiation Team since its inception in 1985 until his retirement. He has personally negotiated numerous hostage/barricade incidents and responded to several high-profile events. He lives in California. James Botting is the author of Bullets, Bombs, and Fast Talk: Twenty-Five Years of FBI War Stories.

According to the book description of Bullets, Bombs, and Fast Talk: Twenty-Five Years of FBI War Stories, “A desperate gunman holds a planeload of innocent passengers hostage. A heavily armed cult leader refuses to leave his compound, threatening mass suicide by a hundred of his brainwashed followers. A neo-Nazi militant in a cabin hideout keeps federal agents at bay with gunfire. A baby disappears; his only trace is an ominous ransom call to his parents. Prisoners riot, threatening the lives of prison officers and hundreds of other inmates. How do you react? What do you do? What do you say? Your words, your actions can save lives--or lose them.”

About the Watering Hole
The Watering Hole is police slang for a location cops go off-duty to blow off steam and talk about work and life. Sometimes funny; sometimes serious; but, always interesting.

About the Host
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years. He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant. He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond E. Foster has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a Criminal Justice Department chair, faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University. He has experience teaching upper division courses in Law Enforcement, public policy, Law Enforcement Technology and leadership. Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One. He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in Law Enforcement.

Listen, call, join us at the Watering Hole:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement/2009/05/02/Bombs-Bullets-and-Fast-Talk

Program Contact Information
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA
editor@police-writers.com
909.599.7530

Bombs, Bullets and Fast Talk

Editor's Note: The Special Agent was on the frontline with domestic terror.

On March 27, 2009, Conversations with Heroes at the Watering Hole will feature a
discussion Special James Botting, FBI (ret.) the author of Bullets, Bombs, and Fast
Talk: Twenty-Five Years of FBI War Stories.

Program Date: March 27, 2009
Program Time: 2100 hours, Pacific
Topic: Bullets, Bombs, and Fast Talk: Twenty-Five Years of FBI War Stories.
Listen Live:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement/2009/03/28/Bombs-Bullets-and-Fast-Talk

About the Guest
Special Agent James Botting (ret.) served in the FBI for twenty-five years, sixteen as a crisis/hostage negotiator. He served as the team leader of the FBI’s Crisis Negotiation Team (CNT) from 1981 to 1995 and a supervisory member of its international Critical Incident Negotiation Team since its inception in 1985 until his retirement. He has personally negotiated numerous hostage/barricade incidents and responded to several high-profile events. He lives in California. James Botting is the author of Bullets, Bombs, and Fast Talk: Twenty-Five Years of FBI War Stories.

According to the book description of Bullets, Bombs, and Fast Talk: Twenty-Five Years of FBI War Stories, “A desperate gunman holds a planeload of innocent passengers hostage. A heavily armed cult leader refuses to leave his compound, threatening mass suicide by a hundred of his brainwashed followers. A neo-Nazi militant in a cabin hideout keeps federal agents at bay with gunfire. A baby disappears; his only trace is an ominous ransom call to his parents. Prisoners riot, threatening the lives of prison officers and hundreds of other inmates. How do you react? What do you do? What do you say? Your words, your actions can save lives--or lose them.”

About the Watering Hole
The Watering Hole is police slang for a location cops go off-duty to blow off steam and talk about work and life. Sometimes funny; sometimes serious; but, always interesting.

About the Host
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years. He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant. He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond E. Foster has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a Criminal Justice Department chair, faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University. He has experience teaching upper division courses in Law Enforcement, public policy, Law Enforcement Technology and leadership. Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One. He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in Law Enforcement.

Listen, call, join us at the Watering Hole:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement/2009/03/28/Bombs-Bullets-and-Fast-Talk

Program Contact Information
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA
editor@police-writers.com
909.599.7530

CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News- June 18, 2008

Universal Detection Technology Invited to Discussions With the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate
“Universal Detection Technology, a developer of early-warning monitoring technologies to protect people from bioterrorism and a provider of counter terrorism training and solutions, announced today that it has been invited for discussions with the Department of Homeland Security's Science and Technology Directorate. The one on one meeting comes following several meetings between UDTT and officials from the DHS at trade shows and conferences.” (CNN Money; 18June08) http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/marketwire/0408079.htm

Art in a Time of Terror: Acclaimed Art Professor Steve Kurtz on How He Became a ‘Bioterrorism’ Suspect After His Wife Died in Her Sleep
“In his first broadcast interview, Steve Kurtz discusses the bizarre case of how he became the focus of an FBI bioterrorism investigation. On May 11, 2004, his wife Hope Kurtz tragically died in her sleep. When he called 911 for help, a nightmare that would last for the next four years began to unfold. The police became suspicious of his art supplies and harmless bacteria cultures that he was using for an antiwar project about the public health impact of germ warfare programs. His home was raided by the FBI, the Joint Terrorism Task Force and Homeland Security. His belongings, his cat, and even his wife’s body were seized.” (Democracy Now; 16June08) http://i3.democracynow.org/2008/6/16/art_in_a_time_of_terror

Effective health messages may yield vaccine compliance among ER workers
“[…] In a new study published this month in Biosecurity and Bioterrorism, researchers from the Center for Preparedness Research and Planning and the Department of Public Health at Temple University found that by addressing ER workers' fears and concerns, they could craft persuasive messages to convince ER workers to get vaccinated. ‘In the wake of 9/11 and the anthrax attacks, the government tried to implement a program to vaccinate 500,000 healthcare workers against the smallpox virus, which theoretically could be used in a bioterror attack,’ said lead researcher Sarah Bass, Ph.D., M.P.H., assistant professor of public health at Temple's College of Health Professions. ‘But it was left to each state to run the program, and each did so differently. As a result, less than 40,000 ER workers nationwide were vaccinated.’” (EurekAlert; 18June08; Renee Cree) http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-06/tu-ehm061108.php

Government-Owned Inventions; Availability for Licensing
“The invention provides for a full-length cloned cDNA copy of the RNA genome of a predominant norovirus strain (Genogroup II.4) designated MD145-12 that was associated with human gastrointestinal illness. The noroviruses, which were formerly known as ‘Norwalk-lik’ viruses are estimated to cause 23 million cases of acute gastroenteritis in the USA each year. The virus has been designated into category B of the CDC biodefense- related priority pathogens because it can be used as an agent of bioterrorism.” (Trading Markets; 18June08) http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/1694572/

Scientific lab keeps us safe [New Mexico]
“Working quietly behind the scenes to keep New Mexicans safe is the New Mexico Department of Health's Scientific Lab in Albuquerque. Dave Mills, director of the Department of Health Scientific Lab, said the work of the scientists in the lab have a positive effect on the lives of every New Mexican. ‘We test the milk and water supply, track food-borne illnesses, test for infectious diseases and help law enforcement by providing breathalyzer trainings,’ Mills said. ‘We are also ready to evaluate any chemical or biological threats in the state.’” (Las Cruces Sun News; 18Jun08; Chris J. Minnick)
http://www.lcsun-news.com/ci_9616169

Test-Vets Deserve Care [Editorial]
“It's bad enough that the Department of Defense and the Veterans Affairs Administration oppose legislation intended to guarantee health care and benefits for veterans exposed to Cold War-era chemical and germ tests. It's insult to injury, however, when Pentagon officials could not be bothered to testify in person to the House Veterans Affairs subcommittee on disability assistance this past week, in order to voice their objections to pending legislation. A written statement from Michael L. Dominguez, a principal deputy undersecretary of defense, said ‘DOD opposes this legislation. The scientific evidence does not support’ it.” (Red Orbit; 16June08; Deseret News) http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1434741/testvets_deserve_care/

VIASPACE Subsidiary Robotic Detection Proposal Competitively Selected by Army
“VIASPACE Inc. subsidiary Ionfinity has been notified that its Phase II proposal entitled ‘Advanced Robotic Detection of Chemical Agents, Toxic Industrial Gases, and IEDs for Force Health Protection’ submitted to the Army Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program, has been competitively selected for negotiation and possible contract award. Phase II STTR projects are for two years and up to $750,000 in funding.
Ionfinity expects to enter into contract negotiations with the Army shortly.’” (Epicos; 17June08; PR Newswire) http://www.epicos.com/epicos/portal/media-type/html/user/anon/page/default.psml/js_panename/News+Information+Article+View;jsessionid=25F7216244940EB18B5D684DC08F1D8F.tomcat1?articleid=106579&showfull=false

Texas man faces life if convicted
“A 38-year-old Texas man has been charged with possessing cyanide and trying to sell it to an FBI informant, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. Jeffrey Don Detrixhe, 38, of Higgins, was indicted Tuesday on two counts of prohibition against chemical weapons and one count of an unlawful user or addict of a controlled substance in possession of firearms.” (Houston Chronicle; 17June08; AP) http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/5842943.html

Gas, gas, quick boys [article on detector development at Massachusetts Institute of Technology]
“Sarin is to be feared because it is invisible, odourless and 500 times more deadly than cyanide. However, other gases (not least cyanide itself) could be used instead. What is needed is a cheap way of detecting such gases and, having raised the alarm, of identifying which gas is involved so that anyone who has succumbed can be treated. And that is what a team of chemical engineers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, led by Michael Strano (pictured on the left), think they have created. Not only can their new sensor tell between chemical agents, it can detect them at previously unattainable concentrations—as low as 25 parts in a trillion.”
(The Economist; 18June08; Donna Coveney)
http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11568534

Are we ready? Simulated chemical attack tests response [Otsego County, Michigan]
“The voice from Otsego County [Michigan] 9-1-1 Central Dispatch came crackling through at 1000 hours with a message over the scanner beginning and ending with ‘THIS IS AN EXERCISE.’ The message, for emergency responders, was all part of a disaster drill informing them of a terrorist incident in which the nerve gas Sarin had been released during preparations for a concert at the Otsego County Fairgrounds.” (Gaylord Herald Times; 18June08; Michael Jones) http://www.gaylordheraldtimes.com/articles/2008/06/18/news/top_stories/doc48590511789aa161728186.txt

Chemical warfare leaving several incapacitated for life
“A chemical warfare is being waged on opposition supports domiciled in the farming areas of Zimbabwe. Zanu PF’s youth militia, aided by war veterans are now resorting to the use of highly toxic herbicides to injuries inflicted on victims. To date, doctors say at least 12 people including a nine year old girl had her buttocks laced with Tactic Cattle Spray a dipping chemical and Paraquat. This is to exacerbate pain as well as increase the chances of fatality. A visit Tuesday to one of the private health care set up by missionary doctors in Harare revealed a grim picture of Robert Mugabe’s desperation to stay in power.” (Afrik.com; 18June08; Bruce Sibanda) http://en.afrik.com/article13874.html

Chemical weapons on Baltic Sea floor won't impact North Stream project
“The chemical weapons used in previous wars, buried on the floor of the Baltic Sea, will not impact the laying of a gas pipeline from Russia to Europe, said Viktor Kholstov, the deputy head of the Russian Federal Industry Agency. […] Environmentalists and politicians in some Baltic countries earlier expressed fears that the project to lay a gas pipeline from Russia to Europe on the floor of the Baltic Sea, North Stream, was not environmentally safe for several reasons, including the stockpiles of ammunition and chemical weapons buried on the floor of the Baltic Sea after World War Two.” (Biznes; 17June08; Interfax-Central Europe) http://biznes.onet.pl/7,1771258,wiadomosci.html

OPCW to prevent chemical weapons from falling to terrorists
“The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) will not cease to exist after the whole reported stock of chemical weapons in the world will have been destroyed by 2012, OPCW Director General Rogelio Pfirter told a press conference at the Itar-Tass headquarters here on Wednesday. According to him, the OPCW will focus on encouraging those 11 countries, which have not joined the Chemical Weapons Convention yet, to join the Convention.” (ITAR-TASS; 18June08) http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=12789086&PageNum=0

Bees 'could track chemical weapons'
“Bees could be used to find chemical weapons - if government funding was increased to stop their decline, Norwich MP Ian Gibson told the Commons yesterday. The Pentagon had been looking for several years at how bees can detect chemicals and this was something that could be replicated in the UK, he added.” (EDP24; 18June08; Chris Fisher)
http://new.edp24.co.uk/content/news/story.aspx?brand=EDPOnline&category=News&tBrand=EDPOnline&tCategory=News&itemid=NOED18%20Jun%202008%2008%3A24%3A57%3A573

Dirty Bomb Disaster Drill Held Across the State [West Virginia]
“Emergency crews across the country started participating in a drill Tuesday morning. The test was to help prepare for possible terrorist attacks on Washington D.C. The massive evacuation would cause an influx of people into the Mountain State [West Virginia].” (CBS 59; 17June08; Jessica Lilly) http://www.cbs59.com/story.cfm?func=viewstory&storyid=40140

[French President Nicholas] Sarkozy Will Deepen NATO Ties, Citing Terror Threat
“France will rejoin NATO's military command and strengthen defense ties with European partners as part of a 15-year plan for the armed forces that identifies terrorism as the biggest threat to national security. The terrorist treat is ‘here, real,’ and terrorists may use chemical, biological or radiation-based weapons in the future, Sarkozy said. The armed forces will get more equipment to protect against these threats, he said.” (Bloomberg; 17June08; Francois de Beaupuy) http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601085&sid=aBu_XNOO0XHA&refer=europe

Preacher Abu Qatada freed from jail
“Qatada, once described as ‘Osama bin Laden's right-hand man in Europe’ left Long Lartin prison in Worcestershire at around 8.20pm on Tuesday. The 47-year-old was released after he won his fight against deportation from Britain. Qatada was driven out of the prison at speed in a silver Peugeot people-carrier. He was hidden from view under a blanket on the back seat. His release follows a court ruling in April banning ministers from extraditing him to Jordan. He has been convicted in his absence in the Middle East of involvement with terror attacks in 1998, and of plotting to plant bombs on the Millennium.” (UK Press; 17June08; The Press Association) http://ukpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5jymcV2z98InM3K0b4HDh4faXrPqw

Government thwarted on terror detentions
“The first arrests were made in December 2001 when 12 men were detained under immigration laws pending deportation to their own countries. Their cases were considered by the Special Immigration Appeal Commission (SIAC) with a Special Advocate appointed to examine evidence from security sources which the detainees themselves were banned from hearing It was accepted that there were no grounds to put them on trial in this country and that they could face torture if they returned to their home country. They were detained indefinitely in Belmarsh prison in South East London.”
(Telegraph; 18June08; Duncan Gardham)
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/lawandorder/2151944/Government-thwarted-on-terror-detentions.html

Terry Waite blasts anti-terror methods
“The way the US and Britain are tackling terrorism is entirely wrong, former Lebanon hostage Terry Waite said in London this week. ‘It is entirely wrong to incarcerate people when they don’t even know what they are imprisoned for,’ he said, in a criticism of the British government’s top secret trials in which neither the accused nor the lawyers are told the exact charges or details of the alleged evidence.” (OneWorld.net; 18June08; Daniel Nelson) http://uk.oneworld.net/article/view/160694/1/

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.

CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News- May 19, 2008

Anthrax scare forces evacuation of FBI building
“About 9:45 a.m., an employee was opening mail in a contained area. […] Inside [one] envelope, the employee noticed a white powder. […] All 120 employees of the FBI plus all the other businesses in the 13-story building at 257 E. 200 South were evacuated. Hazmat crews from the Salt Lake Fire Department collected the powdery substance into a sealed container and took it away for testing. […] The area where the mail was sorted was then sterilized before employees were allowed to return. The FBI was allowed back into the building about 12:35 p.m.” (Deseret News; 17May08)
http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,700226699,00.html

Asleep at the Switch: It's an Emergency. We're Not Prepared.
“Even after Sept. 11, 2001, even after Hurricane Katrina, a Red Cross survey last year found that 93 percent of Americans aren't prepared for a major calamity -- a natural disaster, a pandemic or a terrorist attack. […] Readying the public for the likely emergencies of the 21st century may be one of the most complex social-education challenges the nation has faced. Americans have to prepare for a range of threats, many of which the government can neither describe nor predict.” (Washington Post; 18May08; John D. Solomon) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/16/AR2008051603735.html

County officials and volunteers drill with emergency equipment [Sierra Vista, Arizona]
“About 20 local volunteers learned how to turn 700 pounds of canvas, metal and plastic into an emergency shelter Saturday. […] County workers also practiced using new radio and other communications equipment while volunteers learned how to set up and take down the Base-X tent at the Fry Fire District on Saturday. […] A group of six volunteers, along with two Base-X trainers from Tucson, completed the full tent setup and breakdown in about one and a half hours. With enough practice, a well coordinated group could set it up in about 6 minutes, Myers said.” (The Sierra Vista Herald; 18May08; Laura Ory) http://www.svherald.com/articles/2008/05/18/news/doc482fcaab4a89f827217395.txt

Bioterror in Context
“William R. Clark, professor and chair emeritus of immunology at the University of California, Los Angeles, has been a research scientist for 30 years and has written a string of books for the general public. His latest, Bracing for Armageddon?, published by Oxford University Press in May, examines the science and politics of bioterrorism in the United States. […] His conclusion: We shouldn't be so worried. Although the United States will have spent $50 billion on defense against a bioterrorism attack by the end of 2008, Clark argues that we have much more to fear from natural pandemic outbreaks, such as the viruses causing SARS and H5N1 avian flu.” (Miller-McCune Magazine; 19May08; Matt Palmquist)
http://www.miller-mccune.com/article/355

Agent Orange town in QLD [Innisfail, Queensland]
“The Australian Army tested chemical weapons on a town which now has deaths from cancer 10 times the state average. […] Agent Orange was sprayed extensively in Vietnam to defoliate the jungle and remove cover for North Vietnamese troops. It contains chemicals including the dioxin TCDD, which causes forms of cancer, birth defects and other health problems. Researcher Jean Williams found details of the secret Innisfail tests in the Australian War Memorial archives. […] Val Robertson, 74, said a high number of local people aged in their 40s were dying from cancer, about one a month for the last 12 months.” (Brisbane Times; 18May08; Matthew Benns & Frank Walker)
http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/queensland/agent-orange-town-in-qld/2008/05/18/1211049013324.html?page=3

Australian state government to probe Agent Orange claims [Innisfail, Queensland]
“The government of Australia's Queensland state on Sunday said it will investigate claims that chemical weapons such as Agent Orange were tested there in the 1960s. Reports said that forest near Innisfail, a town on the country's far northeastern coastline, had been a testing ground for the defoliant at the start of the Vietnam War. […] The Sun-Herald reported that Australian defence scientists sprayed the toxic defoliant in rainforest near Innisfail in 1966. Foliage in the area, which is about 100 metres from the town's water supply, has never properly regrown, the paper said.” (Associated Foreign Press; 19May08) http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gStD_z96nL1krIceavbbOB3qkzqQ

Seeing Molecules Change Shape
“A faster, more powerful way to observe molecular shape changes over time has been developed by a team of spectroscopists. The microwave spectroscopy technique, devised by Brooks H. Pate and coworkers at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, and reported in Science (2008, 320, 924), should be applicable to studies of reaction dynamics in ‘radical intermediates, molecular complexes, and conformationally flexible molecules of biological interest,’ the researchers note. Such reactions are currently difficult or impossible to observe experimentally by any other way. […] Pate now hopes to develop CP-FTMW for other applications, such as detecting low-level chemical warfare agents in air. His group is also working on a version of a CP-FTMW instrument ‘that is less expensive, more compact, and doesn't require vacuum pumps,’ he says.” (Chemical & Engineering News; 19May08; Stu Borman) http://pubs.acs.org/cen/news/86/i20/8620notw1.html

South Oldham [Kentucky] Fire Department gets new equipment
“The South Oldham Fire Department has new equipment to help quickly identify chemicals including explosives, narcotics and chemical warfare agents. The department received the handheld instrument as part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Commercial Equipment Direct Assistance Program […].” (Courier Journal; 19May08)
http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080519/ZONE09/80519014

China steps up battle against epidemics in quake zone: official
“The fight against contagious diseases is now a top priority after China's massive earthquake, with the rotting carcasses of millions of dead animals adding to the dangers, officials said Saturday. ‘Combating epidemics is the most urgent and the biggest task facing us right now,’ Wei Chao'an, vice minister of agriculture, told a press conference. […] China's top veterinarian, Li Jingxing […] said contaminated carcasses could trigger the spread of diseases like avian influenza, encephalitis B and rabies, while the earthquake may also heighten the risk of infection of anthrax or tetanus.” (France 24; 17May08; Charles Whelan) http://www.france24.com/en/20080517-china-steps-battle-against-epidemics-quake-zone-official

US unveils deals with Saudi on nuclear power, oil protection
“The White House announced major new co-operation agreements with Saudi Arabia yesterday as US President George W Bush made his second visit to the oil superpower this year. […] The White House said Saudi Arabia had also agreed to two global initiatives, one to combat nuclear terrorism and another to combat the spread of weapons of mass destruction.” (Gulf Times; 17May08)
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=218874&version=1&template_id=37&parent_id=17

New [Congressional] commission to study WMDs announced
“Over the next six months, a congressionally mandated commission will look at the government's myriad WMD programs to counter nuclear, biological and chemical arms capable of killing great numbers of people and make recommendations on how to coordinate them. The commission was created by a 2007 law in response to the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.” (Arizona Daily Star; 17May08; Associated Press)
http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/239447

Navy's Monterey [California] school is lab for terror war
“One of the school's joint projects with Lawrence Livermore lab involves work on establishing a wireless network around San Francisco Bay, enabling Coast Guard boarding teams to transmit sensor data to scientists at the lab who can analyze spectrographs to determine whether ship cargo poses a threat. They are also experimenting with ‘drive-by detection’ methods to determine from a distance whether a vessel is carrying a nuclear device. Similar work is being done to deploy radiation detectors on the U.S.-Mexico border.” (San Francisco Chronicle; 18May08; Jim Doyle) http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/05/18/MN5K10HEKM.DTL

Guard team responds to mock emergency [Midwest City, Oklahoma]
“Men in Level A hazmat suits entered the former Target building on Midwest Boulevard and Reno on Thursday. They were accompanied by a machine courtesy of the Norman bomb squad that took X-rays, specifically to examine a backpack lying in one area of the former department store. But the men, members of a Norman-based Oklahoma National Guard unit, were not wearing the suits for their protection. They were training under the watch of United States Army North employees to prepare for an evaluation in June.” (The Sun, Oklahoma; 17May08; Eric Bradshaw) http://www.mwcsun.com/local/local_story_138230337.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.

National Security Archive Update, May 7, 2008

Archive Featured in Fox News Expose on FBI Files

FBI Official Claims Innocent Mistake in Answering "No Records" on Al Qaeda; But FBI Sent "No Records" Response a Second Time Answering Archive's Appeal

http://www.nsarchive.org

For more information contact:
Meredith Fuchs - 202/994-7000

Washington, D.C., May 7, 2008 - The National Security Archive's Meredith Fuchs was featured May 5 in a Fox-5 News (WTTG) expose about the FBI's mismanaged secrets.

"The Fox News report would make anyone concerned about how well the FBI finds its own information for use in its investigations," commented Meredith Fuchs. "In addition, their failure to protect historically valuable records by transferring them to the National Archives may result in the loss or destruction of documentation that chronicles the Bureau's role investigating crime throughout the latter part of the 20th century."

Part One of the two-part report reveals the FBI's failure to transfer its historically valuable records to the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) despite a consent decree entered by the United States District Court for the District of Columbia over 20 years ago mandating that the FBI transfer its records so that they will be preserved.

Part Two of the report reveals the inadequacies of the FBI's recordkeeping system, which results in 60-70% of Freedom of Information Act requests being denied because the FBI cannot find the requested records. In particular, the National Security Archive provided an example of a request for records on "Al Qaeda" that was denied because the Bureau had "no records." According to the FBI's representative in the Fox News report, that response was a mistake because the FBI staff sent the wrong letter. The Archive's records show, however, that the denial was administratively appealed to the Department of Justice's Office of Information and Privacy, which ordered the FBI to conduct a new search. The second search also was denied because there still were "no records" found on Al Qaeda.

Visit the Web site of the National Security Archive for more information about today's posting.

http://www.nsarchive.org

THE NATIONAL SECURITY ARCHIVE is an independent non-governmental research institute and library located at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. The Archive collects and publishes declassified documents acquired through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). A tax-exempt public charity, the Archive receives no U.S. government funding; its budget is supported by publication royalties and donations from foundations and individuals.

CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News- March 28, 2008

FBI Focusing on 'About Four' Suspects in 2001 Anthrax Attacks
“The FBI has narrowed its focus to ‘about four’ suspects in the 6 1/2-year investigation of the deadly anthrax attacks of 2001, and at least three of those suspects are linked to the Army’s bioweapons research facility at Fort Detrick in Maryland, FOX News has learned. […]in an e-mail obtained by FOX News, scientists at Fort Detrick openly discussed how the anthrax powder they were asked to analyze after the attacks was nearly identical to that made by one of their colleagues.” (Fox News; 28Mar08; Catherine Herridge & Ian McCaleb).
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,342852,00.html

Jewish Students Rally For Jonathan Pollard [Miami Beach, Florida]
“Jonathan Pollard, a Jew, faced a terrible dilemma. As an American civilian working as a naval analyst, he became aware of information that was vital to Israel’s security. The data he uncovered involved chemical and biological warfare and planned terrorism against the Jewish State. Under the ‘1983 Memorandum of Understanding,’ this type of intelligence was to be shared by the two nations. The U.S. government did not keep their part of the bargain. When Pollard tried to go through the protocol of proper channels, he was stonewalled. In desperation, he went directly to the Israeli government with his information. The gas masks and precautions used in the first Gulf War were a direct result of Pollard’s revelations.” (The Jewish Press; 26Mar08).
http://www.jewishpress.com/displaycontent_new.cfm?contentid=30932&contentname=Jewish%20Students%20Rally%20For%20Jonathan%20Pollard&sectionid=17&mode=a&recnum=0

Glenbrook’s [Australia] secret history
“Glenbrook Historical Society president Tim Miers was another primary school student during World War II. He remembers how the Glenbrook townsfolk tacitly agreed to keep the mustard gas stockpile a secret. […]A full history of Australia’s secret chemical warfare history — including details on the Glenbrook tunnel — has just been published.” (Blue Mountains Gazette; 26Mar08).
http://bluemountains.yourguide.com.au/news/local/general/glenbrooks-secret-history/1210199.html

White powder’ scare clears Bayside High [New York]
“Thousands of teens were evacuated from Bayside High School (BHS) shortly after noon on Wednesday, March 26 after a lab technician received a package that contained a suspicious white powder. Shortly after 10 a.m., according to a police source, ‘The package was received and opened by a science department technician who found that it contained a white powder.’ ‘When the technician came into contact with the contents, they reacted to it, complaining of itching,’ […]The entire incident proved to be a false alarm. According to a police source, ‘The package was a proper delivery.
It contained fertilizer which had been ordered by some students for a project.’” (The Queen’s Courier; 26Mar08; VICTOR G. MIMONI).
http://www.queenscourier.com/articles/2008/03/26/news/top_stories/news13.txt

FDA deadlines may compromise drug safety by rushing approval
“Many medications are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on the brink of congressionally mandated deadlines, and those drugs are more likely to face later regulatory intervention than those approved with greater deliberation, researchers at Harvard University have found. Drugs fast-tracked by the FDA are more likely to eventually be withdrawn from global markets for safety reasons […] The timeline was tightened to 10 months as part of the 1997 Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act, a timeline extended by Congress in 2002 as part of bioterrorism legislation and renewed again in 2007.” (Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News; 26Mar08).
http://www.genengnews.com/news/bnitem.aspx?name=32753309

Staged ‘Accident’ Tests Local Responders [Pine Bluff, Arkansas] […] ”
Over the radio, a voice said, ‘This is a test. We have been notified of an incident at the Pine Bluff Arsenal. … a Level 4 incident … involving possible chemical agent.’ The test Wednesday was a large-scale training exercise for several hundred Jefferson County employees and emergency responders, coordinated by the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program. The annual event is meant to prepare the county in the case of a chemical release at the Pine Bluff Arsenal, which is one of seven sites around the country storing stockpiled chemical weapons.” Bank of Star City News; 27Mar08; Amy Jo Brown).
http://www.pbcommercial.com/articles/2008/03/27/news/news1.txt

Researchers of the University of Navarra [Navarra, Spain] have designed a product for the detection and characterization of brucellosis
“Ignacio López-Goñi and David García […] of the University of Navarra […] [have developed] a commercial analysis kit, sold under the brand name ‘Bruce-ladder,’ […] Bruce-ladder permits the identification and differentiation of the microorganism via the amplification of sequences of specific genes using the PCR (polymerase chain reaction) technique […] Brucellosis is an infectious disease which affects both livestock and persons. According to the World Health Organization, brucellosis is part of a group of diseases, which also includes rabies and anthrax, which are considered ‘forgotten’ diseases, and are strongly related to poverty.”
(Innovations Report; 26Mar08; Garazi Andonegi).
http://www.innovations-report.de/html/berichte/medizin_gesundheit/bericht-106128.html

GCC [Gloucester County College, New Jersey] expands food science program to focus on safety
“The nation's food industry has increased its focus on protection of the food supply and prevention of bioterrorism in the last several years, and as part of its new food science program, Gloucester County College is training local food producers to do the same. […] [Dr. Donald W.] Schaffner [a professor at Rutgers] said even mass quantities of commonly used materials could contaminate the food supply and cause widespread illness.” (Bridgeton News; 27Mar08; JESSICA DRISCOLL).
http://www.nj.com/news/bridgeton/local/index.ssf?/base/news-14/1206598213230050.xml&coll=10

PharmAthene lands $5.8M for bio-agent treatment
“Biodefense company PharmAthene of Annapolis has won an additional $5.8 million under its existing Army contract to develop its chemical nerve agent treatment, Protexia. The announcement follows one last week that the company plans to pay up to $40 million for the vaccines unit of Avecia Biologics of the United Kingdom, with a focus on anthrax and plague prevention.” (Gazette.net; 28Mar08; Steve Berberich).
http://www.gazette.net/stories/032808/businew202108_32379.shtml

Hadassah [Israel] donors hear the high-tech talk
“Hadassah International took a challenge that could have put a good number of donors to sleep, or even worse, but the young Israeli entrepreneurs talking high-tech at the forum held at the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE) […]And then came a visit to Hadassah Ein Karem, where head of internal medicine Prof. Yaacov Naparstek described the new tower, with 500 beds and the capacity to deal with bio-chemical warfare. Work is already underway on the two underground floors.” (Globe’s Online; 27Mar08; Brett Kline).
http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/DocView.asp?did=1000327049&fid=1725

Huge anthrax outbreak hits farms [South Africa]
“According to the spokesperson for the Department of Agriculture and Land Reform, Thabo Mothibi, one farmer has lost up to 400 head of game and many other farmers have been affected. […]Experts from the Kruger National Park have been asked to investigate the outbreak. The investigation will determine why such a multi-species outbreak occurred and how to improve the disposal of infected material.” (Independent Online; 27Mar08; Nadine Visagie).
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=14&art_id=vn20080327125150393C450754

FARC [Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia] acquired uranium, says Colombia
“On Wednesday, Colombian military officials said that they recovered 66 pounds of uranium that, they say, was acquired by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Colombian Gen. Freddy Padilla tied the uranium to the seized laptops, saying one of the computer files mentions attempts by the FARC to buy uranium, apparently to resell. Earlier this month, Colombian officials claimed the rebels were seeking uranium to make a ‘dirty bomb.’” (The Christian Science Monitor; 28Mar08; Sibylla Brodzinsky).
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0328/p07s03-woam.html

Panel Wants NRC to Tighten Licensing
“A review panel is urging the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to tighten its licensing procedures for radioactive materials. […]Last year, congressional investigators set up a bogus company and said they were able to obtain enough radioactive material for a small ‘dirty bomb.’ In response, the NRC's Independent External Review Panel is now urging the agency to visit an applicant's facilities before issuing a license and to conduct background checks.” (Forbes; 26Mar08; Associated Press).
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2008/03/26/ap4817091.html

N.C. firefighters to get 'dirty-bomb' training
“Wake County fire and rescue officials will sponsor a dirty-bomb workshop starting today from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Wake County Fire Training Center in New Hill. The two-day course will teach fire and EMS officers how to respond if they are the first to arrive on the scene of a radiological incident.” (The News & Observer; 27Mar08).
http://www.firerescue1.com/news/393134-N-C-firefighters-to-get-dirty-bomb-training/

'Dirty bomb' scenario to test emergency response to a radio-nuclear event [Toronto]
“On Saturday, Mar. 29, a staged exercise will test the ability of hospital staff, emergency workers and college students to deal with a fictional, dirty bomb explosion that could potentially overwhelm hospital resources. […] This simulation is intended to show health care professionals how to manage the patient load resulting from a dirty bomb explosion on Highway 401 that sends auto accident victims to hospital, along with hundreds of others who panic when they hear that a van involved in the crash was carrying a crude bomb that created a radioactive dust plume.” (CNW Group; 28Mar08).
http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/March2008/27/c7414.html

Nuclear terror checks stepped up
“Vehicles passing through major ports and the Channel Tunnel are to be screened for radioactive material in a bid to combat ‘nuclear terrorism.’ The plan was within a Franco-British communiqué after French President Nicolas Sarkozy held talks with Prime Minister Gordon Brown in London.”
(BBC News; 27Mar08).
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7317294.stm

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.

CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News- March 12, 2008

Hawaii Hospitals to Take Part Today in Bioterrorism Drill
“Hospital workers on Hawai`i, Kaua`i, Lana`i, Maui, Moloka`i and O`ahu will participate today in the Department of Health's and Healthcare Association of Hawai`i's statewide emergency preparedness exercise structured around a mock bioterrorism attack. The exercise is designed to test, document and improve the state's ability to distribute medication to hospital workers in the event of an anthrax attack.” (The Honolulu Advertiser; 12Mar08; Advertiser Staff)
http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080312/BREAKING01/80312015/1001/BREAKING01

Land and Sea Tests Verify Effectiveness of Boeing Biological Detection System
“The U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) and Boeing have demonstrated successfully that Scan Eagle unmanned air vehicles modified to look for biological warfare agents can effectively intercept, detect and fly through simulated biological plumes or clouds to collect airborne agents.” (PressMediaWire; 10Mar08) http://pressmediawire.com/article.cfm?articleID=18250

Judge Stays Fines in Reporter’s Case
“A former reporter for USA Today who had been ordered to pay fines starting at midnight Tuesday for refusing to name confidential sources for a story has been granted a stay, a court clerk said. The journalist, Toni Locy, was ordered last week by a federal judge, Reggie B. Walton, to pay a daily fine of $500, rising in steps to $5,000, for refusing to name the sources for an article she wrote about Steven J. Hatfill, a former Army bioweapons scientist named as a ‘person of interest’ in the 2001 anthrax attacks.” (New York Times; 12Mar08; Agence France-Presse) http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/12/us/12reporter.html?_r=1&ref=us&oref=slogin

Anthrax Scare at Citizens Bank Closing Flint [Michigan] headquarters
“The Citizens Republic Bancorp headquarters in downtown Flint is closed because an envelope containing a powdery white substance was found in the bank about 10 a.m. Police and the Genesee County Hazardous Materials team are on the scene now.” (Michigan Live; 12Mar08; Shannon Murphy; The Flint Journal)
http://www.mlive.com/flintjournal/index.ssf/2008/03/anthrax_scare_at_citizens_bank.html

Iraq Says to Sue Halabja Chemical Weapons Suppliers
“Iraq plans to take legal action against the suppliers of chemicals used in a poison gas attack on the town of Halabja in Iraq's Kurdish north, which killed 5,000 people in 1988, the government said on Wednesday.”
(Reuters; 12Mar08)
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSL12870756

1971 Winter Soldier Hearings: Weapons Panel
“Iraq Veterans Against the War is holding a new round of ‘Winter Soldier’ hearings in Washington, DC, March 13-16. Selections from the original hearings, held in Detroit in 1971, are published here for interested readers.” (AlterNet; 12Mar08) http://www.alternet.org/asoldierspeaks/79141/

Cambodia Vigilant for Chemical, Nuclear Weapon Imports
“The Cambodian government has remained committed to preventing any chemical or nuclear weapons smuggled into the country, said English-Khmer language newspaper the Mekong Times on Wednesday. ‘The government still continues to prevent the import of chemical and nuclear weapons to keep peace and stability, while countries around the world are facing threats of terrorism,’ said Em Sam An, secretary of state at the Interior Ministry while addressing a National Awareness Workshop of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) here on Tuesday.” (China View; 12Mar08; Mekong Times) http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-03/12/content_7771177.htm

Toxic Chemicals Training Course Held in The Republic of Serbia
“The Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Serbia, in cooperation with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), conducted a training course on how to conduct toxic entries from 3 to 23 February 2008 at the Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Defence Training Centre (NBCD TC) in Kru_evac. The training course, which constitutes an important part of the training program for new inspectors, was attended by 28 newly recruited OPCW inspectors.” (OPCW; 06Mar08; Press Releases 2008) http://www.opcw.org/pressreleases/2008/PR06_2008.html

Tainted Letter in South Africa Sickens 5
“Five employees of South Africa's top prosecutor, who is pursuing corruption cases against senior government leaders and politicians, became ill after handling a letter sent anonymously to their boss, the office announced Monday. Tlali said that whatever substance was in the letter had yet to be identified by authorities, but that they had ruled out the possibility of ‘chemical warfare agents’ and ‘extremely hazardous substances.’” (Los Angeles Times; 11Mar08; Times Wire Services) http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-poison11mar11,1,3962342.story?track=rss

Inverse False Alarms
“The FBI’s national spokesman was already prepared to dismiss a connection to terrorism the day after ricin was found in a Las Vegas hotel room. Special Agent Richard Kolko told the press on Feb. 29 that the presence of ricin appeared unrelated to terrorism ‘based on the information gathered so far.’ He made this announcement before any details about the incident hit the press--and when they did, it made the announcement seem premature, to say the least.” (Weekly Standard; 12Mar08; Daveed Gartenstein-Ross & Kyle Dabruzzi) http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/014/864qecmw.asp

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.

CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News- March 7, 2008

NIH [National Institutes of Health] forms panel to advise agency on BU [Boston University] biolab
“The National Institutes of Health has created a ‘blue ribbon panel,’ including experts on infectious diseases, public health, biodefense and environmental justice, to advise the agency during ongoing reviews of public safety and environmental issues posed by a Boston University laboratory designed to study the world's deadliest germs. In November, another panel of scientists, the National Research Council, concluded that the NIH had failed to adequately address the potential risks to the South End and Roxbury neighbors of the Biosafety Level-4 lab if germs escaped from the facility on the Boston Medical Center campus. The panel will hold its first public meeting next Thursday, March 13 […].” (Boston Globe, 06Mar08)
http://www.boston.com/news/health/blog/2008/03/nih_forms_panel.html

Weapons Labs Biological Research Raises Concerns
“Two U.S. nuclear weapons labs are opening biological research labs capable of studying more dangerous pathogens, raising concerns about the U.S. ability to meet demands for transparency in line with the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention (BWC). On Jan. 25, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory began operating a new Biosafety Level 3 (BSL-3) research lab. In addition, Los Alamos National Laboratory is scheduled to complete a federally mandated environmental study on a similar lab in August 2008, enabling the lab to begin operations soon thereafter, if the study findings are favorable. […] Each national laboratory currently operates BSL-2 labs, and the new facilities mark the first time either laboratory has conducted or will conduct BSL-3 studies on-site.” (Arms Control today, March 2008, Jeremy Patterson) http://www.armscontrol.org/act/2008_03/WeaponsLabs.asp

Salt Plains still digging for answers
“The big question is: When will the crystal digging area at Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge [in Oklahoma] reopen? The answer is: No one knows. The area has been closed since last April after about 134 vials of blistering solutions used in military chemical warfare training kits were un-earthed about a mile from the public entrance to the crystal digging site. Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge Manager Jon Brock told about 30 people attending a town hall meeting Thursday a search of more than 300 sites identified during a geophysical survey last September will be investigated beginning next week. The search is estimated to take about five weeks.” (Enid News & Eagle, 07Mar08, Cass Rains) http://www.enidnews.com/localnews/local_story_067011139.html

Sea-Dumped Chemical Weapons: An Old Problem Resurfaces
“[…] The issue [of sea-dumped chemical weapons] is global in nature and has the potential to affect many littoral nations. Chemical weapons and other surplus munitions were dumped in many of the world’s large bodies of water, including the Baltic Sea, the North Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, the Indian Ocean, the North Sea, the North and South Pacific Oceans, the Tasman Sea, and the White Sea. The bulk of dumped chemical weapons were deposited in the aftermath of the two World Wars when vast quantities of munitions were seized from defeated enemies or rendered surplus by the end of the conflict. Rather than attempt to maintain huge stockpiles of chemical weapons of uncertain utility for an indefinite period, the decision was made to eliminate the weapons in the most efficient way possible. Although some weapons were eliminated by detonation, open-pit burning, or simple release into the atmosphere, the majority were loaded into ships that were then scuttled or offloaded in designated areas.” (WMD Insights, March 2008, Markus K. Binder) http://wmdinsights.com/I23/I23_G1_Sea-DumpedChemicalWeapons.htm

Looking Back: The Continuing Legacy of Old and Abandoned Chemical Weapons
“Nearly 66 million artillery shells containing chemical weapons were fired during World War I. At least 40 different compounds were weaponized for use on the battlefield. Now, nearly a century later, hundreds of World War I- and World War II-era shells are recovered annually from the European battlefields, mostly in Belgium and France. Nor is the concrete legacy of chemical warfare confined to Europe. Such aged chemical weapons affect countries as far as China. The 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) requires that chemical-weapon possessors meet the treaty’s overall deadline for destruction: April 29, 2012. However, the treaty established particular definitions for such ‘old’ and ‘abandoned’ chemical weapons as well as different destruction and financing requirements. With the treaty’s second review conference scheduled to meet in The Hague in April, states-parties should assess how well the verification of the destruction of such obsolete chemical arms is proceeding.” (Arms Control Today, March 2008, John Hart) http://www.armscontrol.org/act/2008_03/Lookingback.asp

House Bill Important First Step Toward Permanent Chemical Security Regulations
“Today, the House Committee on Homeland Security approved the ‘Chemical Anti-Terrorism Act of 2008.’ ACC [American Chemistry Council] continues to be a strong proponent for federal chemical security regulations and our members have set the standard by voluntarily investing more than $5 billion to enhance security through ACC's Responsible Care Security Code. American Chemistry Council President & CEO Jack N. Gerard issued the following statement: ‘The chemical security bill passed by the House Committee on Homeland Security is an important first step toward establishing a permanent federal regulatory framework for chemical security.’” [Statement continues at the link below.] (PR Newswire, 06Mar08, American Chemistry Council) http://sev.prnewswire.com/chemical/20080306/DC1601706032008-1.html

Fight Over Chemical Ali’s Execution
“The Iraqi government is refusing to execute the Saddam Hussein henchman and cousin known as ‘Chemical Ali’ unless the death sentences of two other Saddam-era officials also are approved. The dispute pits the government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki against the three-member presidential council, which moved last week to block the two other executions in what was seen as a possible attempt to appease minority Sunni Arabs. The standoff underscores the often unclear lines of authority in Iraq and is another blow to Iraq's beleaguered judicial system.” (ABC News; 05Mar08; Sameer N. Yacoub and Anna Johnson, AP)
http://www.abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=4391406

News Analysis: Chemical Weapons Parlay’s Outcome Uncertain
“During April 7-18, representatives of 183 states-parties of the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) will meet in The Hague for the second time to review the operation of the treaty and to find ways to adapt it for the future. Although there is likely to be broad agreement that the treaty has registered significant accomplishments in its first decade in operation, it is not clear if there is sufficient political will to tackle current diplomatic, technological, and economic challenges. Moreover, the meeting could be affected by tensions between developed and developing countries and between the United States and Iran that have hampered other multilateral talks.” (Arms Control Today, March 2008, Oliver Meier) http://www.armscontrol.org/act/2008_03/NewsAnalysis.asp?print

Advances in Science and Technology and the Chemical Weapons Convention
“With the second review conference of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) approaching in April, a raft of studies have appeared making clear that fundamental changes in science and technology are affecting the implementation of the treaty and that it must be adapted to take account of them. The most significant development is the revolution in the life sciences and related technologies, including a growing overlap between chemistry and biology. There is a vastly increased understanding of the functioning of biological systems as a result of the mapping of the human and other genomes as well as of advances in structural biology and the study of proteins (proteomics). Information technology and engineering principles are increasingly integrated into biology. The intersection between chemistry and biology has further expanded thanks in part to the automation of synthesis and screening of chemical compounds enabling laboratories to assess vast numbers of new chemical structures and a much-enhanced understanding of how certain ‘chemicals of biological origin’ act. Technological advances supplement these trends, for example, providing for more efficient means of delivering biologically active chemicals to target populations or targeting organs and receptors within an organism.” (Arms Control Today, March 2008, Ralf Trapp) http://www.armscontrol.org/act/2008_03/Trapp.asp?print

Understanding Ricin
“[…] The Las Vegas incident is the latest in a line of ricin-related episodes stretching back decades. The toxin first made news in 1978, when Bulgarian dissident Georgi Markov died after assassins injected ricin into his leg on a London street. Ricin returned to the front pages in the 1990s, when several militia groups in the United States were found to be plotting to use it as a weapon. Ricin again made news after 9/11, when traces of it were mailed to then-Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist and others in Washington (no one was harmed in those still-unsolved cases) and when former secretary of state Colin Powell claimed in his now infamous speech to the United Nations Security Council in February 2003 that Saddam Hussein was using ricin as one of his weapons of mass destruction. Ricin, which is poisonous if inhaled, injected, or ingested, is in its purest form about 500 times more powerful than cyanide—and about 1,000 times less powerful than botulinum, the most lethal toxin known to man. […] Jonathan Tucker, a senior fellow at the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies, specializes in chemical and biological weapons issues and is an expert on ricin. […] Tucker spoke to Newsweek's Jamie Reno about the latest ricin scare in Las Vegas and shared some background and history of the toxin both in the United States and around the world.” [Interview excerpts follow at the link below.] (Newsweek, 06Mar08, Jamie Reno)
http://www.newsweek.com/id/119641

New Insights Into How Plant Toxin Ricin Kills Cells Could Help Scientists Develop Drugs To Counteract Poisonings
“A powerful plant toxin widely feared for its bioterrorism potential may one day be tamed using findings about how the toxin attacks cells. The findings may also help scientists combat food poisoning episodes such as those recently caused by bacteria-tainted produce and ground meat. Biotechnology researchers at Rutgers University have discovered that ricin, extracted from abundant castor beans, kills cells by a previously unrecognized activity that appears to work in concert with its ability to damage protein synthesis. While those earlier known effects still harm cells, it's the newly discovered and more stealthy activity that the researchers now believe delivers the knockout punch.” (Medical News Today, 07Mar08)
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/99853.php

Origin of ricin [in Las Vegas] still a mystery
“If only Roger Bergendorff could say why vials of deadly ricin, guns and a copy of the The Anarchist Cookbook were found in his Las Vegas motel room. Instead, the struggling graphic artist remained hospitalized Thursday, unconscious and on a ventilator, unable to describe how he and his beloved dog became the focus of a toxic mystery still puzzling investigators. ‘At this stage of the investigation, he could be a perpetrator. He could be a victim. He could be both,’ said FBI agent David Staretz.” (Houston Chronicle; 06Mar08; Ken Ritter, AP) http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/5599953.html

Remarks by Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff at the U.S.
Department of Homeland Security Fifth Year Anniversary
“[…] Before September 11th, we did not scan cargo entering our seaports for radiation and we did not require advance information about every shipment destined for the United States. But today, we scan almost 100 percent of cargo for radiation at our seaports so that we can prevent dangerous weapons from entering the country. We’ve also deployed our Customs and Border Protection officers overseas to work with their foreign counterparts so that we can inspect cargo before it leaves to come to the United States. Before September 11th, we did not have national chemical security standards to protect chemical plants from attacks or to make sure that dangerous chemicals did not fall into the wrong hands. Today, with authority given to us by Congress, we have implemented tough new chemical security standards that will protect chemical facilities as well as chemicals in transit, while ensuring that the products safely reach their intended destinations.” (U.S. Department of Homeland Security Press Release, 06Mar08) http://www.dhs.gov/xnews/speeches/sp_1204896171375.shtm

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.