Editor's Note: Many of the technologies listed in this entry are used by federal, state and local law enforcement in their homeland security and/or counter-terrorism mission.
Phila. Police to Be Permitted Larger Caliber Handguns
Philadelphia Inquirer, (12/06/2008), Andrew Maykuth
Police in Philadelphia will soon have more firepower. In 2009, officers will be allowed to carry .40- and .45-caliber semiautomatic handguns to replace their 9 mm pistols. The police weapons upgrade is seen as a means to provide officers with more tools to subdue criminals, who often carry powerful weapons. Offices will have to pay for the new guns, which cost $500 each. The larger caliber guns fire heavier and slower bullets, which are more likely to stop an adversary. Other Law Enforcement agencies that allow their officers to carry .45-caliber guns include the Los Angeles Police Department and the Pennsylvania State Police.
www.philly.com/inquirer/local/pa/20081206_Phila__police_to_be_permitted_larger-caliber_handguns.html
L.A. Co. Gets Cutting-Edge Lie Detector
KABC-TV Los Angeles, (12/08/2008), Robert Holguin
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department's crime lab is testing lie detector technology that monitors the human voice. Traditional polygraph tests measure stress levels via changes in heart rate and breathing, while layered voice analysis technology measures the frequencies in a person's voice, even those inaudible to the human ear. Developers say the technology's success rate in clinical trials is 95 percent. During interviews, it alerts Law Enforcement investigators to a possible lie via computer messages such as "false statement" and "S.O.S."
abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/bizarre&id=6554064
Group Wants Obama to Name Officer to Fight Online Dangers
Washington Post, (12/11/2008), Kim Hart
The Family Online Safety Institute is urging President-elect Barak Obama to appoint a national safety officer to strengthen resources to protect children from cyber crime. The individual would serve under a chief technology officer. The institute also wants $100 million a year for education and research, an annual White House summit on safety issues and a national council to coordinate federal, advocacy and industry efforts. Young people are often unaware of the information security risks posed by the mobile devices and Web sites they use. Children are vulnerable to cyber bullying, identify theft, exposure to inappropriate material and abusive messages.
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/10/AR2008121001860.html
Denver Airport Center Adopts National Incident Management System
PRWeb Press Release Newswire, (12/15/2008)
Hotels at Denver Airport Center will soon be using crisis response measures developed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The center will train airport hotel staff on procedures using the National Incident Management System and the Incident Command System. The training is aimed at helping staff deal with a broad range of potential emergencies hotels could face, such as fire, natural disasters, disease outbreaks, hazardous materials incidents, terrorist incidents and criminal acts. Special emphasis will be placed on interoperability with first responders.
www.prweb.com/releases/hotel/safety/prweb1752134.htm
UT Professor Refines Art of Looking Behind Walls
Austin American-Statesman, (12/14/2008), Dan Zehr
A University of Texas engineering professor is researching how to use weather radar technology to see through walls. The research, if successful, could result in technology to help soldiers, police and rescue workers locate people behind walls or inside crumbled buildings. Hao Ling and his research team are working with Doppler radar technology to transform radar waves into understandable images of a human behind a wall, crafting a program that would simulate a variety of wave patterns created by people in motion.
www.statesman.com/business/content/business/stories/technology/12/14/1214innovator.html
KDHE, Local Law Enforcement Partner for New DUI Instruments
WIBW.com, (12/03/2008)
Kansas authorities are using enhanced technology to detect drunk drivers. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment is making 200 of the Intoxilyzer 8000 devices available to Law Enforcement. The department's Breath Alcohol Program is responsible for the certification of agencies, instruments and officers who test drivers suspected of driving under the influence. The program has recertified or newly certified about 4,400 officers. The updated technology is more accurate, easier to use and more mobile, enabling officers to run more impaired driving checks.
www.wibw.com/localnews/headlines/35473849.html
`Hands Free' Cell Phones No Safer
DailyBreeze.com, (12/14/2008), Sue Doyle
Drivers using cell phones, even if hands free, are four times more likely to have an accident, according to a new report. The American Automobile Association's Foundation for Traffic Safety found that dialing and talking on cell phones detracts from drivers' attention to the road and delays drivers' reaction times by 0.23 seconds. California drivers and other jurisdictions around the United States have been banned from using hand-held cell phones behind the wheel, but there are no plans to institute a total driver cell phone ban.
www.dailybreeze.com/ci_11234757
AP IMPACT: More Are Getting Away With Murder
Associated Press, (11/20/2008), Karen Hawkins
A rise in drug- and gang-related killings is making it harder to solve homicides in the United States. According to FBI figures, the homicide clearance rate in the United States was 61 percent in 2007, compared with 91 percent in 1963. The clearance rate is the number of homicides solved in a year, compared with the number of killings that year. In more cases now, the killer and victim do not know each other, and witnesses are often intimated by gangs and frightened to come forward with information. Increased use of DNA technology and other forensic techniques has been helpful in solving cold cases, but technology can't do it all and funding for cold case police units has decreased. Finding witnesses and getting them to talk is still an integral part of investigations.
www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5joS5laq3heWsM_dttDXEsiH4ifoAD94UP1M00
Ripon Police to Hone Skills With Firearm Simulators
Modesto Bee, (12/12/2008), Leslie Albrecht
Police in Ripon, Calif., will be testing three firearms simulators for the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) over the next year. The simulators show a variety of scenarios that may require an officer to fire a weapon, and will allow officers to practice "shoot-or-don't-shoot" situations. Officers who "fire" a weapon will see the path of the bullet on the simulator, testing their skills in unpredictable environments instead of on a firing range. The police department will provide feedback on the simulators to DOJ's Rural Law Enforcement technology Center.
www.modbee.com/local/story/529446.html
Prison Officials Ask for $66 million to Help Stop Cell Phone Smuggling
Austin American-Statesman (12/04/2008), Mike Ward
Texas corrections officials have proposed spending nearly $66 million on high-technology screening equipment to thwart smuggling of contraband into the state's prisons. Under the proposal, screening equipment similar to that used in the nation's airports would be installed in the state's 20 largest maximum security prisons. An extensive surveillance camera network would also be added. The rest of the prison system's 92 facilities would receive walk-through metal detectors and parcel screening devices similar to those used in courthouses.
www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/12/04/1204cellphones.html
Showing posts with label forensic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label forensic. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Friday, October 24, 2008
CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News- October 24, 2008
Homeland Security lab like biodefense battleship
“The Department of Homeland Security's new laboratory building, […] resembles a battleship being readied for war against biological weapons. […] The $143 million National Biodefense and Analysis Countermeasures Center, […] with 50,000 square feet of high-security lab space, is part of a biodefense campus taking shape at Fort Detrick, already home to the military's top germ research facility. […] When it opens next spring, the Homeland Security lab and its 140 scientists and technicians will give the government new tools for predicting biological attacks and identifying perpetrators of ‘bio-crimes.’ It will provide the FBI with a forensic capability it lacked after the 2001 anthrax mailings, which killed five people.” (Hometown Annapolis; 23Oct08) http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2008/10_23-21/REG
Disease notification heads for standardization
“State epidemiologists and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are on their way to creating a national standard list of health conditions that public health authorities should be notified about. The working list has 68 diseases such as typhoid, AIDS, E. coli infection and anthrax. Now the epidemiologists, through their association, the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, and the CDC are working to specify the point at which notification of a disease should occur and what information should be supplied for each disease. For example, reports of animal rabies should include the species of animal. For some other diseases, the patient’s nationality might be valuable information. […] Work is finished for about half the diseases on the list.” (Global Health IT; 23Oct08; Nancy Ferris) http://www.govhealthit.com/online/news/350640-1.html
Minn. [MN] prison hospital receives white powder
“The Minnesota Health Department is testing some suspicious white powder that was sent to a federal prison hospital in Rochester. The Federal Medical Center received an envelope with the powder Thursday morning, prompting a response from the Fire Department's hazardous materials team. The envelope was received in the center's mailroom, and no inmates came in contact with the substance, said prison spokesman Dan Cansino.” (West Central Tribune; 23Oct08; Source: Associated Press)
http://www.wctrib.com/ap/index.cfm?page=view&id=D940EDPO2
Biosafety laboratories: Congress investigates perimeter security
“BSL-4 labs handle the world’s most dangerous agents and diseases. In fact, of the four BSL designations, only BSL-4 labs can work with agents for which no cure or treatment exists. GAO was asked to perform a systematic security assessment of key perimeter security controls at the nation’s five operational BSL-4 labs. […] While three labs [of the five total] had all or nearly all of the key security controls GAO assessed--features such as perimeter barriers, roving armed guard patrols, and magnetometers in use at lab entrances--two labs demonstrated a significant lack of these controls. […] Although the presence of the security controls GAO assessed does not automatically ensure a secure perimeter, having most controls provides increased assurance that a strong perimeter security system is in place and reduces the likelihood of unauthorized intrusion.” (Canada Free Press; 24Oct08; Jim Kouri) http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/5780
Mail warns financial institutions of ‘payback’
“Threatening letters containing a suspicious white powder mailed to three U.S. financial institutions warn ‘it's payback time,’ according to a text released by the FBI on Thursday. More than 50 letters, with identical or similar threatening language, were sent to Chase Bank offices, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the U.S. Office of Thrift Supervision, the FBI said. ‘Steal tens of thousands of people's money and not expect repercussions (sic). It's payback time. What you just breathed in will kill you within 10 days. Thank (redacted) and the FDIC for your demise,’ said the text posted on the FBI Web site. […] All the letters were mailed from the city in the Texas panhandle, the FBI said.” (Reuters; 23Oct08; JoAnne Allen)
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE49N03Q20081024
9/11 commission heads: U.S. 'vulnerable' to terrorist attack
“Today, almost seven years after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the threat of a new, major terrorist attack on the United States is ‘still very real,’ and the country is ‘still dangerously vulnerable,’ according to a new bi-partisan, independent report that will be released on Wednesday. Authored by former members of the federal government's 9/11 Commission and independent experts, the report by the Partnership for a Secure America evaluates progress made by the Bush administration to safeguard the United States against weapons of mass destruction. It gives the administration an overall grade of ‘C’ for its efforts to prevent nuclear Terrorism, chemical Terrorism and biological Terrorism.” (NBC San Diego; 23Oct08) http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/green/9_11_Commission_Heads__U_S___Vulnerable__to_Terrorist_Attack.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 Department of Homeland Security's new laboratory building, […] resembles a battleship being readied for war against biological weapons. […] The $143 million National Biodefense and Analysis Countermeasures Center, […] with 50,000 square feet of high-security lab space, is part of a biodefense campus taking shape at Fort Detrick, already home to the military's top germ research facility. […] When it opens next spring, the Homeland Security lab and its 140 scientists and technicians will give the government new tools for predicting biological attacks and identifying perpetrators of ‘bio-crimes.’ It will provide the FBI with a forensic capability it lacked after the 2001 anthrax mailings, which killed five people.” (Hometown Annapolis; 23Oct08) http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2008/10_23-21/REG
Disease notification heads for standardization
“State epidemiologists and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are on their way to creating a national standard list of health conditions that public health authorities should be notified about. The working list has 68 diseases such as typhoid, AIDS, E. coli infection and anthrax. Now the epidemiologists, through their association, the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, and the CDC are working to specify the point at which notification of a disease should occur and what information should be supplied for each disease. For example, reports of animal rabies should include the species of animal. For some other diseases, the patient’s nationality might be valuable information. […] Work is finished for about half the diseases on the list.” (Global Health IT; 23Oct08; Nancy Ferris) http://www.govhealthit.com/online/news/350640-1.html
Minn. [MN] prison hospital receives white powder
“The Minnesota Health Department is testing some suspicious white powder that was sent to a federal prison hospital in Rochester. The Federal Medical Center received an envelope with the powder Thursday morning, prompting a response from the Fire Department's hazardous materials team. The envelope was received in the center's mailroom, and no inmates came in contact with the substance, said prison spokesman Dan Cansino.” (West Central Tribune; 23Oct08; Source: Associated Press)
http://www.wctrib.com/ap/index.cfm?page=view&id=D940EDPO2
Biosafety laboratories: Congress investigates perimeter security
“BSL-4 labs handle the world’s most dangerous agents and diseases. In fact, of the four BSL designations, only BSL-4 labs can work with agents for which no cure or treatment exists. GAO was asked to perform a systematic security assessment of key perimeter security controls at the nation’s five operational BSL-4 labs. […] While three labs [of the five total] had all or nearly all of the key security controls GAO assessed--features such as perimeter barriers, roving armed guard patrols, and magnetometers in use at lab entrances--two labs demonstrated a significant lack of these controls. […] Although the presence of the security controls GAO assessed does not automatically ensure a secure perimeter, having most controls provides increased assurance that a strong perimeter security system is in place and reduces the likelihood of unauthorized intrusion.” (Canada Free Press; 24Oct08; Jim Kouri) http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/5780
Mail warns financial institutions of ‘payback’
“Threatening letters containing a suspicious white powder mailed to three U.S. financial institutions warn ‘it's payback time,’ according to a text released by the FBI on Thursday. More than 50 letters, with identical or similar threatening language, were sent to Chase Bank offices, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the U.S. Office of Thrift Supervision, the FBI said. ‘Steal tens of thousands of people's money and not expect repercussions (sic). It's payback time. What you just breathed in will kill you within 10 days. Thank (redacted) and the FDIC for your demise,’ said the text posted on the FBI Web site. […] All the letters were mailed from the city in the Texas panhandle, the FBI said.” (Reuters; 23Oct08; JoAnne Allen)
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE49N03Q20081024
9/11 commission heads: U.S. 'vulnerable' to terrorist attack
“Today, almost seven years after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the threat of a new, major terrorist attack on the United States is ‘still very real,’ and the country is ‘still dangerously vulnerable,’ according to a new bi-partisan, independent report that will be released on Wednesday. Authored by former members of the federal government's 9/11 Commission and independent experts, the report by the Partnership for a Secure America evaluates progress made by the Bush administration to safeguard the United States against weapons of mass destruction. It gives the administration an overall grade of ‘C’ for its efforts to prevent nuclear Terrorism, chemical Terrorism and biological Terrorism.” (NBC San Diego; 23Oct08) http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/green/9_11_Commission_Heads__U_S___Vulnerable__to_Terrorist_Attack.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, 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.
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News- August 11, 2008
For anthrax victim, suicide opens questions
“In October 2001, O'Donnell was working at the big distribution center in Hamilton Township when tainted letters, whipping through sorting machines, released anthrax spores. O'Donnell, who had a nick on his neck from shaving, became infected and was quarantined at a Bucks County hospital. Eleven days ago, O'Donnell got a call from an FBI agent, telling him of the suicide of Bruce E. Ivins, a 62-year-old government scientist at Fort Detrick in Frederick, [Maryland]” (Philadelphia Inquirer; 11Aug08; Jennifer Lin) http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/20080811_For_anthrax_victim__suicide_opens_questions.html
Four years after FBI raid, Dr. [Kenneth] Berry moving on with life
“Federal investigators have declared the 2001 anthrax attacks a closed matter, but four years ago this week they swarmed the Southern Tier after a supposed suspect in the case. FBI agents searched Dr. Kenneth Berry’s East Pearl Street home, his former apartment and his parents’ summer home on the New Jersey shore. […] He had been training medical professionals to respond to chemical and biological attacks since 1997. He later developed a system to respond to an anthrax attack after letters laced with the deadly substance were circulated to government officials. […] the FBI never issued any charges. Indeed, the agency never commented on any aspect of the investigation of Dr. Berry.” (Olean Times Herald; 08Aug08; Daniel LeBlanc)
http://www.oleantimesherald.com/articles/2008/08/08/news/doc489c4c14a45da935928140.txt
[Bruce] Ivins remembered for intelligence, compassion
“The Army scientist suspected in the anthrax attacks was remembered for his humor, intelligence and compassion at a memorial service Saturday. Bruce Ivins, 62, died of an apparent suicide late last month after being informed by the FBI that charges likely were being brought against him in connection with the 2001 attacks. Some mourners wept when speakers at the service talked about Ivins' many hobbies, including juggling, target shooting, practical jokes, cartoons and the weather. Colleagues recalled a talented scientist with a probing mind who loved to debate a wide variety of subjects.” (Associated Press; 09Aug08; Brian Witte) http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jLj3VPY35ZCT9svDoUxs92njFYSQD92ES9J00
FBI believes anthrax scientist killed [others] with manipulated spores from Dugway lab
“Utah's Dugway Proving Ground produced one of two strains of anthrax that FBI investigators say was used in the September 2001 poison-letter campaign that killed five and injured 17. The federal investigation once again focuses attention on Utah's chemical and biological testing facility in Tooele County's west desert. […] The Utah anthrax strain, referred to in the documents as ‘Dugway Ames spores Ð 1997’ or ‘RMR Ð1029,’ was one of two that Ivins is said to have used to produce a third strain that he mailed to public officials and media outlets. The FBI documents suggest that Ivins used specialized techniques to cover his tracks once he had obtained the anthrax from Dugway while he worked at Fort Detrick. But there is no evidence in the documents showing anything untoward or illegal took place at the Utah facility.” (The Salt Lake Tribune; 08Aug08; Christopher Smart)
http://www.sltrib.com/ci_10136522
Anthrax case spurred field of germ-gene sleuthing
“The anthrax killer spurred a whole new branch of science that could give the nation a head start in the next emergency - whether it's investigating more bioterrorism or even a food poisoning outbreak. It's called microbial forensic, a way of using a germ's genetics to help exonerate or incriminate much as human DNA can today. Microbes - whether bacteria like salmonella and E. coli, or viruses like HIV - have unique genetic signatures that can allow scientists to tell even the most closely related strains apart. The forensic side comes from adding crime-investigation techniques to this advanced microbiology used by disease detectives. […] If tracing a single vial of germs sounds impressive, consider: Research under way now might one day allow tracing where someone has recently traveled by the DNA of bacteria in the dirt on their shoes.” (Buffalo News; 08Aug08; Lauran Neergaard – AP) http://www.buffalonews.com/260/story/410345.html
When dinner makes you sick [Editorial]
“Growers lost $250 million this spring and summer when an outbreak of salmonella was originally linked to certain tomatoes. […] In 2006, spinach growers said an outbreak of E. coli poisoning cost them $350 million. The losses in such cases would be less if regulators required growers, processors, and retailers to maintain a traceback system with computerized records. […] Food poisoning takes a huge toll in the United States - about 5,000 deaths a year and 76 million illnesses, with 325,000 victims requiring hospitalization.” (The Boston Globe; 10Aug08) http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2008/08/10/when_dinner_makes_you_sick/
Bush pushes $1.2 billion in 2009 budget amendments
“President Bush used the congressional recess to make an unusual request for $1.2 billion in amendments to his 2009 budget proposal, including millions for investments in new technology and controversial cuts to environmental and social programs. The proposal’s biggest change is at the Health and Human Services Department, which would receive an extra $905 million for bioterrorism preparedness. The money would help develop an infrastructure for moving medical supplies and protective gear in the event of a bioterrorist attack or pandemic. Another $35 million in preparedness money would go to the Environmental Protection Agency.”
(Federal Times; 08Aug08; Gregg Carlstrom)
http://federaltimes.com/index.php?S=3666472
[Steven J.] Hatfill cleared of role in anthrax mailings
“Federal prosecutors on Friday officially ‘excluded’ scientist Steven J. Hatfill from involvement in the deadly 2001 anthrax mailings, formally closing the door on a costly episode that sidetracked the FBI's search for nearly five years. U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Taylor sent a letter Friday to a lawyer for Hatfill, a onetime Fort Detrick, Md., bioweapons researcher, that essentially cleared Hatfill of a crime in which he was declared ‘a person of interest’ six years ago.” (The Washington Post; 09Aug08) http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/aug/09/na-hatfill-cleared-of-role-in-anthrax-mailings/
'Sovereignty' that risks global health
“Here's a concept you've probably never heard of: ‘viral sovereignty.’ This extremely dangerous idea comes to us courtesy of Indonesia's minister of health, Siti Fadilah Supari, who asserts that deadly viruses are the sovereign property of individual nations […] the notion has morphed into a global movement […] The Non-Aligned Movement -- a 112-nation organization that is a survivor of the Cold War era -- has agreed to consider formally endorsing the concept of ‘viral sovereignty’ at its November meeting.
Indonesia argues that a nation's right to control all information on locally discovered viruses should be protected through the same mechanisms that the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization uses to guarantee poor countries' rights of ownership and patents on the seeds of its indigenous plants.” (Washington Post; 10Aug08; Richard Holbrooke and Laurie Garrett) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/08/AR2008080802919.html
GTCbio announces its inaugural Bugs & Drugs Conference on September 22-23 in San Diego
“The Bugs & Drugs conference brings together leading experts to discuss current options available in combating these problematic pathogens and the current drugs in development that may resolve these issues. Included are discussions on various gram positive & negative drugs, contingency plans for biological weapons & disease outbreaks, novel delivery methods, regulatory aspects & clinical trial design, and novel drug developments for diseases of developing economies.” (Newswire;
08Aug08)
http://www.newswiretoday.com/news/38154/
[Oregon] Chemical Depot burns last of VX 8-inch shells
“Umatilla Chemical Agent Depot disposed of the last of the 8-inch artillery shells containing VX nerve agent and now will begin destroying VX land mines, hoping to finish those by the end of 2009. The 8-inch shells were the last of their kind in the nation's chemical weapons stockpile. The depot began processing the artillery shells July 15 and finished ahead of schedule.” (Oregon Live; 8August08) http://www.oregonlive.com/newsflash/index.ssf?/base/news-26/1218233946231900.xml&storylist=orlocal
Army completes chemical stockpile neutralization at Newport [Indiana] Chemical Depot
“The United States Army Chemical Materials Agency (CMA) completed neutralization Aug. 11 of the chemical weapons stockpile of nerve agent VX at the Newport Chemical Agent Disposal Facility (NECDF), located at Newport Chemical Depot, Ind. This achievement brings the United States one step closer to safely destroying the national stockpile of chemical weapons. […] NECDF began chemical agent destruction operations on May 5, 2005, with a stockpile of 1,269 tons of VX -- four percent of the original United States total chemical weapons stockpile. Workers destroyed the agent using a neutralization technology that mixes it with sodium hydroxide and hot water. The resulting byproduct of this process is a caustic wastewater made up of water, sodium hydroxide, and organic salts.”
(U.S. Army; 11Aug08)
http://www.army.mil/-newsreleases/2008/08/11/11573-army-completes-chemical-stockpile-neutralization-at-newport-chemical-depot/
Pakistan diplomats visit US-held terror suspect
“Pakistani diplomats have met with a woman described as a possible ‘fixer’ for al-Qaida who is being detained in New York, the Foreign Ministry said Sunday. Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani citizen educated in the United States, was captured in Afghanistan last month and taken to the United States after she allegedly tried to kill her interrogators. Two diplomats visited Siddiqui over the weekend at a detention facility in New York, ministry spokesman Mohammed Sadiq said. […] According to a U.S. criminal complaint, she was carrying documents containing recipes for explosives and chemical weapons and describing ‘various landmarks in the United States, including New York City.’ The complaint also alleges Siddiqui carried ‘chemical substances in gel and liquid form that were sealed in bottles and glass jars.’ It did not elaborate.” (Associated Press; 10Aug08; Sadaqat Jan) http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hYUwTvvA05WY5EBzvT3wYgBRPnMwD92FF5EO0
Hands-on detection
“Smiths Detection announced recently that Amtrak has purchased additional Sabre 4000 advanced explosives detection systems to expand its capability for screening passengers, trains and stations. Using Ion Mobility Spectrometry, the hand-held system quickly detects and identifies explosives, narcotics, chemical warfare agents and toxic industrial chemicals.” (The Engineer Online; 11Aug08) http://www.theengineer.co.uk/Articles/307492/Hands-on+detection.htm
VIASPACE Subsidiary Wins $750,000 Army contract for robotic detection of chemical warfare agents and explosives
“VIASPACE Inc. […] subsidiary Ionfinity has been awarded a $750,000 Phase II contract for its proposal entitled ‘Advanced Robotic Detection of Chemical Agents, Toxic Industrial Gases, and Improvised Explosive Devices (IED)s for Force Health Protection’ submitted to the Army Small Business technology Transfer (STTR) Program. This competitively selected two year contract will result in a field demonstration of high sensitivity detection and analysis capability for chemical agents and explosives that threaten US forces.” (PR Newswire; 11Aug08) http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/08-11-2008/0004865205&EDATE=
Detecting the activity of a biological toxin
“Current methods of detecting ribosomal-inactivating proteins, such as antibodies employed in enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assays, are complicated and difficult to use in the field. […] Researchers from the University of California San Diego discovered a new strategy for sensing the activities of these proteins. […] Based on the results of their work, the next step is to take this probe outside of the controlled environments of the lab and see if it's possible to extend its utility to real life applications.” (ARS Technica; 11Aug08; Yun Xie) http://arstechnica.com/journals/science.ars/2008/08/11/detecting-the-activity-of-a-biological-toxin
Ricin suspect [Roger Bergendorff] had powder for decade
“An unemployed graphic designer who pleaded guilty to possessing toxic ricin said he distilled the lethal powder from the beans of a backyard castor plant in 1998 while living in San Diego and carried it with him for a decade while living in Reno, Las Vegas and near Salt Lake City. Roger Bergendorff spoke to The Associated Press Friday in an exclusive interview from a Las Vegas-area jail where he is being held pending sentencing.” (Fox 5 News; 11August08)
http://www.fox5vegas.com/news/17157171/detail.html#-
Beijing cites numerous Olympic threats
“Just over a week before the Beijing Olympics, a militant Islamic group's claims of responsibility for bombings in China have fueled unease about security. The government has assured its people and the Olympic community that heavy security will ensure a secure games. […] Stirring the latest concerns were videotaped threats purporting to be from an Islamic militant group. They surfaced last week in the name of the Turkistan Islamic Party - a group Chinese and Western terrorism experts say is an offshoot of a secessionist group from China's Central Asian frontier with ties to al-Qaida. […] One militant, identified by the Washington-based monitoring group IntelCenter as commander Seyfullah [said] ‘Our aim is to target the most critical points related to the Olympics. We will try to attack Chinese central cities severely using the tactics that have never been employed,’” (BND; 10Aug08; Charles Hutzler -AP) http://www.bnd.com/306/story/412864.html
Al-Qaida said to lose key WMD operative
“The killing of an al-Qaida chemical weapons expert in a missile strike two weeks ago on a Pakistani border village has dealt a heavy blow to the terrorist group's ambitions to build weapons of mass destruction, a former CIA case officer says. Abu Khabab al-Masri was dubbed by terrorism analysts as al-Qaida's ‘mad scientist.’ His most notorious work, recorded on videotape, showed dogs being killed in poison gas experiments in Afghanistan when the Taliban ruled. […] l-Qaida confirmed his death days after the July 28 attack by unmanned drones on a tribesman's compound in the village of Azam Warsak in South Waziristan. Al-Masri, whose real name is Midhat Mursi al-Sayid Umar, got his chemical weapons training in the Egyptian army before defecting to the militant Islamic Jihad group […]” (Associated Press; 10Aug08; Kathy Gannon)
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hLBUfMvM_1Y6FerHOF8u4lwgHsFQD92EU8LG2
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.
“In October 2001, O'Donnell was working at the big distribution center in Hamilton Township when tainted letters, whipping through sorting machines, released anthrax spores. O'Donnell, who had a nick on his neck from shaving, became infected and was quarantined at a Bucks County hospital. Eleven days ago, O'Donnell got a call from an FBI agent, telling him of the suicide of Bruce E. Ivins, a 62-year-old government scientist at Fort Detrick in Frederick, [Maryland]” (Philadelphia Inquirer; 11Aug08; Jennifer Lin) http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/20080811_For_anthrax_victim__suicide_opens_questions.html
Four years after FBI raid, Dr. [Kenneth] Berry moving on with life
“Federal investigators have declared the 2001 anthrax attacks a closed matter, but four years ago this week they swarmed the Southern Tier after a supposed suspect in the case. FBI agents searched Dr. Kenneth Berry’s East Pearl Street home, his former apartment and his parents’ summer home on the New Jersey shore. […] He had been training medical professionals to respond to chemical and biological attacks since 1997. He later developed a system to respond to an anthrax attack after letters laced with the deadly substance were circulated to government officials. […] the FBI never issued any charges. Indeed, the agency never commented on any aspect of the investigation of Dr. Berry.” (Olean Times Herald; 08Aug08; Daniel LeBlanc)
http://www.oleantimesherald.com/articles/2008/08/08/news/doc489c4c14a45da935928140.txt
[Bruce] Ivins remembered for intelligence, compassion
“The Army scientist suspected in the anthrax attacks was remembered for his humor, intelligence and compassion at a memorial service Saturday. Bruce Ivins, 62, died of an apparent suicide late last month after being informed by the FBI that charges likely were being brought against him in connection with the 2001 attacks. Some mourners wept when speakers at the service talked about Ivins' many hobbies, including juggling, target shooting, practical jokes, cartoons and the weather. Colleagues recalled a talented scientist with a probing mind who loved to debate a wide variety of subjects.” (Associated Press; 09Aug08; Brian Witte) http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jLj3VPY35ZCT9svDoUxs92njFYSQD92ES9J00
FBI believes anthrax scientist killed [others] with manipulated spores from Dugway lab
“Utah's Dugway Proving Ground produced one of two strains of anthrax that FBI investigators say was used in the September 2001 poison-letter campaign that killed five and injured 17. The federal investigation once again focuses attention on Utah's chemical and biological testing facility in Tooele County's west desert. […] The Utah anthrax strain, referred to in the documents as ‘Dugway Ames spores Ð 1997’ or ‘RMR Ð1029,’ was one of two that Ivins is said to have used to produce a third strain that he mailed to public officials and media outlets. The FBI documents suggest that Ivins used specialized techniques to cover his tracks once he had obtained the anthrax from Dugway while he worked at Fort Detrick. But there is no evidence in the documents showing anything untoward or illegal took place at the Utah facility.” (The Salt Lake Tribune; 08Aug08; Christopher Smart)
http://www.sltrib.com/ci_10136522
Anthrax case spurred field of germ-gene sleuthing
“The anthrax killer spurred a whole new branch of science that could give the nation a head start in the next emergency - whether it's investigating more bioterrorism or even a food poisoning outbreak. It's called microbial forensic, a way of using a germ's genetics to help exonerate or incriminate much as human DNA can today. Microbes - whether bacteria like salmonella and E. coli, or viruses like HIV - have unique genetic signatures that can allow scientists to tell even the most closely related strains apart. The forensic side comes from adding crime-investigation techniques to this advanced microbiology used by disease detectives. […] If tracing a single vial of germs sounds impressive, consider: Research under way now might one day allow tracing where someone has recently traveled by the DNA of bacteria in the dirt on their shoes.” (Buffalo News; 08Aug08; Lauran Neergaard – AP) http://www.buffalonews.com/260/story/410345.html
When dinner makes you sick [Editorial]
“Growers lost $250 million this spring and summer when an outbreak of salmonella was originally linked to certain tomatoes. […] In 2006, spinach growers said an outbreak of E. coli poisoning cost them $350 million. The losses in such cases would be less if regulators required growers, processors, and retailers to maintain a traceback system with computerized records. […] Food poisoning takes a huge toll in the United States - about 5,000 deaths a year and 76 million illnesses, with 325,000 victims requiring hospitalization.” (The Boston Globe; 10Aug08) http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2008/08/10/when_dinner_makes_you_sick/
Bush pushes $1.2 billion in 2009 budget amendments
“President Bush used the congressional recess to make an unusual request for $1.2 billion in amendments to his 2009 budget proposal, including millions for investments in new technology and controversial cuts to environmental and social programs. The proposal’s biggest change is at the Health and Human Services Department, which would receive an extra $905 million for bioterrorism preparedness. The money would help develop an infrastructure for moving medical supplies and protective gear in the event of a bioterrorist attack or pandemic. Another $35 million in preparedness money would go to the Environmental Protection Agency.”
(Federal Times; 08Aug08; Gregg Carlstrom)
http://federaltimes.com/index.php?S=3666472
[Steven J.] Hatfill cleared of role in anthrax mailings
“Federal prosecutors on Friday officially ‘excluded’ scientist Steven J. Hatfill from involvement in the deadly 2001 anthrax mailings, formally closing the door on a costly episode that sidetracked the FBI's search for nearly five years. U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Taylor sent a letter Friday to a lawyer for Hatfill, a onetime Fort Detrick, Md., bioweapons researcher, that essentially cleared Hatfill of a crime in which he was declared ‘a person of interest’ six years ago.” (The Washington Post; 09Aug08) http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/aug/09/na-hatfill-cleared-of-role-in-anthrax-mailings/
'Sovereignty' that risks global health
“Here's a concept you've probably never heard of: ‘viral sovereignty.’ This extremely dangerous idea comes to us courtesy of Indonesia's minister of health, Siti Fadilah Supari, who asserts that deadly viruses are the sovereign property of individual nations […] the notion has morphed into a global movement […] The Non-Aligned Movement -- a 112-nation organization that is a survivor of the Cold War era -- has agreed to consider formally endorsing the concept of ‘viral sovereignty’ at its November meeting.
Indonesia argues that a nation's right to control all information on locally discovered viruses should be protected through the same mechanisms that the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization uses to guarantee poor countries' rights of ownership and patents on the seeds of its indigenous plants.” (Washington Post; 10Aug08; Richard Holbrooke and Laurie Garrett) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/08/AR2008080802919.html
GTCbio announces its inaugural Bugs & Drugs Conference on September 22-23 in San Diego
“The Bugs & Drugs conference brings together leading experts to discuss current options available in combating these problematic pathogens and the current drugs in development that may resolve these issues. Included are discussions on various gram positive & negative drugs, contingency plans for biological weapons & disease outbreaks, novel delivery methods, regulatory aspects & clinical trial design, and novel drug developments for diseases of developing economies.” (Newswire;
08Aug08)
http://www.newswiretoday.com/news/38154/
[Oregon] Chemical Depot burns last of VX 8-inch shells
“Umatilla Chemical Agent Depot disposed of the last of the 8-inch artillery shells containing VX nerve agent and now will begin destroying VX land mines, hoping to finish those by the end of 2009. The 8-inch shells were the last of their kind in the nation's chemical weapons stockpile. The depot began processing the artillery shells July 15 and finished ahead of schedule.” (Oregon Live; 8August08) http://www.oregonlive.com/newsflash/index.ssf?/base/news-26/1218233946231900.xml&storylist=orlocal
Army completes chemical stockpile neutralization at Newport [Indiana] Chemical Depot
“The United States Army Chemical Materials Agency (CMA) completed neutralization Aug. 11 of the chemical weapons stockpile of nerve agent VX at the Newport Chemical Agent Disposal Facility (NECDF), located at Newport Chemical Depot, Ind. This achievement brings the United States one step closer to safely destroying the national stockpile of chemical weapons. […] NECDF began chemical agent destruction operations on May 5, 2005, with a stockpile of 1,269 tons of VX -- four percent of the original United States total chemical weapons stockpile. Workers destroyed the agent using a neutralization technology that mixes it with sodium hydroxide and hot water. The resulting byproduct of this process is a caustic wastewater made up of water, sodium hydroxide, and organic salts.”
(U.S. Army; 11Aug08)
http://www.army.mil/-newsreleases/2008/08/11/11573-army-completes-chemical-stockpile-neutralization-at-newport-chemical-depot/
Pakistan diplomats visit US-held terror suspect
“Pakistani diplomats have met with a woman described as a possible ‘fixer’ for al-Qaida who is being detained in New York, the Foreign Ministry said Sunday. Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani citizen educated in the United States, was captured in Afghanistan last month and taken to the United States after she allegedly tried to kill her interrogators. Two diplomats visited Siddiqui over the weekend at a detention facility in New York, ministry spokesman Mohammed Sadiq said. […] According to a U.S. criminal complaint, she was carrying documents containing recipes for explosives and chemical weapons and describing ‘various landmarks in the United States, including New York City.’ The complaint also alleges Siddiqui carried ‘chemical substances in gel and liquid form that were sealed in bottles and glass jars.’ It did not elaborate.” (Associated Press; 10Aug08; Sadaqat Jan) http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hYUwTvvA05WY5EBzvT3wYgBRPnMwD92FF5EO0
Hands-on detection
“Smiths Detection announced recently that Amtrak has purchased additional Sabre 4000 advanced explosives detection systems to expand its capability for screening passengers, trains and stations. Using Ion Mobility Spectrometry, the hand-held system quickly detects and identifies explosives, narcotics, chemical warfare agents and toxic industrial chemicals.” (The Engineer Online; 11Aug08) http://www.theengineer.co.uk/Articles/307492/Hands-on+detection.htm
VIASPACE Subsidiary Wins $750,000 Army contract for robotic detection of chemical warfare agents and explosives
“VIASPACE Inc. […] subsidiary Ionfinity has been awarded a $750,000 Phase II contract for its proposal entitled ‘Advanced Robotic Detection of Chemical Agents, Toxic Industrial Gases, and Improvised Explosive Devices (IED)s for Force Health Protection’ submitted to the Army Small Business technology Transfer (STTR) Program. This competitively selected two year contract will result in a field demonstration of high sensitivity detection and analysis capability for chemical agents and explosives that threaten US forces.” (PR Newswire; 11Aug08) http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/08-11-2008/0004865205&EDATE=
Detecting the activity of a biological toxin
“Current methods of detecting ribosomal-inactivating proteins, such as antibodies employed in enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assays, are complicated and difficult to use in the field. […] Researchers from the University of California San Diego discovered a new strategy for sensing the activities of these proteins. […] Based on the results of their work, the next step is to take this probe outside of the controlled environments of the lab and see if it's possible to extend its utility to real life applications.” (ARS Technica; 11Aug08; Yun Xie) http://arstechnica.com/journals/science.ars/2008/08/11/detecting-the-activity-of-a-biological-toxin
Ricin suspect [Roger Bergendorff] had powder for decade
“An unemployed graphic designer who pleaded guilty to possessing toxic ricin said he distilled the lethal powder from the beans of a backyard castor plant in 1998 while living in San Diego and carried it with him for a decade while living in Reno, Las Vegas and near Salt Lake City. Roger Bergendorff spoke to The Associated Press Friday in an exclusive interview from a Las Vegas-area jail where he is being held pending sentencing.” (Fox 5 News; 11August08)
http://www.fox5vegas.com/news/17157171/detail.html#-
Beijing cites numerous Olympic threats
“Just over a week before the Beijing Olympics, a militant Islamic group's claims of responsibility for bombings in China have fueled unease about security. The government has assured its people and the Olympic community that heavy security will ensure a secure games. […] Stirring the latest concerns were videotaped threats purporting to be from an Islamic militant group. They surfaced last week in the name of the Turkistan Islamic Party - a group Chinese and Western terrorism experts say is an offshoot of a secessionist group from China's Central Asian frontier with ties to al-Qaida. […] One militant, identified by the Washington-based monitoring group IntelCenter as commander Seyfullah [said] ‘Our aim is to target the most critical points related to the Olympics. We will try to attack Chinese central cities severely using the tactics that have never been employed,’” (BND; 10Aug08; Charles Hutzler -AP) http://www.bnd.com/306/story/412864.html
Al-Qaida said to lose key WMD operative
“The killing of an al-Qaida chemical weapons expert in a missile strike two weeks ago on a Pakistani border village has dealt a heavy blow to the terrorist group's ambitions to build weapons of mass destruction, a former CIA case officer says. Abu Khabab al-Masri was dubbed by terrorism analysts as al-Qaida's ‘mad scientist.’ His most notorious work, recorded on videotape, showed dogs being killed in poison gas experiments in Afghanistan when the Taliban ruled. […] l-Qaida confirmed his death days after the July 28 attack by unmanned drones on a tribesman's compound in the village of Azam Warsak in South Waziristan. Al-Masri, whose real name is Midhat Mursi al-Sayid Umar, got his chemical weapons training in the Egyptian army before defecting to the militant Islamic Jihad group […]” (Associated Press; 10Aug08; Kathy Gannon)
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hLBUfMvM_1Y6FerHOF8u4lwgHsFQD92EU8LG2
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.
Friday, July 18, 2008
CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News- July 18, 2008
The forensic guy from the FBI [Transcript from Discussion of 2001 ‘Amerithrax Attacks’]
“Dr Bruce Budowle has been in the FBI for over 20 years, heading one of its forensic laboratories. He looks back to the mysterious and still unsolved case of the anthrax envelopes which followed 9/11 […] Dr Budowle has come to Australia's Bond University to share techniques and learn from Professor Angela van Daal's use of genetics to profile human features […]” (ABC Radio National; 17Jul08)
http://www.abc.net.au/rn/inconversation/stories/2008/2299962.htm
Former Western [Pennsylvanian] legislator to enter jail Aug. 1
“Former State Rep. Jeff Habay will report to jail Aug. 1 to serve concurrent sentences for conflict of interest and a bizarre fake anthrax threat. […] the state Supreme Court has denied Habay's appeal of his 2006 no-contest pleas to charges that he falsely claimed to have received a powder-filled envelope from a political opponent. Habay was sentenced to four to eight months in jail in the anthrax case.” (Philadelphia Inquirer; 17Jul08; AP) http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/20080717_Former_Western_Pa__legislator_to_enter_jail_Aug__1.html
GAO Notes Mixed Progress on Biosurveillance
“The department has not yet identified what capabilities the National Biosurveillance Integration Center (NBIC) should possess to be considered fully operational […] although DHS is upgrading capabilities for the new center, it will not fully train new personnel using the NBIC information technology system until April 2009 […] Current detectors require 10-34 hours to identify a biological attack from an agent such as anthrax. The new systems finally developed with the DHS Science and technology Directorate would cut that time down to 4-6 hours.” (HS Today; 17Jul08; Mickey McCarter) http://hstoday.us/content/view/4292/128/
Disaster planning money reduced [Washington State]
“Federal money used to help local and state public health agencies plan for disasters is being cut by $3.7 million in Washington, with cuts to Snohomish County and four other northwest Washington counties estimated at $200,000. The regional planning program for Snohomish, Island, Skagit, Whatcom and San Juan counties is losing 21 percent of the federal money […] A national push for public health agencies to plan for emergencies came in the wake of the 2001 terrorist attacks and panic over bioterrorism after anthrax-contaminated letters were sent through the mail. In response, local and state public health agencies received $1.1 billion in federal money to help prepare for future emergencies.” (Herald Net; 18Jul08; Sharon Salyer)
http://heraldnet.com/article/20080718/NEWS01/700231358
Tracking produce proves complex
“More than six weeks ago, the Food and Drug Administration issued a warning about a salmonella outbreak in New Mexico and Texas connected to raw tomatoes. Since then, the agency has expanded the warning nationwide and added jalapeno and serrano peppers. More than 1,100 people have fallen ill since April, but not a single contaminated tomato or pepper has been found.” (Los Angeles Times; 17July08; Annys Shin) http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-salmonella18-2008jul18,0,983085.story
Bomb Squad Blows Up Highly Explosive Acid Found In Walnut Hill [Florida]
“The quart size bottle of picric acid was found in a barn on a farm in the 7800 block of Highway 97, less than a half mile from Ernest Ward Middle School. The bomb squad was called to the scene, and the Walnut Hill Volunteer Fire Department responded about 1:45. […] Besides wartime bomb making, picric was once used diluted as an antiseptic and as a treatment for burns, malaria, herpes and smallpox. It was once also synthesized into a non-explosive insecticide called chloropicrin. Chloropicrin was also used by the Germans and British as a chemical warfare agent during World War Two.” (North Escambia; 17Jul08; William)
http://www.northescambia.com/?p=3098
Poisonous cylinders made safe [Dublin]
“Cylinders of a highly volatile poisonous liquid were disposed of safely in South Dublin today with the help of US environment experts. The seven containers of hydrogen cyanide (HCN) were successfully chemically neutralised without the use of any explosives. […] The cylinders had been stored at the pest control company Rentokil and were moved to the county council owned compound at Grange Castle, Co Dublin for the neutralization.” (Evening Herald; 17Jul08; Sarah Neville) http://www.herald.ie/national-news/poisonous-cylinders-made-safe-1434861.html
Hidden Newnes Forest storage has added to military puzzle
“Earlier this week the Lithgow Mercury published a feature based on interviews conducted by the Illawarra Mercury with ex servicemen now living in the Illawarra region who had worked on secret chemical warfare stockpiles at Marrangaroo and Glenbrook during World War Two. The chemicals included mustard gas imported from America and Britain in contravention of the Geneva Convention to be used in any last ditch defence effort should Australia be invaded. […] There was no way of knowing exactly what was in the drums in the forest but it clearly wasn’t someone’s stash of home brew.” (Lithgow Mercury; 17Jul08; Len Ashworth) http://lithgow.yourguide.com.au/news/local/news/general/hidden-newnes-forest-storage-has-added-to-military-puzzle/813140.aspx
Live in Azalea Park [Orlando, Florida]? Learn about cleanup
“The Army Corps of Engineers will have a community meeting at 6:30 p.m. today [17Jul08] at the Engelwood Neighborhood Center […] The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the investigation into possible contamination left behind in the Azalea Park neighborhood from the former Orlando Army Airfield Toxic Gas and Decontamination Yard.” (Orlando Sentinel; 17Jul08; Rich McKay & Wes Smith) http://www.orlandosentinel.com/services/newspaper/printedition/thursday/orange/orl-orgovwatch17_108jul17,0,857491.story
Meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group on Terrorism
“OPCW Director-General Rogelio Pfirter opened the meeting by recalling the recommendations of the Second Review Conference on the OPCW’s response to terrorism. He highlighted the importance of implementing Article X of the Chemical Weapons Convention (Assistance and Protection Against Chemical Weapons) and stressed the value of the OPCW’s existing cooperation with the EU. […] He said information exchange in the fight against terrorism across borders has improved, greater attention is paid to the protection of EU infrastructures, and that the European Arrest Warrant has facilitated the procedures of extradition.” (OPCW News; 15Jul08; Johan de
Wittlaan)
http://www.opcw.org/pressreleases/2008/News17_2008.html
Emergency responders get dirty bomb training [Carlsbad, New Mexico]
“There were bodies and belligerents all over the place Thursday afternoon in a field near the Carlsbad Environmental Monitoring and Research Center. […] It was all part of a ‘dirty bomb’ exercise involving the Texas National Guard Civil Support Team. Some members of New Mexico's support team were also present. […] Thursday's training session was divided into two parts. Members of the Carlsbad Fire Department were the first to arrive on scene, but they were eventually backed up by the National Guard.
Smoke poured from a burned out vehicle. Volunteers who played the parts of victims all had detailed maps and timelines for the mock scenario. Some were assigned to be victims from the get-go, while others played the parts of tourists or ‘walking worried.’” (Current Argus; 18Jul08; Kyle Marksteiner)
http://origin.currentargus.com/ci_9922344
[Homeland Security Secretary Michael] Chertoff: European terrorists trying to enter US
“European terrorists are trying to enter the United States with European Union passports, and there is no guarantee officials will catch them every time, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said Thursday. […] Chertoff and other intelligence officials have delivered similar warnings before, and he offered no new information about specific threats or an imminent attack. Chertoff reiterated his concern that terrorists could sneak radiological material into the country on small boats or private aircraft.” (AP; 18Jul08; Eileen Sullivan)
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5i3uIGU_Clf36waqYlsaWDls9HP2gD920562O1
UH [University of Hawaii] chosen to help make travel safer
“The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has tapped the University of Hawaii to be one of 11 institutions to serve for the next six years as ‘an incubator of technology’ in the area of maritime security issues, according to a visiting federal official. Retired Rear Adm. Jay Cohen, Homeland Security Department undersecretary for science and technology, told the Star-Bulletin yesterday that the UH's Center of Excellence for Maritime, Island and Port Security will be under the College of Engineering and will receive a grant ranging from $1.5 million to $2 million annually.” (Star Bulletin; 16July08; Gregg K. Kakesako) http://starbulletin.com/2008/07/16/news/story11.html
Advanced Life Sciences and UK Ministry of Defence announce collaboration
“Advanced Life Sciences Holdings has announced that the UK's Defence Science and technology Laboratory will evaluate the developmental compound ALS-886 as a treatment for chemically induced lung injury. […] Michael Flavin, chairman and CEO of Advanced Life Sciences, said: ‘Dstl is internationally recognized for its ability to evaluate new therapeutic countermeasures that combat chemical and biological warfare agents, and we are very excited to partner with them to develop ALS-886 for potential procurement as a medical countermeasure.” (Trading Markets; 18July08) http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/1768368/
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, July 15, 2008
CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News- July 14, 2008
Iran denied using African monkeys for ‘secretive’ laboratory test
“An Iranian lab denied that Iran was using monkeys for biological weapons experiments, saying that the monkeys purchased from Africa were used for testing the safety of polio vaccines, Iran's English-language satellite channel Press TV reported Saturday. […] Abdolhossein Dalimi-Asl, head of the Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute said that these monkeys have been purchased from a Tanzanian dealer for testing the safety of polio vaccines and the weight of such subjects is determined based on the World Health Organization guidelines. The Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute has been buying monkeys from Tanzania for scientific purposes since 1971, he added.” (Trend News; 13Jul08) http://news.trendaz.com/?show=news&newsid=1245991&lang=EN
[Vice President] Cheney Thought He Had Lethal Anthrax Dose [in October, 2001]
“Vice President Dick Cheney was convinced that he had been subjected to a lethal dose of anthrax, according to a new book. […] Jane Mayer, who authored ‘The Dark Side, The Inside Story of How the War on Terror Turned into a War on American Ideals,’ that the scare contributed to Cheney's insistence on hard-line tactics for fighting terror. […] On Oct. 18, 2001, a White House alarm went off indicating that sensors had detected dangerous levels of radioactive, chemical or biological agents. According to Mayer, anyone who had entered the White House situation room, including Cheney, had been exposed.” (ABC News; 14Jul08; Mark Mooney)
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=5368813&page=1
'Masters of Disaster' Rule Out Anthrax in Hate Mail [Okaloosa County, Florida]
“The yellow tape went up and the employees of Destin attorney Kevin Helmich were quarantined -- all for Johnson & Johnson's baby powder. The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office, Okaloosa County EMS, Destin Fire Control District and the Hazardous Materials Technicians of Okaloosa County Special Operations Unit responded to a call from 4481 Legendary Drive on Wednesday morning. Office administrator Kelly Helmstetter was opening the mail as usual, when the unexpected happened. Battalion chief David Messerschmidt told The Log that when Helmstetter opened the letter -- with a pregnant coworker standing in the doorway -- white powder fell all over her dress.” (Red Orbit; 12Jul08; Jennifer Rich) http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1474900/masters_of_disaster_rule_out_anthrax_in_hate_mail/
Judge rejects leniency request for Moyer [Peoria, Illinois]
“A federal judge looked a Pekin woman square in the face Friday and told her she was out of chances after twice violating her probation for writing a threatening letter to President Bush two years ago. U.S. District Judge Michael Mihm flatly rejected a request for leniency and instead doubled what federal prosecutors sought to punish Jessica A. Moyer. […] Moyer wrote a letter in March 2005 to the president at the Pekin Public Library. In that letter, she criticized the country's involvement in the war and called the president several names. She then wrote: ‘Your time is almost through. Yes, that's right. That's a threat. I have enclosed some anthrax and I hope it is enough to kill you and if it is not, I can send someone to shoot you or something. You are not safe.’“ (Journal Star; 11Jul08; Andy Kravetz) http://www.pjstar.com/news/x875598203/Judge-rejects-leniency-request-for-Moyer
Gregg County [Texas] gets bioterrorism preparedness grant
“Gregg County commissioners on Monday accepted a more than $63,000 state grant to help ensure the county is prepared in the event of bioterrorism.”
(Longview News Journal; 14Jul08; Randy Ross) http://www.news-journal.com/news/content/news/stories/2008/07/15/07152008_gregg_comish.html
New 'Scrubber' Speeds Removal Of Powerful Anthrax Clean-up Agent
“Researchers in New Jersey report discovery of a fast, efficient method for removing a powerful pesticide used to sterilize buildings and equipment following anthrax attacks. Their chemical ‘scrubber’ removes 99 percent of the pesticide following fumigation and could pave the way for its broader use in anthrax clean-up efforts, the scientists say. […] Bielski and Joyce documented the effectiveness of their removal method in experiments with an empty office trailer filled with air containing methyl bromide.” (Science Daily; 14Jul08) http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080714094453.htm
‘Powder mystery put to rest [Dodoma]
“The National Assembly yesterday clarified that at no point was the powder found in parliament building linked to witchcraft rituals. Deputy Speaker, Ms Anna Makinda said yesterday that the Speaker, Mr Samuel Sitta has been dismayed by some people and the media that blew the matter out of context. […] ‘it was decided that the matter be put to rest after it was discovered that the powder was not harmful to human beings,’ she said.” (Daily New Online; 12Jul08; Kilasa Mtambalike)
http://dailynews.habarileo.co.tz/magazine/?id=5837
Biological weapons 'greatest terror threat to UK'
“The Institute for Public Policy Research's (IPPR) national security commission, which is co-chaired by Lord Ashdown and Lord Robertson, is not due to reveal its initial findings until its interim report in October. […] Mr Kearns explained the real danger was not potentially-devastating technologies being acquired by terrorist groups but by individuals. ‘This is going to be a century-long thing, we're not talking about specific terrorist groups [we're talking about]... lone weirdoes with expertise - people who have very high-level knowledge skills and access to the right materials who could use it for devastating purposes,’ he continued.” (In The News; 11Jul08) http://www.inthenews.co.uk/news/science/biological-weapons-greatest-terror-threat-uk-$1231187.htm
Another Nerve Gas Leak At Blue Grass Army Depot [Kentucky]
“For those living near an Army depot where deadly chemicals are stored, ‘leak’ is the one word they never want to hear. Officials at Blue Grass Army Depot have confirmed that Sarin, an extremely toxic nerve agent, has been found leaking from a storage igloo, the same storage facility where another Sarin leak was discovered last August. The Army says that igloo has been continually filtered and monitored since the initial leak and poses no risk to the public.” (WKYT; 12Jul08; Denny Trease) http://www.wkyt.com/news/headlines/24752259.html
Poison Perfume and Dead Presidents
“‘A court forensic expert said Wednesday that former Chilean President Eduardo Frei Montalva was assassinated in January 1982,’ according to McClatchyDC.com. Medical officials had long asserted that infection after a simple hernia operation was the cause of death. Turns out ‘that a combination of toxins, including mustard gas, gradually administered to the former president ultimately killed him.’ […] The finger points to Eugenio Berrios, described as Chilean dictator ‘Augosoto Pinochet's Mad Scientist,’ and the regime's resident expert on lethal chemicals.” (Wired; 12Jul08; David Hambling) http://blog.wired.com/defense/2008/07/dead-presidents.html
Fabric Blocks Radiation, Chemical, Biological Hazards
“Ronald DeMeo places a radioactive wafer about the size of a silver dollar on his desk and waves a handheld Geiger counter over it. The machine chatters wildly, the numbers on the readout spin upward and visitors instinctively lean back. But when the Coral Gables doctor covers the disc, which is designed for materials testing and quite safe, with a thin piece of fabric, the numbers dive and the noise from the Geiger dips to a low growl. […] The patented fabric -- just slightly thicker than denim -- is embedded with metal particles and other compounds capable of blocking X-rays, low-energy gamma rays and other types of nuclear emission that might be found anywhere from a doctor's office to the site of a dirty bomb blast.” (Red Orbit; 14Jul08; Jim Wyss of The Miami Herald) http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1476735/fabric_blocks_radiation_chemical_biological_hazards/
Iran’s missile-rattling ups the ante
“Maj. Gen. Paul E. Vallely (U.S. Army, ret.), former deputy commanding general of U.S. Army Forces Pacific and current co-chairman of the Iran Policy Committee (IPC), tells me. ‘They are currently fine-tuning their systems to include perfecting command-and-control, launching, tracking, trajectory, those kinds of things. They’ve yet to perfect putting a warhead on the Shahab, but they’re working toward full-capability, including nuclear, biological, and chemical.’ Dr. Jill Dekker, a bio-warfare expert and consultant to NATO, agrees. ‘Both Iran and Syria possess highly advanced chemical and biological weapons programs,’ says Dekker. ‘Syria’s chem program is more advanced than Iran’s, but both countries’ bio-programs have benefited from former Soviet labs and more recently from North Korea. And Iran has a very advanced bio program, which is highly imbedded in their pharmaceutical industry.’” (Canadian Free Press; 13Jul08; W. Thomas Smith Jr.)
http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/3945
Mediterranean union wants to rid Mideast of WMD
“The leaders of 43 nations from Europe, the Middle East and North Africa have launched a Union for the Mediterranean, a brainchild of French President Nicolas Sarkozy that aims to improve cooperation in the region with practical projects that parallel efforts toward Mideast peace. […] Nearly all of the 43 nations sent a president or prime minister to the summit. […] In a final declaration, Israel, Syria and the Palestinians along with countries across Europe, the Middle East and North Africa agreed to ‘pursue a mutually and effectively verifiable Middle East Zone free of weapons of mass destruction.’ The summit declaration also condemned ‘terrorism in all its forms’ and announced six major projects, from a common university and easier travel visas for students to depolluting the Mediterranean sea and promoting solar power.” (Associated Press; 14Jul08; Angela Charlton) http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iAkOZStYXZmgvjv2pwHJenHcOCwAD91TGD600
Security beefed up in Beijing to ensure safe Olympics
“With the Olympics just around the corner, final preparations are under way here and in surrounding areas to deal with possible threats, including terrorism. […] To ‘mobilize the enthusiasm of the masses in maintaining public security, as well as to control and eliminate hidden dangers to the Olympic Games,’ residents who report substantial information on major threats from July 10 to October 31 would get rewards of 10,000 yuan (US$1,460) to 500,000 yuan. […] The firefighters could be called on to help deal with terrorists who used nuclear or chemical weapons and explosives, he said. The bureau had also organized 46 counter-terrorist drills in Olympic venues and subway stations, he noted.” (China Daily; 14Jul08)
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/olympics/2008-07/14/content_6844122.htm
‘Kuwait ready to tackle N[uclear]-radiation in case of war’
“Assistant Undersecretary for Medical Emergency Technique Dr Khaled Al-Sahlawi says the ministry has enough active iodine to ward off the harmful effects of radiation leakage into the country within the first 72 hours. Al-Sahlawi affirmed the ministry has various units in charge of several stages of prevention and cure in case of biological and chemical warfare.” (Arab Times; 13Jul08; Dhuha Barqawi)
http://www.arabtimesonline.com/client/pagesdetails.asp?nid=19716&ccid=9
'Serious' video games aid training for real world emergencies
“This 'virtual' crisis, used in training for emergency services workers, is part of a so-called ‘serious game’, an emerging niche in the video game industry. The game ‘Triage Training’, developed in Coventry, central England, by a subsidiary of the Blitz Game group is aiming to be as realistic as possible. […] It is cheaper to do training in the virtual world. […] They plan to test the British capital's readiness in response to a dirty bomb explosion. ‘On the plus side, it's very much cheaper and cost-effective to do the training in the virtual world,’ Wortley said, noting that shutting an entire city centre down in real life would cause chaos.” (Macau Daily Times; 13Jul08; Lucie Godeau of AFP)
http://www.macaudailytimesnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=13064&Itemid=33
City [San Francisco, California] at risk seeks security funds
“An aerosol anthrax attack in downtown San Francisco that could expose 330,000 people, killing 99 percent of those who are untreated. […]A 10-kiloton nuclear warhead dropped on a major city in the Bay Area, resulting in tens of thousands of deaths and the evacuation of 500,000 people. Each horrific outcome is being considered by local officials, according to Vicki Hennessey, acting executive director of the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management, the agency in charge of overseeing The City’s emergency plans as well as the regional effort to secure and spend federal Homeland Security dollars earmarked for urban cities. In May, the region submitted to the federal government its wish list of $112 million worth of emergency preparation needs — from personnel to equipment — and is expected to hear how much funding it received this summer. “ (Examiner; 14Jul08; Will Reisman) http://www.examiner.com/a-1486315~City_at_risk_seeks_security_funds.html
Terrorism is hard [Book Review of Risk: The Science and Politics of Fear]
“His second move is somewhat more protracted, involving an interesting discussion of the Aum Shinrikyo ‘doomsday’ cult in Japan. Here was an organization that had an extraordinary amount of money at its disposal, several well-equipped labs and as many as 100 highly-trained scientists, working full-time, dedicated exclusively to the task of figuring out how to inflict mass casualties upon the Japanese population, in an attempt to provoke an apocalyptic war. Nevertheless, over the course of 17 different attacks, using a range of biological and chemical weapons, they never managed to kill more than a few dozen people. The most ‘successful’ was the 1995 sarin nerve gas attack in the Tokyo subway, which killed 12 people and severely injured another 42. Many people found this attack terrifying, yet for Gardner, it was also strangely reassuring. After all, it would be difficult to imagine circumstances more propitious for the success of a terrorist plot […] Yet they came nowhere near accomplishing their ends.” (The Ottawa Citizen; 12Jul08; Joseph Heath)
http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/observer/story.html?id=b327c240-1b26-4825-b4ce-ded51b38f1e6
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.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
10th annual Technologies for Critical Incident Preparedness Conference and Exposition
Registration Now Open!
PRESENTED BY:
The U.S. Departments of Justice (DOJ), Homeland Security (DHS), and Defense (DoD)
SPONSORED BY:
DOJ's Office of Justice Programs' National Institute of Justice, DHS's Science and Technology Directorate, and DoD's Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Americas' Security Affairs
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH:
FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association
InterAgency Board for Interoperability and Standardization
International Association of Chiefs of Police
International Association of Emergency Managers
National Emergency Management Association
National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center
National Sheriffs' Association
Public Safety and Security Institute for Technology
Technical Support Working Group
US Army RDECOM's Natick Research Development and Engineering Center
CONFERENCE MISSION:
The 10th annual Technologies for Critical Incident Preparedness Conference and Exposition highlights DOJ, DHS and DoD's technology and training tools currently available and being developed for the emergency responder community, as well as provides a forum for emergency responders to discuss best practices and exchange information. With 1,500 attendees and 200 exhibits and demonstrations expected, this conference offers a unique opportunity for emergency responders, business and industry, academia and local, tribal, state, and Federal stakeholders to network, exchange ideas and address common critical incident technology and preparedness needs, protocols, and solutions.
DATES/LOCATION:
October 29-31, 2008
Hyatt Regency Chicago
151 East Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60601
Room Rates:
$185: State/local public safety practitioners
$205*: Federal government/industry/other
(subject to change 10/01/08 to FY09 per diem)
Hyatt Regency Chicago hotel reservations will be available starting in early June through the conference website.
ATTENDEES:
$250: Local, Tribal, State & Federal Government
$350: Non-profit/Academia/Federally designated 8(A)'s
$550: Private Sector/Industry/Other
Attendee registration is now open at www.ctc.org.
EXHIBITORS:
$1,800: Local, Tribal, State & Federal Government/Non-profit/Academia
$2,000: Private Sector/Industry/Other
Booth sales are now open at www.ctc.org.
SESSIONS/TOPICS (Tentative)
Information and Intelligence Sharing
Infrastructure Protection
The National Guard's Bridge to State and Local Responders
Transportation Security
Preparedness / Response to Natural Disasters
WMD: CBRN
Federal Resources
Cyber Security
Cyber Forensic
PPE / Standards
Bombing Prevention and Response
Communications Interoperability
Forensic
The SAFETY Act
School Safety and Security
Education and Training
Disaster Management (DM)
CONFERENCE WEBSITE: www.ctc.org
PRESENTED BY:
The U.S. Departments of Justice (DOJ), Homeland Security (DHS), and Defense (DoD)
SPONSORED BY:
DOJ's Office of Justice Programs' National Institute of Justice, DHS's Science and Technology Directorate, and DoD's Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Homeland Defense and Americas' Security Affairs
IN PARTNERSHIP WITH:
FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association
InterAgency Board for Interoperability and Standardization
International Association of Chiefs of Police
International Association of Emergency Managers
National Emergency Management Association
National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center
National Sheriffs' Association
Public Safety and Security Institute for Technology
Technical Support Working Group
US Army RDECOM's Natick Research Development and Engineering Center
CONFERENCE MISSION:
The 10th annual Technologies for Critical Incident Preparedness Conference and Exposition highlights DOJ, DHS and DoD's technology and training tools currently available and being developed for the emergency responder community, as well as provides a forum for emergency responders to discuss best practices and exchange information. With 1,500 attendees and 200 exhibits and demonstrations expected, this conference offers a unique opportunity for emergency responders, business and industry, academia and local, tribal, state, and Federal stakeholders to network, exchange ideas and address common critical incident technology and preparedness needs, protocols, and solutions.
DATES/LOCATION:
October 29-31, 2008
Hyatt Regency Chicago
151 East Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60601
Room Rates:
$185: State/local public safety practitioners
$205*: Federal government/industry/other
(subject to change 10/01/08 to FY09 per diem)
Hyatt Regency Chicago hotel reservations will be available starting in early June through the conference website.
ATTENDEES:
$250: Local, Tribal, State & Federal Government
$350: Non-profit/Academia/Federally designated 8(A)'s
$550: Private Sector/Industry/Other
Attendee registration is now open at www.ctc.org.
EXHIBITORS:
$1,800: Local, Tribal, State & Federal Government/Non-profit/Academia
$2,000: Private Sector/Industry/Other
Booth sales are now open at www.ctc.org.
SESSIONS/TOPICS (Tentative)
Information and Intelligence Sharing
Infrastructure Protection
The National Guard's Bridge to State and Local Responders
Transportation Security
Preparedness / Response to Natural Disasters
WMD: CBRN
Federal Resources
Cyber Security
Cyber Forensic
PPE / Standards
Bombing Prevention and Response
Communications Interoperability
Forensic
The SAFETY Act
School Safety and Security
Education and Training
Disaster Management (DM)
CONFERENCE WEBSITE: www.ctc.org
Sunday, June 15, 2008
CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News- June 13, 2008
ART: [Steven] Kurtz investigation in ‘Seized’ spotlight
“A four-year bioterrorism investigation would hurt the career of most people. For Buffalo [New York] artist and University at Buffalo professor Steven Kurtz, such a probe was an inspiration. Kurtz shows the mess the government left behind after their investigation in his exhibition, ‘Seized,’ which runs through next month at Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center.” (Niagara Gazette; 12June08; Anthony Custode) http://www.niagara-gazette.com/nightandday/local_story_164165225.html
$6.7 billion for Foster City [California] biotech firm
“Invitrogen Corp. said Thursday that it has struck a deal to buy Applied Biosystems of Foster City, a pioneering maker of gene-sequencing tools, in a cash-and-stock transaction valued by the companies at $6.7 billion. […] The two companies have few overlapping products, but both provide tools and supplies for academic researchers and pharmaceutical company scientists. Applied Biosystems, which provided some of the first automated DNA sequencing machines for the Human Genome Project, also sells equipment for bioterrorism detection, forensic investigations and paternity testing. Both companies supply research tools for studies of proteins and small molecules as well as for DNA and other genetics-related compounds.” (SF Gate; 13June08; Bernadette Tansey) http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/06/12/BUOI11898U.DTL
Trial postponed to Sept. for man held in Vegas ricin case [Las Vegas, Nevada]
“Trial has been postponed for an unemployed graphic designer who authorities suspect poisoned himself keeping the exotic toxin ricin in his extended-stay motel room just off the Las Vegas Strip. U.S. District Court Judge Robert C. Jones on Thursday reset trial to Sept. 9 for Roger Bergendorff. The court record says defense lawyers and prosecutors agreed to more time. Trial had been scheduled to start Tuesday in federal court in Las Vegas.” (Sign on San Diego; 13June08; Associated Press) http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/state/20080613-0829-nv-ricinmystery.html
Murder conspiracy accused 'brought ricin to Ireland'
“The conspiracy to murder trial of a Clare woman and an Egyptian man has heard evidence from an American woman who says, when she travelled to Ireland in September 2006 with Essam Eid, they brought ricin. Theresa Engels told the jury at the Central Criminal Court that herself and Essam Eid, who were living together in Las Vegas at the time, made the poison after getting a recipe on the Internet.” (Belfast Telegraph; 12June08) http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/breaking-news/ireland/article3795305.ece
26 IDP [Internally Displaced Persons] children hospitalized after eating toxic seeds
“Twenty-six children of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) living in Yoakapuram Settlement Camp in Urumpiraai after being displaced [in the] Palaali High Security Zone (HSZ) in Valikaamam north, were admitted to Jaffna Teaching Hospital (JTH) Tuesday evening, after eating poisonous seeds of the wild Castor Oil plant. The children are recovering after treatment, and are out of danger, JTH sources said.” (TamilNet; 12June08)
http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=25999
Chemicals at Water Plants Need More Protection from Terrorists, Experts Say
“Laws regulating the security of most factories and other businesses that possess a large amount of chemicals should also cover drinking water and wastewater treatment plants, some experts said at a House hearing Thursday. The Chemical Security Anti-terrorism Act of 2006 created a framework for the Department of Homeland Security to establish national standards for chemical facilities.” (Info Zine, Kansas City; 13June08; Jackie Best) http://www.infozine.com/news/stories/op/storiesView/sid/28874/
[Military Veterans] Vets press for info on 1960s chemical tests
“Jack Alderson was ordered never to talk about the secret weapons tests he helped conduct in the Pacific during the 1960s. He kept quiet for decades. Sparse attendance at a 1993 reunion prompted Alderson, a retired Navy Reserve lieutenant commander, to speak out. He learned that more than half of the 500 or so crew members who took part in the tests were either dead or suffering from cancer, respiratory problems or other ailments. Alderson wondered whether his own skin cancers, allergies and chronic fatigue were linked to those tests or were simply the result of aging.” (Google, Associated Press; 12June08; Erica Werner) http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5h6mM70jju27eQpAELACuysUGpHOAD918GSL00
Hazardous brews surprise
“Jason Croker is no soldier, but he is a trooper. Yesterday, he told high schoolers how he mistakenly mixed two cleaning products together at his pizza joint job when he was 15, cooking up a hazardous brew. ‘I created chlorine gas, which they used for chemical warfare in the First World War,’ he said at the launch of the Workers Compensation Board's SAFEWork media campaign. Croker, now 28, felt like he was choking as his lungs constricted after the Lime-A-Way he was using accidentally came into contact with bleach. Croker suffered no permanent damage and people in the pizza place were quickly evacuated, averting a serious situation.”(Winnipeg Sun; 13June08; Simon Fuller) http://winnipegsun.com/News/Winnipeg/2008/06/13/5866546-sun.html
‘Exporter of the Year’ [Andes Chemical Corp] Exported Sarin Gas Precursor Without License
“Miami-based Andes Chemical Corp., which exports a variety of chemicals to the Caribbean as well as to Central and South America, was earlier this year named ‘Exporter of the Year’ in the ‘Materials’ Category by Commercial News USA, the ‘official export promotion magazine of the U.S. Department of Commerce.’ Not very long after that, Andes entered into a settlement agreement with the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (‘BIS’) pursuant to which Andes admitted that it had exported sodium bifluoride, a precursor of sarin gas, to Jamaica without a license. Andes further agreed to pay a $60,000 for the six unlicensed shipments which occurred between May 2003 and July 2007. The company voluntarily disclosed the violations to BIS.” (Export Law Blog; 11June08; Clif Burns)
http://www.exportlawblog.com/archives/348
Written on the Body: The Reality of War
“A new report from Fallujah – the Guernica of the Iraq War – brings this home most forcefully. Two of the great witnesses of this war – Dahr Jamail and his collaborator, Ali al-Fadhily – present disturbing evidence of how the use of chemical weapons against the people of Fallujah during the brutal decimation the city in 2004 continues to bear horrific fruit today: Babies born in Fallujah are showing illnesses and deformities on a scale never seen before, doctors and residents say. The new cases, and the number of deaths among children, have risen after ‘special weaponry’ was used in the two massive bombing campaigns in Fallujah in 2004.” (Baltimore Chronicle and Sentinel; 13June08; Chris Floyd) http://baltimorechronicle.com/2008/061308Floyd.shtml
Padilla co-defendant [Kifah Wael Jayyousi] faces jail restrictions
“A federal judge has refused to block prison officials from placing one of convicted terrorism conspirator Jose Padilla's co-defendants in a special unit that imposes tight restrictions on visitors and communications with the outside world. U.S. District Judge Marcia Cooke said she found no constitutional violations in the U.S. Bureau of Prisons decision to send 46-year-old Kifah Wael Jayyousi to the ‘communications management unit’ at Terre Haute, Ind.” (Google, Associated Press; 12June08; Curt Anderson)
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hPjpHT_j6DX3dhRrakgSSWQseYcAD918KIM05
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.
“A four-year bioterrorism investigation would hurt the career of most people. For Buffalo [New York] artist and University at Buffalo professor Steven Kurtz, such a probe was an inspiration. Kurtz shows the mess the government left behind after their investigation in his exhibition, ‘Seized,’ which runs through next month at Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center.” (Niagara Gazette; 12June08; Anthony Custode) http://www.niagara-gazette.com/nightandday/local_story_164165225.html
$6.7 billion for Foster City [California] biotech firm
“Invitrogen Corp. said Thursday that it has struck a deal to buy Applied Biosystems of Foster City, a pioneering maker of gene-sequencing tools, in a cash-and-stock transaction valued by the companies at $6.7 billion. […] The two companies have few overlapping products, but both provide tools and supplies for academic researchers and pharmaceutical company scientists. Applied Biosystems, which provided some of the first automated DNA sequencing machines for the Human Genome Project, also sells equipment for bioterrorism detection, forensic investigations and paternity testing. Both companies supply research tools for studies of proteins and small molecules as well as for DNA and other genetics-related compounds.” (SF Gate; 13June08; Bernadette Tansey) http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/06/12/BUOI11898U.DTL
Trial postponed to Sept. for man held in Vegas ricin case [Las Vegas, Nevada]
“Trial has been postponed for an unemployed graphic designer who authorities suspect poisoned himself keeping the exotic toxin ricin in his extended-stay motel room just off the Las Vegas Strip. U.S. District Court Judge Robert C. Jones on Thursday reset trial to Sept. 9 for Roger Bergendorff. The court record says defense lawyers and prosecutors agreed to more time. Trial had been scheduled to start Tuesday in federal court in Las Vegas.” (Sign on San Diego; 13June08; Associated Press) http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/state/20080613-0829-nv-ricinmystery.html
Murder conspiracy accused 'brought ricin to Ireland'
“The conspiracy to murder trial of a Clare woman and an Egyptian man has heard evidence from an American woman who says, when she travelled to Ireland in September 2006 with Essam Eid, they brought ricin. Theresa Engels told the jury at the Central Criminal Court that herself and Essam Eid, who were living together in Las Vegas at the time, made the poison after getting a recipe on the Internet.” (Belfast Telegraph; 12June08) http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/breaking-news/ireland/article3795305.ece
26 IDP [Internally Displaced Persons] children hospitalized after eating toxic seeds
“Twenty-six children of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) living in Yoakapuram Settlement Camp in Urumpiraai after being displaced [in the] Palaali High Security Zone (HSZ) in Valikaamam north, were admitted to Jaffna Teaching Hospital (JTH) Tuesday evening, after eating poisonous seeds of the wild Castor Oil plant. The children are recovering after treatment, and are out of danger, JTH sources said.” (TamilNet; 12June08)
http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=25999
Chemicals at Water Plants Need More Protection from Terrorists, Experts Say
“Laws regulating the security of most factories and other businesses that possess a large amount of chemicals should also cover drinking water and wastewater treatment plants, some experts said at a House hearing Thursday. The Chemical Security Anti-terrorism Act of 2006 created a framework for the Department of Homeland Security to establish national standards for chemical facilities.” (Info Zine, Kansas City; 13June08; Jackie Best) http://www.infozine.com/news/stories/op/storiesView/sid/28874/
[Military Veterans] Vets press for info on 1960s chemical tests
“Jack Alderson was ordered never to talk about the secret weapons tests he helped conduct in the Pacific during the 1960s. He kept quiet for decades. Sparse attendance at a 1993 reunion prompted Alderson, a retired Navy Reserve lieutenant commander, to speak out. He learned that more than half of the 500 or so crew members who took part in the tests were either dead or suffering from cancer, respiratory problems or other ailments. Alderson wondered whether his own skin cancers, allergies and chronic fatigue were linked to those tests or were simply the result of aging.” (Google, Associated Press; 12June08; Erica Werner) http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5h6mM70jju27eQpAELACuysUGpHOAD918GSL00
Hazardous brews surprise
“Jason Croker is no soldier, but he is a trooper. Yesterday, he told high schoolers how he mistakenly mixed two cleaning products together at his pizza joint job when he was 15, cooking up a hazardous brew. ‘I created chlorine gas, which they used for chemical warfare in the First World War,’ he said at the launch of the Workers Compensation Board's SAFEWork media campaign. Croker, now 28, felt like he was choking as his lungs constricted after the Lime-A-Way he was using accidentally came into contact with bleach. Croker suffered no permanent damage and people in the pizza place were quickly evacuated, averting a serious situation.”(Winnipeg Sun; 13June08; Simon Fuller) http://winnipegsun.com/News/Winnipeg/2008/06/13/5866546-sun.html
‘Exporter of the Year’ [Andes Chemical Corp] Exported Sarin Gas Precursor Without License
“Miami-based Andes Chemical Corp., which exports a variety of chemicals to the Caribbean as well as to Central and South America, was earlier this year named ‘Exporter of the Year’ in the ‘Materials’ Category by Commercial News USA, the ‘official export promotion magazine of the U.S. Department of Commerce.’ Not very long after that, Andes entered into a settlement agreement with the Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (‘BIS’) pursuant to which Andes admitted that it had exported sodium bifluoride, a precursor of sarin gas, to Jamaica without a license. Andes further agreed to pay a $60,000 for the six unlicensed shipments which occurred between May 2003 and July 2007. The company voluntarily disclosed the violations to BIS.” (Export Law Blog; 11June08; Clif Burns)
http://www.exportlawblog.com/archives/348
Written on the Body: The Reality of War
“A new report from Fallujah – the Guernica of the Iraq War – brings this home most forcefully. Two of the great witnesses of this war – Dahr Jamail and his collaborator, Ali al-Fadhily – present disturbing evidence of how the use of chemical weapons against the people of Fallujah during the brutal decimation the city in 2004 continues to bear horrific fruit today: Babies born in Fallujah are showing illnesses and deformities on a scale never seen before, doctors and residents say. The new cases, and the number of deaths among children, have risen after ‘special weaponry’ was used in the two massive bombing campaigns in Fallujah in 2004.” (Baltimore Chronicle and Sentinel; 13June08; Chris Floyd) http://baltimorechronicle.com/2008/061308Floyd.shtml
Padilla co-defendant [Kifah Wael Jayyousi] faces jail restrictions
“A federal judge has refused to block prison officials from placing one of convicted terrorism conspirator Jose Padilla's co-defendants in a special unit that imposes tight restrictions on visitors and communications with the outside world. U.S. District Judge Marcia Cooke said she found no constitutional violations in the U.S. Bureau of Prisons decision to send 46-year-old Kifah Wael Jayyousi to the ‘communications management unit’ at Terre Haute, Ind.” (Google, Associated Press; 12June08; Curt Anderson)
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hPjpHT_j6DX3dhRrakgSSWQseYcAD918KIM05
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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