Americans Work With Iraqi Vets to Enhance Animal Care

American Forces Press Service

Dec. 15, 2008 - Coalition soldiers are working with Iraq's Department of Veterinary Medicine to help improve animal care in a southwestern Iraqi province. The improvements to the Samawa veterinary hospital are aimed at helping veterinarians diagnose and treat livestock.

The Muthanna Provincial Reconstruction Team and soldiers of the 1st Cavalry Division's 4th Brigade Combat Team delivered a new livestock treatment center and an electric generator, which is slated to enhance operations at the hospital, military officials said. The troops also have partnered with the Muthanna farmers union to dispense 500 tons of barley and wheat seeds to local Iraqi farmers.

Additionally, the Muthanna PRT, working with the 3rd Corps' 43rd Medical Detachment, 1st Medical Brigade, from San Antonio, and Texas A&M University personnel, trained local veterinarians on the latest procedures to diagnose and treat sheep, cattle and camels. The teams used video-teleconferencing to connect local veterinarians with Texas A&M professors.

The team vaccinated, dewormed and dipped 28,000 sheep, and treated more than 150 cattle during a three-day period, officials said.

The medical detachment analyzed animal blood and tissue samples provided by the Muthanna Veterinary Department to diagnose livestock diseases in the province. These evaluations are a useful tool in helping local veterinarians determine preventive and treatment strategies for the region's livestock, officials said.

(From a Multinational Division Center news release.)

CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News- October 3, 2008

Crucell [a company] receives NIAID[National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases] /NIH [National Institutes of Health] contract for development of Ebola and Marburg vaccines
"Dutch biopharma company Crucell N.V. […] today announced that it received a National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)/National Institutes of Health (NIH) contract aimed at advancing the development of a multivalent filovirus vaccine that includes both Ebola and Marburg viruses. The contract provides funding of up to $30 million, with additional options that may be triggered at the discretion of the NIH worth a further $40 million. […] Crucell will be the primary contractor with additional services being supplied by the Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research, located in San Antonio, Texas and Quintiles Guys Drug Research Unit, located in London." (Red Orbit; 03Oct08) http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/1576640/crucell_receives_niaidnih_contract_for_development_of_ebola_and_marburg/

If bioterrorists strike, letter carriers might deliver antibiotics
"[…] Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt yesterday proposed a solution to one of the bigger challenges in responding to an anthrax bioterrorism attack -- how to deliver protective antibiotics to tens of thousands of people overnight. The tentative answer: have the mailman (and -woman) do the job. As an incentive to the letter carriers -- who would be volunteers -- the government would issue them in advance an antibiotic supply large enough to treat themselves and their families. They would also be accompanied by police officers on their rounds[…] The strategy has the full support of the Postal Service and its unions, spokesmen said."
(WashingtonPost.com; 02Oct08; David Brown) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/01/AR2008100102929_pf.html

Rethinking who should be considered 'essential' during a pandemic flu outbreak
"Not only are doctors, nurses, and firefighter essential during a severe pandemic influenza outbreak. So, too, are truck drivers, communications personnel, and utility workers. That's the conclusion of a Johns Hopkins University article to be published in the journal of Biosecurity and Bioterrorism. The report, led by Nancy Kass, Sc.D, Deputy Director of Public Health for the Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics, provides ethical guidance for pandemic planning that ensures a skeletal infrastructure remain intact at all times. Dr. Kass says, ‘when preparing for a severe pandemic flu it is crucial for leaders to recognize that if the public has limited or no access to food, water, sewage systems, fuel and communications, the secondary consequences may cause greater sickness, death and social breakdown than the virus itself.’" (Phys Org; 02Oct08;
Source: Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics) http://www.physorg.com/news142173611.html

U.S. Government to purchase additional 14.5 million doses of BioThrax under new contract valued at up to $404 Million
"Emergent BioSolutions Inc. […] announced today that it has signed a new, multi-year, firm fixed price contract with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to supply an additional 14.5 million doses of BioThrax […], its FDA licensed anthrax vaccine, for inclusion in the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS). The total value of this follow-on contract is between $364 million and $404 million, with the higher amount tied to the delivery of product having four-year expiry dating." (Pharma Live; 01Oct08) http://www.pharmalive.com/News/index.cfm?articleid=574152&categoryid=10

Indian co. Panacea enters into alliance with US-based Pharmathene
"Indian vaccine manufacturer Panacea Biotec on Wednesday said it has entered into a strategic alliance with US-based PharmAthene and will invest US$13.1 million dollars in it. The transaction is expected to close by October 20, 2008, it added. […] PharmAthene is a biodefense company engaged in developing medical products against biological and chemical weapons. Panacea Biotec is the second largest vaccine manufacturer in India."(TradingMarkets; 02Oct08) http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/1915610/

3 due in court charged with publisher attack plot
"Three men charged with plotting to attack the publisher of a novel about the wife of the Prophet Muhammad are due in court in London. Ali Beheshti, Abrar Mirza and Abbas Taj were charged late Thursday with plotting to damage the offices of Gordon Square publishers. Beheshti was also charged with possession of a weapon designed or adapted for the discharge of a noxious liquid or gas. The three men were arrested early Sept. 27 under anti-Terrorism laws, but were not charged with any terrorist offenses."
(Associated Press; 03Oct08)
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hmhSP2lwNIHmUPBS9smXCM45cdJgD93IVI200

Study: weapons waste can be safely moved [Kentucky]
"Waste left over from chemical weapons disposal at the Blue Grass Army Depot is safe to ship off-site, according to a study released Monday from the National Research Council (NRC) committee. The experience to date with the off-site shipment and treatment of mustard and nerve agent hydrolysates from (other chemical weapons disposal sites) indicates that off-site transportation and disposal of these materials is a safe and technically viable course of action, the report states." (The Richmond Register; 01Oct08; Ronica Shannon) http://www.richmondregister.com/localnews/local_story_276075441.html

Russia: Chemical weapons disposal site to be launched in March 2009
"A regional commission for scrapping chemical weapons in Kirov Region has examined the readiness of the Maradykovskiy chemical weapons disposal site to launch its second phase in March 2009, the press centre of the regional government said on 30 September. The second stage facilities are equipped to scrap ammunition filled with the toxic substances sarin and soman. The remaining ammunition filled with VX gas is being scrapped at Maradykovskiy, the press centre said. At the same time, equipment is being assembled at all facilities that will be used to scrap sarin and soman. Testing and commissioning work will begin on 1 December 2008 and will be completed by March 2009." (RedOrbit; 01Oct08; Source: Interfax) http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1574176/russia_chemical_weapons_disposal_site_to_be_launched_in_march/#

$12 million approved for US 25 road work [Kentucky]
"Congress has approved $12 million for the widening of [highway] US 25 from the EKU (Eastern Kentucky University) Bypass to the KY 421 split, also known as the ‘Defense Access Road,’ by those associated with the chemical weapons destruction project at the Blue Grass Army Depot. […] The completed project for US 25 is estimated to cost about $28.5 million." (Richmond Register; 02Oct08; Ronica Shannon) http://www.richmondregister.com/localnews/local_story_276075334.html

Mobile, networked radiation detectors help the law find dirty bombs
"What do you get when you cross California nuclear chemists with New Jersey policemen? A mobile, and wirelessly networked, radiation detector jammed into the trunk of a Chevy Suburban called the RadTruck. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory scientists and their business partners, Textron Defense Systems, demoed the $250,000 trucks yesterday to reporters and revealed they'd been patrolling the streets and sensitive infrastructure of Jersey for the past year. RadTrucks are able to identify radioactive sources as small as a grain of sand within a dozen feet of its side-mounted detectors while traveling at 45 miles per hour, which makes it particularly useful for monitoring highways." (Wired; 02Oct08; Alexis Madrigal)
http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/10/livermore-calif.html

Optical material could enable universal laser
"A new optical fiber material could enable laser-based devices to be built operating at multiple frequencies. The new material--cesium zirconium phosphorus selenium (CsZrPSe6)--can add, subtract and double laser beam wavelengths, enabling devices with two laser sources to produce many usable wavelengths. […] Argonne researchers claim the new technology could be used in sensors that detect biological and chemical weapons." (EE Times; 02Oct08; R. Colin Johnson)
http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=210605464

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.

U.S. Northern Command gains dedicated response force

PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. -- For the first time in its existence, U.S. Northern Command is gaining a dedicated force to respond to potential chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and high-yield explosive (CBRNE) incidents in the homeland.

"We are now building the first of three CBRNE Consequence Management Forces," said USNORTHCOM Commander Gen. Gene Renuart. "On the first of October, we’ll have an organized force, a trained force, an equipped force, a force that has adequate command and control and is on quick response – 48 hours – to head off to a large-scale nuclear, chemical, biological event that might require Department of Defense support."

The CBRNE Consequence Management Force, or CCMRF, is a team of about 4,700 joint personnel that would deploy as the Department of Defense’s initial response force for a CBRNE incident. Its capabilities include search and rescue, decontamination, medical, aviation, communications and logistical support.

Each CCMRF will be composed of three functional task forces – Task Force Operations, Task Force Medical and Task Force Aviation – that have their own individual operational focus and set of mission skills. Depending on the different mission requirements and the incident commander’s priorities, Task Force Operations, Task Force Medical and Task Force Aviation units would have varying roles and responsibilities based upon the type of catastrophe and the size of the geographical area. In USNORTHCOM’s first CCMRF, the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team, assigned at Fort Stewart, Ga., will form the core unit of Task Force Operations.

Although CCMRFs are a joint force comprised of Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines, the first CCMRF will fall under the operational control of USNORTHCOM’s Joint Force Land Component Command, U.S. Army North, located in San Antonio, Texas. Joint Task Force Civil Support, USNORTHCOM’s subordinate command in Fort Monroe, Va., would serve as the operational headquarters and work closely with state and local officials and first responders.

“U.S. Army North has done an outstanding job anticipating the needs of our federal, state and local partners, and training the CCMRF to be prepared to respond when called upon,” said Army Col. Michael Boatner, USNORTHCOM future operations division chief.

“We’re excited about obtaining a ready and capable team that we can quickly activate and deploy as part of a federal response package when responding in the aftermath of catastrophic events,” Boatner said. “This response force will not be called upon to help with law enforcement, Civil disturbance or crowd control, but will be used to support lead agencies involved in saving lives, relieving suffering and meeting the needs of communities affected by weapons of mass destruction attacks, accidents or even natural disasters.”

USNORTHCOM is the joint combatant command formed in the wake of the Sept.11, 2001, terrorist attacks to provide homeland defense and defense support of Civil authorities.

CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News- September 5, 2008

Isolation Measures for Controlling Epidemics
“[…] the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and Stimson's Global Health Security Program are convening a workshop on ‘social distancing’ techniques such as quarantines. […] The panel discussion is set for 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 pm, Wednesday, 10 September at the Henry L. Stimson Center Conference Room, 12th floor, 1111 19th Street, NW, Washington, DC.” (Medical News Today; 04Sep08) http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/120217.php

Emergent BioSolutions wins $24.3M to fight anthrax
“Emergent BioSolutions Inc. has won a contract worth $24.3 million from the Department of Health and Human Services to research an experimental drug to fight anthrax. […] The bulk of the money, $20 million, would be used to complete the first phase of human testing for the antibody-based drug, which is designed to treat people who have already been exposed to anthrax. It has been tested in mice, rats and rabbits, and now must be tested in humans, first to see if it is safe, and then to see if it works.The grant will only underwrite the first phase of that testing, though it will also cover costs from making more of the drug for the trials.” (Washington Business Journal; 03Sep08; Mara Lee) http://sanantonio.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2008/09/01/daily28.html

Navy Awards Contract to Develop Biosensors for Blood Pathogens and Warfare Threats
“Fairway Medical Technologies, Inc. has received a $900,000, 3-year contract from the Department of the Navy to apply its optoacoustic technology to the real-time detection of blood borne pathogens and biological warfare agents under battlefield conditions. This grant is part of a larger, $3 million project led by Prof. Randolph Glickman, Principal Investigator from the University of Texas Health Science Center (UTHSC) at San Antonio. The grant, entitled ‘Rapid identification of pathogenic agents in biological samples using pulsed laser optoacoustic spectroscopy with targeted nanoparticle contrast agents,’ will be carried out as a collaborative project between UTHSC, Fairway Medical Technologies and the Naval Health Research Center Detachment Directed Energy Bioeffects Laboratory at Brooks City-Base.” (Nano Werk; 04Sep08) http://www.nanowerk.com/news/newsid=7097.php

SIGA Technologies Awarded $55 Million by Federal Government to Develop Broader Applications for Its Lead Drug Candidate ST-246
“SIGA Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq:SIGA), a company specializing in the development of pharmaceutical agents to fight bio-warfare pathogens, today announced that it has been awarded a contract of $55 million from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and The Office of the Biomedical Advance Research and Development Authority (BARDA), within the Department of Health and Human Services, to support development of additional formulations and smallpox-related indications for ST-246, SIGA's lead drug candidate. ST-246 is a potent, non-toxic inhibitor of orthopoxviruses that is in advanced development efforts to obtain regulatory approval.” (Globe Newswire; 03Sep08)
http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/news.html?d=149571

Researchers uncover Ebola cell-invasion strategy
“University of Texas Medical Branch [UTMB] at Galveston researchers have discovered a key biochemical link in the process by which the Ebola Zaire virus infects cells - a critical step to finding a way to treat the deadly disease produced by the virus. […] The UTMB group tied Ebola's cellular invasion mechanism to a series of biochemical reactions called the phophoinositide-3 kinase pathway (named for an enzyme found in the cell membrane). By activating the PI3 kinase pathway, they found, an Ebola virus particle tricks the cell into drawing it into a bubble-like compartment known as an endosome, which is pulled, together with the virus, into the cell. Then - at a critical point - the virus bursts free from the endosome and begins to reproduce itself. However, if the PI3 kinase pathway is shut down - as the UTMB team did with a drug designed for that purpose - Ebola virus particles can't escape from the endosome, and the disease process comes to a halt.” (Science Centric; 04Sep08)
http://www.sciencecentric.com/news/article.php?q=08090436

3 million hours, no injuries [Blue Grass Chemical Depot construction Site, Kentucky]
“Destroying the chemical weapons stockpile at the Blue Grass Army Depot will be a dangerous task, but those working to build the destruction facility are playing it safe, and have for more than 3 million hours. [without work related injuries] […] Bechtel Parsons was chosen by the Department of Defense’s Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives program to be responsible for designing, building, systemizing, testing, operating and closing the facility that will be used to destroy the weapons stored at the depot.” (Richmond Register; 03Sep08; Ronica Shannon) http://www.richmondregister.com/localnews/local_story_247082043.html

Nord Stream [pipeline] construction to retreat from Sweden, near Poland
“Last year, after controversy arose around the pipeline's crossing the disputed Polish-Danish territory, and Warsaw's being uncompromising adversary of the pipeline, another way was chosen — to the north of Bornholm. The new option of pipeline construction was also massively criticized. This time, it was attacked by environmentalists who brought to notice its being unsafe for navigation and environment, arguing that disposals of chemical weapons were located north of Bornholm. This time, it was decided to return to the south option, laying it, however, round all the disputed locations. […] ‘The bypass of the known locations where conventional and chemical weapons had been disposed of was the priority in our choosing the route.’ Soil sample tests analyzed in laboratories of the Danish Hydraulic Institute (DHI) and Finnish Institute for Verification of the Chemical Weapons Convention (VERIFIN) proved the new S-Route to be safer for environment.” (Regnum; 05Sep08) http://www.regnum.ru/english/1050778.html

Terror suspect [Aafia Siddiqui] misses Brooklyn court date
“The Pakistani MIT graduate accused of firing two shots at an Army captain while being detained on suspicion of terrorist activities in Afghanistan failed to show up for her arraignment in federal court in Manhattan yesterday due to poor health, her attorney said. The attorney for Aafia Siddiqui, 36, said her client, who is suffering from a gunshot wound, isn't well enough to come to court. Elizabeth M. Fink asked that Siddiqui be arraigned at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, where she is being housed, and hospitalized. […] According to a criminal complaint, on July 17, Siddiqui was apprehended outside a government building in central Afghanistan's Ghazni province after police found documents in her purse listing directions on how to make explosives and chemical weapons, along with a list of several American landmarks.” (Newsday; 05Sep08; Daniel Edwards) http://www.newsday.com/news/local/newyork/ny-nyterr055830052sep05,0,1191282.story

Iraq to open Saddam abuse museum at Abu Ghraib
“The notorious Abu Ghraib prison is getting a facelift: work to reopen the facility and construct a museum documenting Saddam Hussein's crimes — but not the abuses committed there by U.S. guards. […] Former inmates have told of chemical and biological weapons experiments on prisoners, and the execution of hundreds in the 1990s as part of a campaign by Saddam's son, Qusai, to ease crowding.” (Associated Press; Bushra Juhi) http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gkx-3oYeFwuWKCusr2jrojs98w8wD93041SG0

Secrets of 'sexed-up' WMD dossier must be told, watchdog orders ministers
“Ministers were under mounting pressure last night to publish secret details about the 'sexed-up' dossier on Iraq that helped take Britain to war. The Information Commissioner ordered civil servants to release undisclosed emails and memos about a draft of the dossier which supposedly set out the threat posed by Saddam Hussein. […] He said it was clearly in the public interest to know what alterations to the dossier were proposed in the days before it was published. This was because the undisclosed material could provide 'evidence that the dossier was deliberately manipulated in order to present an exaggerated case for military action'. […] The dossier was published by the then Prime Minister to set out the Government's case for the war, which began in March 2003. It claimed the Iraqi dictator was stockpiling weapons of mass destruction […] [and] that Saddam could launch devastating chemical and biological attacks within 45 minutes of ordering a strike.” (Daily Mail; 05Sep08; Ian Drury) http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1052352/Watchdog-rejects-No-10s-plea-sexed-WMD-dossier-secret.html

Briefing on the History of Libya’s WMD Effort and Dismantlement Program and Libya’s Renunciation of Terrorism
“[Ambassador Dell Dailey said] ‘Coming off of the state sponsor Terrorism list is a pretty powerful tool. And both with the Libyans and with the North Koreans, it was a request on their part for us to extend this if they went through the appropriate WMD and nuclear and denuclearization process. It is a model for other countries to use […] They’ve been off the list since June 2006. And in that timeframe, there’s been some very close cooperation in virtually all the areas of counterterrorism across the national aspect: diplomatic, military, intelligence services, economics. So it’s been a good move. […].’ [Additionally, Assistant Secretary Paula DeSutter mentioned] ‘there were many cases where Libya took us to facilities that we could have never known about. And so that level of demonstration – in fact, on the biological weapons issues, we said, okay, we are now convinced that […] while there was an early program that [i]s terminating, how are we going to be sure that you’re not going to pursue that in the future? It’s very difficult to verify. And their answer was, oh, get U.S. companies to come in co-production with us and then you’ll know everything that we’re doing – a little bit of a misunderstanding about how much U.S. companies report to us.’” (U.S. Department of State;
03Sep08)
http://www.state.gov/t/vci/rls/rm/109126.htm

New 'chemical radar' among national security innovations in ACS [American Chemical Society] podcast
“[…] the American Chemical Society (ACS) has issued a new podcast describing an array of technologies to help assure personal safety and national security. The podcast is the sixth episode in ACS's acclaimed Global Challenges/Chemistry Solutions series. […] One segment, for instance, focuses on scientific advances toward early detection of bioterrorism attacks with biological threats that the National Institutes of Health calls Category A agents. […] [discussing the radar] ‘Instead of using radio waves to see distant bombers and battleships, these new technologies use laser beams to detect atmospheric chemical weapons.’ The technology could be useful for detecting nerve agents drifting into an area in a suspicious-looking cloud and distinguishing them from chemically similar but harmless pesticides that might have been sprayed on a farm field […].” (Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News; 04Sep08; Charmayne Marsh, Eureka Alert)
http://www.genengnews.com/news/bnitem.aspx?name=41310564

Battelle wins pair of Air Force chem-bio deals
“Battelle Memorial Institute has won two Air Force contracts totaling
$16.5 million to assist in developing procedures to respond to chemical exposure and chemical weapons attacks. Under a $9.5 million contract, Battelle will develop effective methods for measuring chemical agents and toxic industrial chemicals and materials and their effect on humans […] the company will be responsible for sharing procedures and methodologies developed as part of the project with public health organizations. Under a
$7 million contract, the company will establish procedures for chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear attack response and related emergency response training, DOD said. The company also will develop techniques for associated risk assessment, mitigation and management.” (Washington technology; 05Sep08; William Welsh) http://www.washingtontechnology.com/online/1_1/33446-1.html

[Syrian President Bashar] Assad's charm offensive [Editorial]
“Yesterday [02Sep08], French President Nicolas Sarkozy arrived in Damascus on the first visit by a Western leader to Syria […] since February 2005. He is joined there today by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Qatari Emir Hamad bin Khalifa for a summit meeting […] The summit also comes after news that another round of indirect talks between Israel and Syria is set to begin on Sunday. […] According to military Intelligence's head of research, [Brigadier General] Yossi Baidatz, as of June 2007, Syria was ‘accelerating military acquisition.’ In late 2006, the US State Department's […] John C. Rood, testified that Syria was engaged in research and development for an offensive biological warfare program.” (Jerusalem Post; 03Sep08)
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1220444321685&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

CNS ChemBio-WMD Terrorism News is prepared by the Chemical and Biological Weapons Nonproliferation Program of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in order to bring timely and focused information to researchers and policymakers interested in the fields of chemical, biological, and radiological weapons nonproliferation and WMD Terrorism.

CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News- August 22, 2008

North Carolina wants out, but [San Antonio] still pushing for bio-defense lab
“[…] while elected officials in North Carolina recently notified federal officials of their opposition to having the facility built in Butner (one of the finalist sites) due to unanswered environmental concerns, Texas political officials continue to push hard for their entry — a Texas Research Park site located just west of San Antonio. Local leaders contend that the Alamo City, which already is home to a high-risk bio lab, has the expertise and experience to safely support the proposed DHS facility.” (San Antonio Business Journal; 22Aug08; W. Scott Bailey and Catherine
Dominguez)
http://washington.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/stories/2008/08/25/story1.html

Universal Detection Technology [UDT] Comments on Reports of ‘White Powder’ Scare at McCain's Denver Headquarters [Manchester, New Hampshire]
“John McCain's headquarters in suburban Denver were evacuated on Thursday after a worker opened a threatening letter and discovered white powder inside. A McCain spokesman told the Associated Press that a similar letter was sent to a McCain office in Manchester, N.H. He did not know if it also contained a powder. Linda Watson, a spokeswoman for Sky Ridge Medical Center in suburban Centennial, Co., said four workers from the office drove themselves to the hospital. She said they underwent decontamination procedures, but showed no signs or symptoms of exposure to a toxic substance.” (Market Watch; 22Aug08; UDT) http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/universal-detection-Technology -comments-reports/story.aspx?guid=%7BBFBE8C5F-924D-490D-B883-69F51D3855FC%7D&dist=hppr

New hazardous materials notification in place [Granite City, Illinois]
“The Emergency Management Agency has added new software to relay information about incidents to the 40-member Hazardous Response Team scattered across Madison County. Agency Coordinator Larry Ringering said the new system allows the county to send specifics in e-mail messages and cell phones to members, who then respond whether they can head to the scene. That real-time response feature, Ringering said, allows the county to figure out how many team members are en route to a scene.” (Granite City Press Record; 22Aug08; Chris Coates) http://granitecitypress-record.stltoday.com/articles/2008/08/22/news/sj2tn20080822-0820cvj-hazmat0000.ii1.txt

Colorado State: Animal Diseases and Traceability
“One possible way to combat spread of contagious diseases is through animal traceability. Ability to rapidly identify locations where an animal has been affects the ability to isolate, trace, and arrest spread of the disease. Animal traceability systems are rapidly developing throughout the world, and the U.S. is behind many other countries in this development. Efforts to develop animal ID systems in the U.S. were launched prior to the initial BSE [bovine spongiform encephalopathy] discovery, but they gained considerable momentum afterwards. […] The objective of this study was to determine the economic implications of improvements in animal ID systems on a hypothetical FMD [Foot & Mouth Disorder] outbreak in southwest Kansas. Specifically, a disease spread model was used to determine the probable spread of a hypothetical FMD outbreak. Results from the disease spread model were integrated into an economic framework to determine the economic impacts. […] In general, as traceability levels were increased, consumer and producer losses associated with a FMD outbreak become smaller.” (Cattle Network; 22Aug08; Dustin Pendell, Colorado State University)
http://www.cattlenetwork.com/Content.asp?ContentID=246957

U.S. Military Suspending Activities at Labs
“The U.S. Military has suspended some activities at bio-research labs following the suicide of a Fort Detrick scientist. Officials say the measure is part of an effort to review safety rules for handling some of the world's most deadly germs and toxins. Investigators say doctor Bruce Ivins worked with anthrax during his employment at Fort Detrick.” (Your 4 State; 22Aug08; Angelique Gonzalez)
http://your4state.com/content/fulltext/?cid=27101

Critics say monitors sniffing Denver air don't make us safe
“Every night and day, monitors placed on rooftops across Denver are sniffing the air for biological weapons, including anthrax, the plague and smallpox. […] The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will not say how many monitors have been placed in Denver or where they are located. Filters are collected at least once a day from the monitors and the samples are analyzed at the state lab in Lowry. The samples are tested for six dangerous pathogens that could pose a health threat if aerosolized and released to the environment. […]Denver is one of 30 cities participating in the pilot program since it began in 2003. […] The BioWatch program was largely criticized this summer by some of the participating states and in a report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO). Among other things, critics say it takes too long, up to 36 hours, for labs to get test results. In an actual bio-attack, that would be too late for some people.” (9 News Colorado; 22Aug08; Deborah Sherman)
http://www.9news.com/seenon9news/article.aspx?storyid=98120&catid=509

FDA Unleashes Mass Irradiation of Spinach, Lettuce and Other Vegetables
“The FDA has announced that beginning today, spinach and lettuce sold across the United States may now be secretly irradiated before it reaches grocery store shelves. What's ‘secret’ about it? The FDA previously decided that irradiation warning stickers would not be required on any food items because it would be ‘too confusing to consumers.’ […] Radiation, of course, destroys delicate phytochemicals in plants -- the very phytochemicals protecting consumers against cancer, heart disease, high cholesterol, inflammation and other diseases. Microwaving broccoli, for example, destroys up to 98% of its anti-cancer nutrients.” (Natural News; 22Aug08; Mike Adams) http://www.naturalnews.com/023945.html

Rapid Test for Pathogens Developed By K-State [Kansas] Researchers Could Be Used to Detect Diseases Used By Bioterrorists
“Traditionally, it takes days and multiple lab workers to screen a sample of soil, water or feces for just one pathogen. Additional time is then needed to look for resistance to antibiotics. The new test developed at K-State simultaneously looks for multiple diseases and antibiotic resistance, reducing the time it takes from sampling to diagnosis to about
24 hours. […] So far they can detect as many as 557 genes, making it possible for them to screen for 40 different species of bacteria, 1,200 serotypes of Salmonella, five common serotypes of E. coli, and resistance to the 45 most common antibiotics used to treat human and animal illnesses caused by these pathogens.” (eMedia World; 21Aug08; Kansas State University)
http://www.emediaworld.com/press_release/release_detail.php?id=141296

Army research on invisibility not science fiction
“Dr. Richard Hammond, a theoretical physicist who works in Optical Physics and Imaging Science at the U.S. Army's Research Office, participated in a blogger's roundtable to discuss the developments in the field of negative index materials research and meta materials. Developing research in these areas is making light reflect in ways it never has before - with extraordinary effect. […] ‘If you're out on the battlefield and you see a cloud coming, or you suspect there might be an aerosol chemical or biological warfare being used against you, it's very difficult to quickly detect what the material is,’ said Hammond. With the new meta materials being developed, however, the ability exists to see things smaller than the wavelength of light - something that has never been done before, according to Hammond. Utilizing meta materials in the creation of a new lens may allow Soldiers to be able to see pathogens and viruses that are currently impossible to detect with any visual device.” (US Army News; 21Aug08; Lindy Kyzer) http://www.army.mil/-news/2008/08/21/11813-army-research-on-invisibility-not-science-fiction/

Chilling E-Mail Details 'Dangerous' Triple Murder Case [Riverside County, California]
“The Riverside County Sheriff's department is looking into possible connections between a triple murder in 1981 and murder-suicide in 2005 that claimed six lives. […] Three people were murdered execution style in a Rancho Mirage home on July 1st, 1981. There were never any arrests. The victims included Cabazon Indian Vice Chairman Fred Alvarez. Family members say he was going to blow the whistle on a business partnership between defense contractor Wackenhut Services and the Cabazon Indians to build machine guns and biological weapons for Central American countries.”
(KESQ; 20Aug08; Nathan Baca)
http://www.kesq.com/Global/story.asp?S=8874668&nav=9qs0GRhY

India getting ready to face biological war from terrorists
“India Friday released its biological disaster management guidelines with a focus on preparing for biological warfare from terrorists using bacteria and viruses. The guidelines also emphasise developing a medical network to handle critical situations. […] The guidelines also speak of establishing an early warning system and coordination between public health medical care and intelligence agencies to prevent bio-terrorism. NDMA Vice-chairman N.C. Vij, a retired Army chief, said besides bio-terrorism, the guidelines also focus on several problems like bird flu, plague and other such pandemics.” (Bombay News; 22Aug08)
http://www.bombaynews.net/story/397738

McConnell and Chandler visit Army Depot
“The destruction of the chemical weapons at the Blue Grass Army Depot has loomed over the heads of Sen. Mitch McConnell and Congressman Ben Chandler since both men entered office. Now well into their political careers, the Kentucky lawmakers said Thursday they are pleased with the progress of the construction of a facility that will destroy the chemical weapons. McConnell, R-Ky., and Chandler, D-Ky., who last year successfully pushed for a 2017 deadline of the weapons disposal, addressed the public after a tour of the depot’s Blue Grass Chemical Agent Destruction Pilot Plant.”
(Lexington Herald-Leader; 22Aug08; Ashlee Clark) http://www.kentucky.com/211/story/497763.html

Army reports small sodium hydroxide spills on depot roadway [Umatilla Chemical Depot, Oregon]
“A tanker truck delivering sodium hydroxide (NaOH) to the Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility (UMCDF) accidentally spilled a small amount of the caustic solution on a paved depot roadway. Sodium hydroxide or ‘lye’ is a common industrial chemical used in soap, laundering, and oven and drain cleaners. At the UMCDF, it’s used to neutralize acid gases in the UMCDF Pollution Abatement System (PAS) and to decontaminate demilitarization machines. Depot personnel trained in dealing with hazardous materials spills responded promptly. They remediated two small spills, each about two feet in diameter and less than a gallon each.” (U.S. Army Chemical Materials Agency; 21Aug08; Bruce Hendrickson)
http://www.cma.army.mil/fndocumentviewer.aspx?docid=003678681

Depot detects trace of mustard chemical agent vapor during routine storage area monitoring [Umatilla Chemical Depot, Oregon]
“A depot chemical operations monitoring crew detected trace amounts of HD mustard chemical agent vapor today inside a depot storage structure that houses bulk containers. The trace of mustard chemical agent vapor was detected during routine monitoring. The vapor is likely due to a leaking bulk container or ‘ton container.’ There is no danger to the public or environment. The storage structure, commonly called an ‘igloo,’ has a passive filtration system that prevents chemical agent vapor from escaping outside the structure.” (U.S. Army Chemical Materials Agency; 21Aug08)
http://www.cma.army.mil/fndocumentviewer.aspx?docid=003678683

VIASPACE Subsidiary's $750,000 Army Contract for Robotic Detection of Chemical Warfare Agents and Explosives Featured in Defense News
“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. […] Ionfinity's goal is to complete the process -- sampling, ionizing, analyzing -- in about six seconds. Ionfinity expects to have completed field demonstrations and be ready to begin production in about two years.” (Your Defense News; 21Aug08; PRnewswire)
http://www.yourdefencenews.com/news_item.php?newsID=9236

Residents demand execution of Chemical Ali
“Residents in northern Sulaimaniya province sent a letter to the Iraqi government calling for the execution of ‘Chemical Ali’ and others for war crimes. […]Residents also called on the Iraqi government to compensate family members of the Anfal victims. Iraqi authorities in February said Majid would hang ‘in a matter of days.’ He allegedly suffered a heart attack in April due to a hunger strike and was returned to a U.S.
detention facility.” (Middle East Times; 22Aug08; United Press
International)
http://www.metimes.com/Security/2008/08/21/residents_demand_execution_of_chemical_ali/ffbd/

British court backs claim by Guantanamo detainee
“A British court yesterday said that a terror suspect being held at Guantanamo Bay had a credible argument that the United States had illegally spirited him away to Morocco and that he was tortured there. […] Because the American government would not turn over the information, the British government had an obligation to turn over potentially exculpatory material in its files, the court ruled. […] Mohamed, 30, a British resident before his arrest, told British intelligent agents in April 2002, that he had seen instructions on a website on how to make a bomb. ‘Part of the instructions included adding bleach to uranium 238 in a bucket and rotating it around one's head for 45 minutes,’ Mohamed told the agents, according to the court's judgment. Mohamed said he had concluded that the instructions were a ‘joke.’ […] Mohamed faces a trial by an American Military commission on several charges of conspiracy to commit acts of terrorism, including the detonation of a ‘dirty bomb.’” (Boston Globe; 22Aug08; Raymond Bonner, NYT) http://www.boston.com/news/world/europe/articles/2008/08/22/british_court_backs_claim_by_guantanamo_detainee/

Press ‘one’ for nuclear attack
“According to China Radio International the Academy of Military Medical Sciences in Beijing has opened a 24 hour hotline ‘providing advice and technical support in the event of attacks by nuclear, biological or chemical weapons.’” (Shanghai ist; 23Aug08) http://shanghaiist.com/2008/08/23/press_one_for_nuclear_attack.php

Proposed FBI guidelines allow investigation sans suspicion
“Attorney General Michael Mukasey has agreed to postpone implementation of new FBI guidelines, after four Democratic senators raised concerns in a letter Wednesday about proposed changes that they say could permit the FBI to launch investigations of American citizens without any individualized basis for suspicion. The letter, signed by Sens. Russ Feingold (D-WI), Ted Kennedy (D-MA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), concerned a draft of the Attorney General's Guidelines governing criminal and intelligence inquiries by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The draft itself has not been made public, though The New York Times reports that the guidelines could be released next month.” (Ars Technica; 22Aug08; Julian Sanchez) http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080822-proposed-fbi-guidelines-allow-investigation-sans-suspicion.html

Gains with Russia feared as casualty
“Washington officials shouldn’t let anger over Russia’s occupation of Georgia spoil nearly a generation of cooperation on programs to destroy Cold War-era stockpiles of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons scattered across Russia and its former republics, experts cautioned. ‘The temptation has certainly been in the past – especially from Congress – to lash out at these kind of cooperative programs under the mistaken perception that these are favors to Russia,’ said Laura Holgate, senior vice president for Russia-new independent states programs at the Nuclear Threat Initiative. The main program was created by Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., and then-Sen. Sam Nunn, D-Ga., 16 years ago and has deactivated, destroyed or locked up thousands of warheads and hundreds of bombers, vials of anthrax and other germs that can be used in warfare, and facilities that made chemical weapons.” (Jouranl Gazette; 21Aug08; Sylvia A. Smith) http://www.journalgazette.net/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080821/NEWS03/808210429/1002/LOCAL

CNS ChemBio-WMD terrorism News is prepared by the Chemical and Biological Weapons Nonproliferation Program of the James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in order to bring timely and focused information to researchers and policymakers interested in the fields of chemical, biological, and radiological weapons nonproliferation and WMD terrorism.

CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News- August 13, 2008

Special report: War has always been a dirty 'biological' battle
“The earliest known application goes as far back as 600BC, when Assyrians poisoned enemy wells with Ergot. In 400BC, Scythian archers used to dip their arrows into a mixture of blood and manure. […] It comes therefore as little surprise that the English word ‘toxin’ is derived from the Greek word ‘toxikon’, meaning ‘arrow’. The ancient Roman and Greek armies threw dead bodies into the wells of their enemies to compromise their water supply. […] An enduring problem is that they are difficult to eradicate afterward; Gruinard Island, for example, is still heavily contaminated despite repeated attempts to clean it up. Nevertheless, after four millennia there is persistent interest in their application. They have developed from arrows to catapults to long-range missiles. Prohibitions placed upon their use have not hindered their development. We should be in no doubt that we will see them used again in conflicts around the world.”
(Irish Medical News; 11Aug08; Robert O'Sullivan) http://www.imt.ie/news/2008/08/war_has_always_been_a_dirty_bi.html

Man [Thomas Tholen] Pleads Guilty In Ricin Case
“A Utah man has pleaded guilty to charges he knew his cousin was making the deadly toxin ricin, but did not tell authorities. The ‘Salt Lake Tribune’ says 54-year-old Thomas Tholen pleaded guilty Monday to federal charges of knowing a biological agent had been illegally produced, and a count of making an untruthful statement to hide the fact. Tholen faces up to three years in prison and a 250-thousand-dollar fine when he's sentenced October 22nd. Federal prosecutors charge Tholen knew his cousin, Roger Bergendorff, was making ricin while he was staying in the basement of Tholen's Utah home.” (KXNT; 12Aug08)
http://www.kxnt.com/Man-Pleads-Guilty-In-Ricin-Case/2770488

Homeland Security rates possible sites for biolab; Manhattan among finalists
“The Homeland Security Department gave evaluation scores for 17 sites that were competing for a new laboratory to study human and animal diseases, according to internal documents obtained by The Associated Press. The scores from the five finalist locations are: 1. Granville County, N.C., 94[.] 2. San Antonio, 91[.] 3. Manhattan, Kan. 91[.] 4. Athens, Ga. 90[.] 5. Flora, Miss., 81.” (Topeka Capital Journal; 12Aug08) http://cjonline.com/stories/081208/kan_317613314.shtml

Advanced Life Sciences Awarded U.S. Department of Defense Biodefense Contract Valued at up to $3.8 Million
“Advanced Life Sciences Holdings […] today announced that the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) of the U.S. Department of Defense has awarded the Company a two-year contract worth up to $3.8 million to further study cethromycin as a potential broad-spectrum medical countermeasure.” (PR Newswire; 13Aug08) http://sev.prnewswire.com/health-care-hospitals/20080813/AQW04813082008-1.html

Better check on bio-labs
“The FBI spent $10 million on new genome technology to link the anthrax used in the mailings to the Fort Detrick biological weapons lab, where Ivins worked. That technology is good to have because of the complicated world we live in and the potential danger and hysteria that a mentally unstable worker with access to biological weapons could cause in our society. We also need tighter security at government labs.” (Muskogee Phoenix; 12Aug08) http://www.muskogeephoenix.com/opinion/local_story_225163332.html

[Boston University] BU wants to start training at biolab
“Boston University has asked the city for permission to start conducting training exercises at a laboratory being built to study some of the world's most dangerous germs. Construction of the $198 million National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratories in the South End is scheduled to end this summer. But actual research into Ebola, plague, anthrax and other deadly biological agents is not expected to start until next year.”
(Nashua Telegraph; 13Aug08)
http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080813/NEWS02/566266684/-1/news

Universal Detection technology Receives Purchase Order for Anthrax Detection Equipment from the State of Hawaii Emergency Medical Services
“Universal Detection technology (www.udetection.com) (OTCBB: UNDT), a developer of early-warning monitoring technologies to protect people from bioterrorism and other infectious health threats and provider of counter-terrorism consulting and training services, reported today that it has received a purchase order from the state of Hawaii Emergency Medical Services for its handheld bio-detection equipment. The purchase order is for handheld devices that test for Anthrax, Ricin Toxin, Botulinum Toxin, Y. Pestis (Plague), and Staphylococcal Entertoxin B (SEB).” (Trading Markets; 12Aug08) http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/1821871/

PanThera awarded $5.1M contract: the STI Industries subsidiary will develop an anti-anthrax drug
“PanThera Biopharma said yesterday it has won a $5.1 million contract for bioterrorism research. The Honolulu-based subsidiary of technology company STI Industries has been awarded a five-year contract from the National Institutes of Health, a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to develop a therapeutic drug for weaponized anthrax exposure.”
(Star Bulletin; 12Aug08; Jennifer Sudick) http://starbulletin.com/2008/08/12/business/story03.html

What if the FBI is Right, about Bruce Ivins? [Editorial]
“If the FBI theory on the man responsible for the anthrax attacks of 2001 is correct, then the threat of bioterrorism is far more troubling than we have imagined. […] ‘If the Unabomber had been a biologist instead of a mathematician, could he have produced a sophisticated bioweapon?’ The answer has always been ‘No: That would require a team of individuals.’ However, if the FBI is right about Ivins, such a lone individual can produce such a weapon.” (Wall Street Journal; 12Aug08; Randall Larsen) http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121850430521931913.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Our own worst bioenemy [Editorial]
“According to the CDC, infections caused by methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, kill 19,000 people a year. […] Only one of 40 staph toxins is on the priority list. There's another problem created by the priority-pathogens list. The ballooning of the biodefense program, according to Ebright, means that about 14,000 individuals are now considered qualified to work with priority pathogens. It hasn't always been easy to find qualified people for this research. In the days when the FBI was pursuing former ‘person of interest’ -- and now exonerated -- Steven J. Hatfill, one senior government scientist said of Hatfill's background, ‘You take what you can get -- not many people with his abilities show up very often.’ So where do 14,000 suddenly qualified biodefense experts come from? ‘[…] that's many more possibilities of another bizarre individual doing illicit work.’” (Los Angeles Times; 13Aug08; Wendy Orent) http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-orent13-2008aug13,0,1045104.story

Laser Energetics Successfully Completes Defense Contract With ITT
“Laser Energetics […] announced today that the Company has successfully completed the Proof-of-Concept contract worth $481,268 with ITT Corporation […] This contract supports the U.S. Army's initiative to develop an all solid-state laser for the next generation of chemical warfare agent sensor. This contract provided LEI the opportunity to design and demonstrate a high power all solid state Alexandrite pumping concept which is now part of the Laser Energetics' BrightStar(TM) product line.”
(Sun Herald; 12Aug08)
http://www.sunherald.com/prnewswire/story/743071.html

Smiths Detection and Torion Technologies Partner to Develop Highly Portable, Advanced Military & Emergency Response Chemical Threat Assessment technology “The use of Torion's proprietary toroidal technology (developed for its GUARDION-7(TM)) allows a well-established analytical technology, GC-MS (gas chromatography mass spectroscopy), to be used in a lighter and faster way than ever before. The unique size and weight of the new instrument do not compromise its ability to achieve the same high accuracy, sensitivity and selectivity of standard GC-MS technology.This technology is designed to identify a variety of substances such as Chemical Warfare Agents (CWAs), Volatile and Semi Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs & SVOCs) in air and liquid samples.” (Centre Dailty; 12Aug08; David Olsen) http://www.centredaily.com/business/technology/story/771525.html

Former Sri Lankan rebel commander says LTTE [Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam] may use chemical weapons as last resort
“Former leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in the Eastern Province and the current leader of the political party TMVP, Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman yesterday said that Military defeat is inevitable for the LTTE as it does not have a proper commander. […] During the briefing, he also warned that the Tigers may use chemical weapons as their last resort. He confirmed that the Tigers have the weapons but said he was not aware about the exact substance used. He confidently said that Prabhakaran would choose to use the chemical weapons as the last measure to avoid defeat.” (Sri Lankan Colombo Page; 12Aug08) http://www.colombopage.com/archive_08/August12171914JR.html

Bizarre Death of the Man Who Talked Too Much [Book Review]
“In ‘The Terminal Spy’ Alan S. Cowell, a veteran foreign correspondent for The New York Times, gives an absorbing account of Mr. Litvinenko’s life and bizarre murder. Along the way he explains how Russia lost and got back its tremendous energy resources after the fall of the Soviet Union, describes how wealthy Russians have turned London into ‘Moscow-on-the-Thames’ and tries to determine if the Litvinenko murder is the harbinger of a new and especially dangerous kind of terrorism.” (New York Times; 11Aug08; Joseph Weisberg) http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/12/books/12weisberg.html?ref=arts

New Terror Security Plan Would Photograph License Plates [New York]
“The NYPD is considering taking photographs of every license plate and scanning the information. An NYPD official tells Fox 5 News that the focus of Operation Sentinel is primarily for dirty bomb detection. The official also says there will be a way for drivers to register their cars so they won't be screened all the time.” (Fox News; 12Aug08; Kathy Carvajal)
http://www.myfoxny.com/myfox/pages/News/Detail?contentId=7190219&version=2&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=3.2.1

Seeking ban on highly enriched uranium in research
“Rep. Peter King (R-Seaford) and New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo are calling on the federal government to ban researchers from working with highly enriched uranium - saying they don't want it fall into the hands of terrorists. Taking the substance out of civilian laboratories will diminish the chances it could be used to make a so-called dirty bomb, they said yesterday. […] Seven research centers around the country use the substance, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council, which asked the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to institute the ban as soon as December 2009.” (Newsday; 13Aug08; Janie Lorber)

Iraqi Kurdistan: Mass Grave Discovered with 500 Dead
“The Society for Threatened Peoples (GfbV) has been informed that a new mass grave with 500 dead has been discovered in Iraq. […] They were either murdered during the so-called Anfal offensive under Saddam Hussein in 1987/88 or they were victims of the Barzan massacre of 1983 […] The Anfal Offensive was carried out under the leadership of Saddam Hussein’s cousin Ali Hassan Al Majid (better known under the name ‘Chemical Ali’). […] Chemical and biological weapons were also used here. The murders were aimed specifically at men of working age and boys aged between eleven and fifty years old to prevent active counter-attacks or later acts of revenge.” (Unrepresented Nations & Peoples Organization; 12Aug08) http://www.unpo.org/content/view/8508/116/

Using live fish, new tool a sentinel for environmental contamination
“Researchers have harnessed the sensitivity of days-old fish embryos to create a tool capable of detecting a range of harmful chemicals. By measuring rates of oxygen use in developing fish, which are sensitive to contaminants and stressful conditions, the technology could reveal the presence of minute levels of toxic substances before they cause more obvious and substantial harm. It could be used as an early warning system against environmental contamination or even biological weapons, said Purdue University researcher Marshall Porterfield, an associate professor of agricultural and biological engineering.” (Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News; 13Aug08; Douglas M. Main)
http://www.genengnews.com/news/bnitem.aspx?name=40358774

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.

Gates Praises Air Force Trainees, Assesses Training Initiatives

By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service

July 24, 2008 - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates got a glimpse today into major changes ahead in the Air Force's basic training program during a visit to Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, where he thanked trainees for their service and the contributions they soon will be making. Gates spent several hours at the San Antonio base known as "the Gateway to the Air Force," where about 600 new airmen graduate every week.

Despite pouring rain as the remnants of Hurricane Dolly moved through the region, the secretary toured the field training exercise area and watched trainees disassemble and reassemble M16 rifles and go through a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosives chamber, reported Oscar Balladares, base spokesman. Gates also got a peek at the improvised-explosive-device training trail.

During the visit, Gates got a briefing on the Air Force's plans to add two weeks to its current six-and-a-half-week basic training program, Balladares said. The expansion, slated for early November, is designed to enhance airmen's warfighting skills with more training in weapons handling and maintenance, integrated base defense, and emergency medicine.

In some respects, the visit was a walk down memory lane for Gates, who received his Air Force commission at Lackland in 1967.

Speaking to trainees during the celebrated coin ceremony and retreat as they received their Airman's Coin in anticipation of their graduation tomorrow, Gates praised the airmen for volunteering to serve in the U.S. military.

"It takes uncommon perseverance to make it through basic training, especially in the Texas heat, just as it takes uncommon patriotism to make the decision to join the military in a time of war," he said.

Gates reminded the airmen they're joining an Air Force with a storied past, from the Berlin Airlift to dogfights over Korea to today's missions in support of the war on terror.

He noted that the Air Force has flown more than 1 million missions since the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks, including tens of thousands of sorties flown over U.S. skies to protect the homeland. Meanwhile, he told them, the Air Force's constant presence in Iraq and Afghanistan "has saved countless American lives [and] the lives of innocent civilians and has left terrorists and insurgents with little room to operate."

In addition, the U.S. Air Force has helped stand up both the Iraqi and Afghan air forces, basically from scratch, over the last two years, he said.

At the same time, the Air Force is taking on more and more varied operations than ever before, Gates said. He noted that more than 6,000 airmen are performing nontraditional missions on the ground, from detainee operations to explosive ordnance disposal or convoy security to leading provincial reconstruction teams.

"Put simply, without the Air Force's contributions in the skies and in many cases, on the ground, America's war effort would simply grind to a halt," Gates told the airmen. "Every soldier and Marine in Iraq and Afghanistan is profoundly grateful to have you overhead, watching out for them."

Gates reminded the airmen that basic training is just the first step in a path on which they will be big players in defending the United States and its interests, both at home and overseas. "It is no easy task, but it is a vital one if the United States is to remain safe, prosperous and strong," he said.

The secretary told reporters after the ceremony that he has great faith in the future of the Air Force and its new leadership.

After visiting Lackland, Gates traveled across town to Fort Sam Houston, where he visited wounded warriors at Brooke Army Medical Center.

Fort Sam Assists With Reintegration of Freed Hostages

By Minnie Jones
Special to American Forces Press Service

July 11, 2008 - Years of preparation by U.S. Army South, Brooke Army Medical Center, Northrop Grumman Corp. and family members finally came to fruition on the night of July 2 when three American civilian contractors set foot in San Antonio. Marc Gonsalves, Thomas Howes and Keith Stansell, who were held captive for five and half years in a Colombian jungle, were escorted to Brooke Army Medical Center here to begin their recovery through a process known as reintegration.

"The purpose [of reintegration] is to provide a transition back to normal life after the strains of captivity," Army Maj. Gen. Keith Huber, commander of U.S. Army South, said. "U.S. Army South is honored to be the Department of Defense's designated agent on behalf of the U.S. Southern Command to conduct this process -- a process that we have trained, that we have rehearsed, and prepared to perform."

Gonsalves, Howes and Stansell worked as government contractors for Northrop Grumman, and while conducting a counternarcotics mission over a southern Colombian jungle in February 2003, their drug surveillance aircraft crashed. The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, a guerrilla group known by its Spanish acronym FARC, captured the crew, killing two and taking the three contractors hostage.

The three Americans, Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt and 11 Colombian national police and military members also held hostage by the FARC were flown to safety after being rescued in a Colombian military operation.

In a written public message issued July 3 by the three contractors, they specifically thanked "General Huber of United States Army South, General (James) Gilman of the Brooke Army Medical Center, Colonel (Wendy) Martinson of Garrison Fort Sam Houston and their staffs for the warm hospitality they've provided us and our families."

The contractors went on to affirm that the reintegration process that Army South and BAMC are conducting on their behalf is "worthwhile and important."

Reintegration has been around since the Vietnam War era and is designed to help returnees resume normal, professional, family and community activities with minimal physical and emotional complications. At BAMC, the former hostages were treated in much the same way as returned prisoners of war.

The process is broken down into three phases. Phase 1, "Initial Recovery," begins when personnel are retuned to U.S. control and individuals are given a medical examination and a psychological assessment.

Phase 2, "Transition Location," took place at BAMC, where the hostages received a more thorough medical examination. This phase of the process also involves formal debriefings and psychological decompression, depending on particular circumstances.

A Yellow Ribbon Ceremony in BAMC's auditorium July 7 marked the beginning of Phase 3, "Home Base," the last step of the reintegration process. During this step, the returnees meet with their families and address significant closure issues that may have arisen from their captivity.

"In the process of reintegration, our job is to try to facilitate that transition back to their previous situation in terms of family, work, etc.," Army Col. Carl Dickens, a BAMC psychologist, said. "The way we go about doing that is by helping them gradually reestablish some predictability and control over their experience. We help them identify some potential challenges that they may encounter as they make that transition, and then finally give them some action plans that they can use to help them as they go through that transition process."

July 7 was the first time the returnees spoke publicly since their rescue. This occasion marked the returnees' success in the reintegration process and provided a way to help them prepare for an "attempt at a normal life," Huber said.

The three returnees, along with their families, entered the auditorium to cheers and a standing ovation from Army officials, well-wishers, soldiers and members of the media. Howes, the first contractor to speak, compared his experience to falling off the edge of the Earth. He went on to thank Northrop Grumman for taking "extraordinary" care of his family while he was away.

"I thank my companions who helped me cope with difficult conditions during these years, ... the team of caring professionals at Brooke Army Medical Center for guiding us through the reintegration process, and my heartfelt thanks to all those people," Howes said. "We are doing well, but we can't forget those we left behind in captivity."

Gonsalves was the next to speak. "I'm grateful for the opportunity to speak out to the world," he said. "There was a time that when I slept, that I would dream that I was free; that time was only a few days ago. It feels so good to be free, to be here now, with all of you.

"To the American people," he continued, "thank you for remembering us there in the jungle, and I want to ask you to never forget that there are others still there."

When it was his turn to speak, Stansell walked up on stage carrying his twin 5-year-old sons, who were born while he was in captivity.

"It is my privilege to stand here before you with my family," he said. "My family, whose love and support sustained me through my most difficult ordeal of my life. They are the reason I am alive and standing with all of you today; their enthusiasm, dedication and unwavering love kept me alive."

All three contractors thanked the Colombian government for their dramatic rescue, Northrop Grumman for taking care of their families while they were held in captivity, and Fort Sam Houston and BAMC for the help in their transition to freedom.

"Although their time in captivity has been extremely difficult and at times traumatic, they have in general fared very well," said Army Col. (Dr.) Jackie Hayes, a BAMC physician. "They've shown themselves to be strong and adaptive."

(Minnie Jones works in the Fort Sam Houston Public Information Office.)

Colombian Military Rescues Hostages, Including U.S. Contractors

By John J. Kruzel
American Forces Press Service

July 3, 2008 - Colombia's military yesterday rescued 15 hostages, including three U.S. government contractors, from leftist revolutionary captors who had imprisoned the group in jungle camps since 2003. The contractors returned to the United States aboard a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III transport jet, which delivered them to Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, shortly before midnight.

They then traveled by helicopter to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio for treatment.

Marc Gonsalves, Thomas Howes and Keith Stansell -- all employees of the Los Angeles-based Northrop Grumman Corp. -- were captured in February 2003 after their drug-surveillance plane went down in the jungles of southern Colombia. They spent five years in captivity, the longest period of captivity for any American hostages.

"We are delighted with the safe recovery of these Americans after more than five years of captivity," Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said in a statement yesterday.

"We commend the government of Colombia for its sustained efforts to secure the safe return of all FARC hostages," Rice said, using the Spanish acronym for the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia captors. The United States has considered FARC a terrorist organization since November 2001.

"The United States calls on the FARC to release immediately all remaining hostages so they may be returned safely to their families," she said. "We hold the FARC responsible for the health and well-being of all hostages. Our thoughts and prayers remain with those still held by the FARC and their loved ones."

The rescue mission took place in Guaviare province, a jungle region in south-central Colombia, where commandos deceived a rebel unit into handing over the hostages, according to news reports.

By late afternoon, the prisoners, who included former Colombian presidential candidate Ingrid Betancourt, were flown to the main military air base in the Colombian capital of Bogota.

Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said the operation was planned, led and executed by Colombia.

Asked today if the United States played a role in the mission, Whitman said only that the two countries' militaries have a strong relationship that includes "a certain amount of cooperation and information sharing."

CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News- July 2, 2008

Ground beef is pulled from shelves at Ralphs
“Just three days away from the Fourth of July weekend, some Ralphs supermarkets in Hollywood, Silver Lake and Orange County on Tuesday pulled ground beef off their shelves in response to a Nebraska beef recall connected to an outbreak of E. coli illnesses, according to store managers.” (Los Angeles Times; 2July08; Louis Sahagun) http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-ralphs2-2008jul02,0,6955955.story

Gallium nitride photodetector targets bioterrorism
“New sensors based on gallium nitride could improve the detection of bioterror agents like anthrax. Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Savannah said gallium nitride avalanche photodectors could provide real-time detection of bioterrorism agents like anthrax by inducing fluorescence in the biological molecules floating in the air at ultraviolet wavelengths.” (EE Times; 01July08; R. Colin Johnson)
http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=208801973

San Antonio researchers discover new insight in fighting bioterrorism agent
“Scientists at the University of Texas at San Antonio and the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio say they've discovered a cell type that one day may be useful in fighting bioterrorism. In a journal article that's set to publish this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers have found that mast cells play a role in combating tularemia.” (San Antonio Business Journal; 01July08) http://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/stories/2008/06/30/daily14.html

Scientists Unravel Early Infectious Process Of Respiratory Pathogen And Bioterrorism Agent
“Researchers at The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases and The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA) have identified a cell type believed to play a role in controlling the early infectious process against Francisella tularensis, a respiratory pathogen and bioterrorism agent that is the cause of tularemia.”
(Science Daily; 01July08)
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080701092207.htm

Peregrine Pharmaceuticals Awarded DTRA Contract Worth up to $44.4 Million to Develop Bavituximab for Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers
“Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of cancer and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, today announced it has entered into a five-year contract worth up to $44.4 million to test and develop bavituximab and an equivalent fully human antibody as potential broad-spectrum treatments for viral hemorrhagic fever infections.” (Fox Business; 01July08) http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/markets/industries/health-care/peregrine-pharmaceuticals-awarded-dtra-contract-worth--million-develop/

CBP Agriculture Specialists Intercept Record Pests on Fruit Shipments
“U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Agriculture Specialists reported a one-day record of 21 pest interceptions on bananas, pineapples and other fruits originating in Central America and delivered aboard ships to Philadelphia, Pa., Wilmington, De., and Camden, N.J., marine terminals on June 18, 2008. The inspections by CBP Agriculture Specialists resulted in the fumigation or re-export of 150,000 cases of fruit from various Central American countries.” (Delaware Online; 01July08)
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080701/COMMUNITIES1001/80701054

Fighting the war at home
“Ross Haghighat, founder and CEO of Triton Systems Inc., is a man who defies stereotypes. Haghighat leads a defense company that does not make weapons, and despite his Iranian upbringing, he is excited to see his products in the hands of American soldiers as they fight a controversial war in the Middle East. […]Created in 1992, Triton uses government funding to develop new applications for advanced materials, solving problems for defense and homeland security agencies. They are developing lighter biological warfare suits, sturdier platforms for parachuting cargo and faster-working field repair kits for Humvee armor.” (Wicked Local; 02July08; David Golann) http://www.wickedlocal.com/chelmsford/news/x390622622/Fighting-the-war-at-home

Haz-Mat Scare At Federal Prison In Southern Ky.
“A powdery substance was found in an envelope at the federal prison in McCreary County Tuesday afternoon. Officials say a routine check of the mail revealed a powdery substance in a letter addressed to a former inmate at the facility. […] Officials field tested the substance, and initial results indicated that the substance was ricin. However a sample sent off the the State Public Health Laboratory in Frankfort for identification, revealed it was not the deadly poison.” (WBKO; 01July08) http://www.wbko.com/news/headlines/22797544.html

Chemical weapons transport plan draws fire
“The Pentagon is considering a plan to ship deadly chemical weapons to military sites in four states to accelerate the destruction of the munitions, a new report to Congress says. The idea of transporting such lethal agents along routes such as from Colorado to Oregon is prompting opposition from Congress and watchdog groups. They say the plan exposes the American public to unnecessary risks as the U.S. government is concerned about terrorist attacks.” (USA Today; 02July08; Tom Vanden Brook) http://www.usatoday.com/news/military/2008-07-01-chemweapons_N.htm

FBI: Puffer fish poison possession leads to man's arrest
“An Illinois man was charged with possession of a potentially deadly neurotoxin commonly found in puffer fish after the FBI led a raid at his home Monday. Edward F. Bachner, 35, of Lake in the Hills, was charged with one count of illegal possession of a toxin, according to a federal complaint filed in U.S. district court. Bachner is listed as the corporate secretary of Rosetta Wireless Corp. in Naperville, in suburban Chicago.”
(CNN; 30June08)
http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/06/30/toxin.arrest/index.html?eref=rss_topstories

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.