CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News- November 7, 2008

Government contractors now in defensive posture
“Northern Virginia’s hordes of federal contractors have a simple question:Will the new president still show them the money? […] Today they are bracing for expected cuts in defense spending […]. Spending shifts under Obama might not be as dramatic as some people think because domestic programs already have been taking a bigger share of the budget. […] ‘There have been huge expenditures [at Fort Detrick] under the guise of the National Institutes of Health … but it’s been spent specifically to help combat bioterrorism or immunization problems, or things to that effect,’ said the head of a construction company, who asked to remain anonymous because the company does top-secret work on federal projects. ‘We haven’t seen a significant amount of activity at NIH, but there’s been a huge amount — more than anybody knows — up at Fort Detrick.’ Lockheed Martin expects that an Obama administration also will embrace funding for a ‘strong national security posture.’”(Washington Business Journal; 07Nov08; Melissa Castro) http://washington.bizjournals.com/washington/stories/2008/11/10/story17.html?b=1226293200^1728750&t=printable

New law regulates civilian biological pathogen research (Israel)
“The Knesset plenum on Tuesday passed the first law regulating the supervision of civilian research on dangerous bacteria and viruses that could be used as biological weapons. The new law is aimed at preventing the unsupervised development of dangerous diseases, as well as the publication of scientific articles containing sensitive information on biological warfare. The bill was sponsored by MKs (Knesset Members) Aryeh Eldad (National Union) and Yuval Steinitz (Likud). The legislation process was delayed for several months so that the conclusions of a joint committee of the National Security Council and the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities could be incorporated into the bill.” (Haaretz; 06Nov08; Shahar Ilan & Ofri Ilani)
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/objects/pages/PrintArticleEn.jhtml?itemNo=1034839

Umatilla [OR] depot eliminates all VX weapons
“The Umatilla Chemical Depot in Oregon yesterday finished destroying its entire stockpile of munitions filled with VX nerve agent, the Hermiston Herald reported. ‘We plan to complete the VX land mines disposal campaign today, which means the end of land mines, all VX agent, all nerve agent, and all munitions with explosive or energetic components here in Oregon,’ said Mike Strong, site project manager disposal at Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility (Hermiston Herald, Nov. 5). The U.S. Army has now eliminated 95 percent of its original arsenal of VX; the nerve agent remains in storage at only two U.S. locations.” (Global Security Newswire; 06Nov08; Annette Cary; Source: Hermiston Herald) http://www.globalsecuritynewswire.org/gsn/nw_20081106_5360.php

U.S. boosts funding for last two CW disposal sites
“The U.S. Defense Department has received its highest-ever budget for preparing two chemical weapons disposal sites that hold the key to meeting the congressional demand to eliminate the entire U.S. stockpile by 2017. The $427.5 million provided to the Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives program for fiscal 2009 is a step in the right direction toward providing the money that will be needed to meet the deadline, one longtime observer said.” (Global Security Newswire; 06Nov08; Chris Schneidmiller)
http://www.globalsecuritynewswire.org/siteservices/print_friendly.php?ID=ts_20081106_2645

Bethesda [MD] terror [gas and bomb] attack drill tests emergency resources
“Hundreds of emergency personnel descended on the National Naval Medical Center last week trying to save 76 victims of a [mock] terrorist attack. […] The Bethesda Hospital’s Emergency Preparedness Drill on Oct. 30 […] simulated a Sarin gas and bomb attack outside Navy Med's Uniformed Services University [USU] to test the readiness of local, federal and military personnel […]. After a truck loaded with Sarin nerve gas crashed into USU students waiting at a bus stop, the first responders to the scene, two firemen and two policemen, were killed when an improvised explosive device thrown out of the truck just before it crashed was detonated nearby. […] A bit of the real world intruded into the exercise when military helicopters intended to simulate a medical evacuation of victims to NIH and Suburban Hospital were called back by the Marines.”
(Bethesda Gazette, 05Nov08; Andrew Ujifusa) http://www.gazette.net/stories/11052008/bethnew224745_32472.shtml

Irish woman sentenced for hiring ricin killer
“A 45-year-old Irish woman was sentenced Monday to six years in prison for a 2006 plot to kill her partner and the man’s two sons, the Irish News reported. Sharon Collins intended to inherit her wealthy partner’s fortune until Essam Eid, the would-be contract killer, exposed the plot by attempting to blackmail one of the targets, the News reported. Hours after Eid was jailed, ricin was discovered inside a contact lens container in his cell. He was later convicted on extortion charges and sentenced to six years in prison.” (Global Security Newswire; 05Nov08; Source: Irish News) http://www.globalsecuritynewswire.org/gsn/nw_20081105_8700.php

Exercise planned to prepare for radioactive attack [Israel]
“Next year, civil defense units will carry out its first exercise for dealing with a radioactive attack on civilians as part of the defense establishment's preparations for a radiological terror attack, security officials said. However, a senior defense official told Haaretz [Magazine] that there is no specific intelligence indicating that terror organizations intend to carry out such an attack. ‘There is no concrete threat of a radiological attack,’ he said. Nevertheless, since terror groups are interested in obtaining radioactive materials and the scenario is considered reasonable, the defense establishment must prepare for it,’ the official added. […] Despite precautions, radioactive materials are relatively easy to obtain due to their widespread use in medicine and industry. However, only some of these materials are suitable for attacks, depending on the radiation level. […] The planned exercise will simulate a radiological terror attack. It will include forces on the ground, hospitals and the Home Front.” (Haaretz; 07Nov08; Amos Harel) http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1035187.html

D.C. hospital installs radiation detectors
“The largest private hospital in the nation's capital on Tuesday began installing sophisticated new radiation detectors in an effort to better prepare for a terrorist attack with a radiological ‘dirty bomb.’ The sensors, which will be placed out of public view at the 926-bed Washington Hospital Center, will immediately let doctors, nurses and other hospital staff know if someone contaminated with dangerous radiation enters the emergency room or other areas of the hospital. The goal is to prevent victims of an attack from compounding the disaster by contaminating the hospitals and emergency workers who are there to treat them.” (Red Orbit; 05Nov08; Mimi Hall) http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/1597366/dc_hospital_installs_radiation_detectors/#

U.S. offers Russia fresh proposals on US missile defense plan
“The United States has given Russia fresh proposals to try to ease its concerns over U.S. missile shield plans and hopes the row can still be resolved, US negotiator John Rood said Thursday. The United States has also submitted to Russia its proposal for a ‘legally binding treaty’ to replace the Cold War-era Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) when it expires in December 2009, Rood said. […] Rood planned to meet with his Russian counterpart Sergei Ryabkov in the coming weeks, probably in Moscow, to discuss the proposals as well as other issues, including cooperation on avoiding nuclear terrorism.” (Agence-France Presse; 07Nov08) http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5jGomnoFccat7TOTj9dEAXG5lU_GA

Report warns of ‘future military failure’
“The Defense Science Board released on Tuesday a sobering report that called for the incoming Obama administration to focus on a small but complex set of defense issues, with protection of the country against weapons of mass destruction as the top priority of the new secretary of defense. Weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear and biological armaments, imperil both the safety of the United States and its military forces, according to the report, ‘Defense Imperatives for New Administration.’ The board urged the new defense leadership ‘to do everything possible to prevent the worst people from acquiring and using the worst weapons.’ This must include a strongly stated and unambiguous policy of retaliation to punish any nation or group that launches a weapon of mass destruction attack against the United States, according to the report, whose lead author is Craig Fields, chairman of the Defense Science Board and former director of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency in the late 1980s.” (Global Security Newswire; 06Nov08; Bob Brewin) http://www.globalsecuritynewswire.org/gsn/nw_20081106_7308.php

Beijing spurns U.S. effort to prepare in event of Korean leader's demise
“The Chinese government has largely rebuffed Bush administration attempts to discuss contingency planning should North Korean dictator Kim Jong Il die or be unable to rule, according to current and former U.S. officials. […] U.S. officials worry a messy power shift in North Korea could send hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing over its borders and leave Pyongyang's nuclear and biological weapons unsecured. In the worst-case scenario, the Chinese and American militaries might be on opposing sides of efforts to stabilize North Korea.” (Wall Street Journal; 07Nov08; Jay Solomon & Jason Leow) http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122599607084505499.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Multi-force takes part in EU anti-terror exercise in France
“A multi-force Portuguese team is participating in an EU anti-terrorist exercise in southern France this week to test response to simulated attacks with chemical and biological weapons. The 17-member Portuguese team has been drawn from the National Authority of civil Defence (ANPC), the Air Force and the National Institute of Emergency Medicine (INEM), the group’s chief, ANPC commander José Codeco, told Lusa [News]. Dubbed EU Terror Attack, the exercise, which involves the participation of other EU member countries, started on Wednesday and ends this weekend in the French cities of Toulon and Canjeurs.” (Portugal News Online; 07Nov08; Source:
Lusa)
http://www.the-news.net/cgi-bin/google.pl?id=984-16

Anthrax scare shuts down busy El Cerrito (San Francisco) street
“A bucket containing a white powder labeled anthrax was found in the basement of an El Cerrito business Thursday, triggering a two-hour shutdown of a portion of one of the city's busiest thoroughfares. The substance was determined not to be hazardous. The incident began when the owner of a Farmers Insurance office at 11457 San Pablo Ave., who was cleaning the basement, found a gallon pail with four smaller containers inside labeled anthrax.”( San Francisco Chronicle; 07Nov08; Elizabeth Fernandez)
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/07/BA7V1402SJ.DTL

Milwaukee [WI] paper receives packet labeled ‘anthrax’
“The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel says it has received a package that appears to be part of an anthrax hoax. A worker discovered a packet Wednesday morning labeled ‘anthrax’ taped to a CD inside a small padded envelope. The paper's security director, Ed Majkowski, says the packet appears to be a sugar packet. Security workers sealed it in a hazardous-materials box and put it in a locked area. The newspaper's offices remained open as investigators from the Postal Inspectors office, FBI and Milwaukee Police Department examined the package. A similar package was delivered to the Indianapolis Star on Monday. The return address and writing tied it to Marc Keyser, a 66-year-old who was charged last week with three counts of sending anthrax hoaxes.” (Star Tribune; 05Nov08; Source: Milwaukee Journal) http://www.startribune.com/local/33907609.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEyqyP4O:DW3ckUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aU7EaDiaMDCiUZ

The James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies releases
‘Trafficking Networks for Chemical Weapons Precursors,’ by Jonathan Tucker. The study, available in PDF format at http://www.cns.miis.edu/, analyzes new information on the illicit 1980s sale of chemical-weapons materials to Iran and Iraq, the operation of international trafficking networks, and practical steps for countering them.

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 18, 2008

F.B.I. will present scientific evidence in anthrax case to counter doubts
“Growing doubts from scientists about the strength of the government’s case against the late Bruce E. Ivins, the military researcher named as the anthrax killer, are forcing the Justice Department to begin disclosing more fully the scientific evidence it used to implicate him. […] ‘That is going to be critically important, because right now there is really no data to make a scientific judgment one way or the other,’ Brad Smith, a molecular biologist at the Center for Biosecurity at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. ‘The information that has been put out, there is really very little scientific information in there.’ F.B.I officials say they are confident that their scientific evidence against Dr. Ivins, who killed himself last month as the Justice Department was preparing an indictment against him, will withstand scrutiny, and they plan to present their findings for review by leading scientists. But the scrutiny may only raise fresh questions.” (New York Times; 15Aug08; Eric Lichtblau & David Johnston)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/16/washington/16anthrax.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

U.S. Sen. Grassley: More than $4.1 Million to Iowa from Health and Human Services
“Senator Chuck Grassley today announced that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has awarded the Iowa Department of Public Health a $4,113,883 grant through the Hospital Preparedness Program. […] The Iowa Department of Public Health must use the funds to help pay for the following capabilities: an interoperable communication system, bed tracking system, emergency system for the advance registration of volunteer health professionals, fatality management plans and hospital evacuation plans. The funds may be optionally used to pay for the following capabilities: alternate care sites, mobile medical assets, pharmaceutical caches, personal protective equipment and decontamination. The funds must incorporate the National Incident Management System, education and preparedness training and exercises, evaluations and corrective actions into the development and maintenance of all capabilities.” (Iowa Politics; 15Aug08)
http://www.iowapolitics.com/index.iml?Article=133694

Labs that perform bioterrorism research proliferating
“There are 326 laboratories authorized by the CDC to work with biological agents, an increase from 194 in 2003. Another 73 are authorized by the USDA.. […] The criteria include that the individual have no convictions of a crime punishable by imprisonment exceeding one year, not be a fugitive from Justice or an illegal alien, and that the individual not have been dishonorably discharged from the Army. […] Of the 399 institutions registered to work with biological agents, 234 are working with anthrax, the records show. Many of them are working with, or at least storing, the ‘Ames strain,’ which was used in the anthrax mailings. Martin Hugh-Jones, a professor at Louisiana State University, said obtaining permission to work with that strain has become almost like a status symbol for labs. LSU was one of 16 laboratories identified by the FBI as working with the Ames strain of anthrax before the letters were mailed.” (Courant; 16Aug08; Dave Altimari)
http://www.courant.com/news/nationworld/nation/hc-labsecurity0816.artaug16,0,1589319.story

Rensselaer researcher wins AIChE Young Investigator Award
“Ravi S. Kane, professor of chemical and biological engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, has won the 2008 Young Investigator Award from the American Institute of Chemical Engineers’ Nanoscale Science and Engineering Forum. […] In a recent publication in Nature Nanotechnology, Kane’s team demonstrated for the first time that upon exposure to invisible and near-infrared light, carbon nanotubes mediate the selective deactivation of attached proteins. Kane’s group used this phenomenon to design nanotube-peptide conjugates that selectively destroy anthrax toxin from a mixture of proteins. The group also used these findings to develop and create transparent ‘self-cleaning’ nanotube coatings.” (Rensselaer; 18Aug08)
http://news.rpi.edu/update.do

Nanocoating preventing corrosion and reducing ice formation on aircrafts
“The development of a transparent coating that causes water to bead up into drops and roll or bounce off a surface will help protect and sustain Air Force systems by preventing corrosion and reducing ice formation on optical elements and aircraft. […] Their recent work has opened the door to new applications that exploit the way the coated surface interacts with liquid droplets. When water droplets roll along the coated surface, they pick up debris as they go. Doctor Brinker explained that this property might make the collection, concentration and identification of aerosol borne particles like anthrax possible.” (Nanotechnology; 17Aug08)
http://www.azonano.com/news.asp?newsID=7185

Siting a national biolab [Plum Island, Mississippi]
“The lab, called the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility, would eventually replace a 24-acre research complex on Plum Island, just off the northeastern tip of Long Island in the Sound. Although a spokeswoman for homeland security has said that an expansion and upgrade of the facility at Plum Island is still on the table, that proposal is costly and apparently not ranked highly among the agency's preferred plans. Overruling their own advisers, homeland security officials selected Flora, Miss. That site was ranked 14th out of 17 locations around the country on grounds that it was too remote from existing biodefense programs and researchers with expertise in contagious diseases.” (Courant; 18Aug08)
http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/editorials/hc-biolab.artaug18,0,7612906.story

Reliable biosafety essential to prevent bioterrorism: Ambassador Masood Khan
“A reliable biosafety and biosecurity regime is essential to prevent and counter bioterrorism and biological warfare, Ambassador Masood Khan said. Speaking at the 2008 meeting of experts of Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) […] While emphasising the importance of a code of conduct for an oversight of the scientific research, he said that it was not possible to have one universal code of conduct. He suggested that each state party needed to intensify its efforts to involve life scientists, policy makers and relevant international organizations to develop flexible but effective codes of conduct containing elements of ethics, education and training programmes [sic].” (Associated Press of Pakistan; 18Aug08)
http://www.app.com.pk/en_/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=49257&Itemid=2

Firms in defence export breaches
“Australian companies have repeatedly breached export control regulations designed to prevent sensitive defence technology falling into the hands of North Korea, Iran, China and Russia. Previously undisclosed information issued by the Minister for Defence, Joel Fitzgibbon, reveals that in the past three years there have been 41 known breaches of Australia's defence export regulations. […] Mr Fitzgibbon did not reveal the names of the
firms involved or the specific equipment or materials involved in each case. But he did confirm the rules were broken in relation to both military equipment and so-called ''dual use'' technology that has both civilian and military applications. The breaches involved military equipment, chemicals, telecommunications and electronic equipment, information security technology, avionics, material processing technology and other controlled goods. Seventeen breaches involved the export of chemicals which are regulated because they could be used in the manufacture of chemical weapons, explosives or missile propellants.” (The Canberra Times; 16Aug08; Phillip Dorling)
http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/firms-in-defence-export-breaches/1246064.aspx

Chemical weapon depots look to weapon-less future [Pine Bluff, Arkansas]
“During the Cold War, the Pine Bluff Arsenal held the secrets of the nation's stockpile chemical and biological weapons against prying Soviet eyes. Now, arsenal commander Col. Bill Barnett worries about disclosing how many gas masks and mortar rounds workers can produce in a day. The fear comes not from the threat of foreign spies, but rather the possibility of being undercut by competing private manufacturers. […] As the arsenal prepares to eliminate its remaining mustard gas, the base about 35 miles southeast of Little Rock finds its mission changing as the United States destroys the weapons it and other eight other arsenal sites once housed. While some only housed the biological and chemical agents, other bases now manufacture weapons or other items needed as the nation fights two other wars abroad. The Pine Bluff Arsenal, conceived a month before the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor, had the task of building grenades and bombs for the growing U.S. military. Over time, the arsenal began manufacturing chemical and biological weapons, storing them in earthen igloos that also housed German rockets studied after World War II.” (Chicago Tribune; 17Aug08; Jon Gambrell)
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-ar-chemicalweapons-f,0,5049937.story

Preparing for an urban WMD attack [San Francisco, California]
“The scenario was this: a terrorist with a backpack full of sodium cyanide--a chemical used in gold mining operations that quickly attacks and shuts down the human respiratory system--unleashed it inside 555 California. […] The attack instantly kills a number of people and injures others. Because of the victims, the fire department is the first to arrive
on the scene, and when the firefighter discover what's happened, they isolate the building's lobby and deny entry into the building by anyone else, and then quickly set up a mass decontamination system nearby. And then they call in the specialists. […] the whole point: to bring in the many different types of specialists […] the scenario had more to it: emergency personnel also discover an improvised explosive device inside 555 California, and just when they're dealing with everything going on there, there's also a shooting in another office building nearby. […] the exercise, which cost about a quarter million dollars, was paid for with federal grant money. One of the elements of the scenario was that no one actually knows at first what the terrorist has attacked with. […] Finding out and then disseminating that information is one of the goals of the exercise.” (CNet News; 16Aug08; Daniel Terdiman)
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13772_3-10018658-52.html?hhTest=1

Site of former [Fernald Preserve near Cincinnati] Ohio uranium plant turns to nature
“A site once home to a Cold War-era uranium processing plant and the focus of a contentious struggle to clean up toxic waste has re-emerged as a haven for wildlife and a memorial to those who worked to make the area safe. The Fernald Preserve and its visitors center make their public debut Wednesday at the former site of the government facility that processed uranium metal for nuclear weapons from 1952 to 1989. […] The $4.4 billion site cleanup was officially completed in January 2007. The visitor's center and preserve, which cost $7 million, are the first developed under Legacy Management, which is responsible for more than 60 other waste sites around the country […]” (San José Examiner; 16Aug08; Lisa Cornwell, AP)
http://www.examiner.com/a-1540544~Site_of_former_Ohio_uranium_plant_turns_to_nature.html

Terror drill finds culprit with dirty bomb [New York, New York]
“More than 17 boats from a variety of agencies, including the Coast Guard, FDNY and New Jersey State Police, set up a checkpoint underneath the Verrazano Bridge at the mouth of the harbor to scan all incoming vessels. Scores of boats were boarded and searched during the drill, which officials said was the largest counterterrorism exercise in the city's history and allowed the NYPD to test two new $750,000 radiation-tracking boats. The Tracs boats successfully stopped a speedboat named The Last Dollar and found a device that simulated the same radiation as a dirty bomb.” (Daily News; 15Aug08; Jonathan Lemire)
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2008/08/15/2008-08-15_terror_drill_finds_culprit_with_dirty_bo-1.html

Iran Rejects Nuclear, Terrorism Charges Against Banks
“Iran has rejected accusations by France, Britain and the United States that its banks are financing illegal nuclear activities and Terrorism. Iran sent a letter to the United Nations Security Council Friday, calling the allegations baseless. It also accused France, Britain and the U.S. of trying to disrupt the financial affairs of millions of Iranian bank customers. Earlier this month, the three countries warned the Security Council of attempts by Iran to use the country's banks to help expand its nuclear capabilities.” (Voice of America; 16Aug08)
http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-08-16-voa12.cfm

Yorkshire schoolboy locked up on terror charge
“Britain's youngest terrorist - a teenager from Wesat Yorkshire – was behind bars today after a guide to death and explosives was found in the schoolboy's home. Hammaad Munshi, just 16 and taking GCSEs when arrested, was part of a cell of cyber groomers that set out to brainwash the vulnerable to kill ‘non-believers’ […] Two bags of ball-bearings – the shrapnel of choice for suicide bombers - were found in one of his pockets. On his PC were al Qaida propaganda videos and recordings promoting ‘murder and destruction.’ […] Also found were US and Canadian military training manuals, a Terrorist's Handbook, a Mujahideen Explosives Handbook, and a Mujahideen Poisons Handbook containing a recipe for ricin and encouragement for ‘brothers’ to experiment on ‘kuffar’ (non-believers).” (Yorkshire Post; 18Aug08)
http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/Yorkshire-schoolboy-locked-up-on.4401314.jp

Nuke [CBRN] trainer says he taught Uganda only ‘defense’
“More information continues to emerge about Uganda’s chemical and biological weapons operation--the U.K. expert who provided the training to top Ugandans insists in an exclusive interview with The Black Star News that the East Africans were trained only on ‘defensive’ and not ‘offensive’ capabilities. ‘There is a big difference between defense and attack—huge difference,’ says Ian Day, Operations Director at U.K.-based The CBRN Team Ltd (an acronym referring to Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear), who provided the training to the Ugandans. […] There have been widespread speculation that biological agents or toxins have been used to kill prominent Ugandans. Last year, when a top Uganda military official, Brigadier Noble Mayombo, permanent secretary at the Ministry of Defense died suddenly, there was speculation that some type of toxins could have caused his demise.” (Black Star News; 15Aug08; Milton Allimadi)
http://blackstarnews.com/?c=122&a=4768

Police personnel to study Terrorism, conflict resolution
“With an aim to prepare them for upcoming challenges, Police personnel will now be given formal training in subjects like Terrorism, biological warfare, forensic science and conflict resolution at the first National Police University to be established here. […] The courses to be offered by the university would include subjects like Terrorism, organised crime, cyber crime, VIP security, forensic science, biological warfare, criminal psychology, human rights, public relation, communal tension, conflict resolution, peace and harmony and man management, he said.” (Zee News; 17Aug08)
http://www.zeenews.com/articles.asp?aid=462631&sid=NAT

The war on terror is shrinking
“As science races to confront Terrorism with new technology, researchers are unveiling a new generation of devices featuring ever-more sophisticated sensors to quickly detect explosives, radiation, chemicals and biological agents. Most share the promise of doing more with far less bulk, suggesting a future in which radiation from a dirty bomb is detected by a commuter’s iPhone, a laptop warns of explosives more than a football field’s length away, a hand-held unit spots airborne anthrax spores within seconds and a device no bigger than a matchbox sniffs out a tiny release of hazardous chemicals. […] The method […] has its origins in […] how certain frequencies of light can produce sound waves when pulsed onto a surface. Importantly, the version devised by Oak Ridge researchers lets them identify materials out in the open instead of within a pressurized chamber that would have undermined the technique’s usefulness. Essentially, the instrument illuminates a target with pulses of laser light. The light reflected off the target’s surface generates a signature sound when it becomes a vibration through an interaction with a tiny quartz crystal tuning fork.” (MSNBC; 18Aug08; Bryn Nelson)
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26044715/

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

CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News-May 7, 2008

BU [Boston University] Biolab Safety Study Could Delay Project
“An elite panel of scientists is urging the federal government to take a deeper look at the safety of a proposed biolab that would study the world's most dangerous germs. The recommendation comes from the National Research Council. If the government takes the advice, the lab's opening would be delayed, though officials were uncertain how long.” (WCVB; 05May08; Associated Press) http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/16159355/detail.html

Annual Conference on Vaccine Research to Highlight Not Only Health Benefits But Also Economic Gains
“[A]ccording to Dr. David E. Bloom, a labor economist at the Harvard School of Public Health. […] ‘A healthier population is a cornerstone of a vibrant and growing economy,’ […] The three-day conference is the world's largest scientific meeting devoted exclusively to research on vaccines and related technologies for disease prevention and treatment. This year, scientists will present findings about the efficacy of a high-dose influenza vaccine for the elderly as well as advances on novel vaccines to combat everything from smoking to bio-terrorism to the spread of avian influenza (H5N1) on poultry farms. […] U.S. Army researchers will also report success in mouse experiments with a four-in-one vaccine to protect against anthrax, botulism, plague and staphylococcus -- all of which might be used as bioterrorism agents.” (The Earth Times; 05May08; Jennifer Corrigan)
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/annual-conference-on-vaccine-research,378948.shtml

New Schools, Jail To Raise County Budget [Dunn, North Carolina]
“Harnett County Manager Neil Emory submitted a proposed county budget for the 2008-2009 fiscal year during the board of commissioners meeting Monday. […] Requests were approved from Emergency Services to accept Bioterrorism Development grants for equipment upgrades and a heating and air conditioning system. The commissioners also approved requests to accept a grant for the Dunn Police Department Communications Center to upgrade its emergency medical dispatch system […]. ” (Daily Record; 06May08; Brian Haney)
http://www.dunndailyrecord.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=96587&TM=42674.89

Albemarle Optimizes Smallpox Drug Candidate For SIGA
“Two American companies are teaming up for second-round test-phase production of a FDA-designated ‘fast track’ drug candidate to treat smallpox, a deadly virus that is feared to be able to reach people through acts of bio-warfare or bio-terrorism. Albemarle Corporation […] was selected by SIGA Technologies […] to provide scale-up and manufacturing services for ST-246, SIGA's leading smallpox antiviral candidate.”
(Medical News Today; 06May08; Albemarle Corporation) http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/106344.php

[Florida] Supreme Court Hears Arguments In Anthrax Death Lawsuit
“The federal government and a private laboratory have no duty under state law to protect the public from lethal materials, their lawyers argued Monday in a lawsuit over the anthrax death of a supermarket tabloid staffer in 2001. […] Robert Stevens, a photo editor for publisher American Media Inc., died Oct. 5, 2001, after being exposed to anthrax […] His wife, Maureen Stevens, sued the government and Battelle Memorial Institute, a research company in Columbus, Ohio, alleging they were also the source of the anthrax strain that killed her husband.” (National Broadcasting Company; 05May08; Associated Press) http://www.nbc4.com/news/16166595/detail.html

VaxGen sells vaccine for anthrax to rival [Emergent BioSolutions]
“VaxGen, the South San Francisco company that has been reduced to a shadow of its former self after losing an $877.5 million federal contract to develop an anthrax vaccine, announced Monday that it has sold the experimental vaccine to its chief rival. Emergent BioSolutions of Rockville, Md.” (Mercury News; 06May08; Steve Johnson)
http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_9167617

Joint efforts to minimise [sic] biological risks sought
“Dr David Heyman, former senior adviser at the White House and the US Secretary of Energy, [gave] a lecture [in Abu Dhabi, U.A.E.] titled ‘Managing Biological Risks: A Comprehensive, Interdisciplinary and International Approach’. […] Dr. [Gerald L.] Epstein stated, ‘The deliberate misuse of biology for harm challenges the existing mechanism for the international cooperation and international governance. In the past, the principal cause of concern was the threat of state-of-the-art biological weapons programmes but today, concern about deliberate biological threats has broadened to include the bioterrorism.’ ‘So, unitedly we need to lower this threat.’ He emphasised on the need for cooperation among all local and government bodies and communities of the world to reduce the biological threats.” (Khaleej Times; 06May08; Anwar Ahmad)
http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticleNew.asp?xfile=data/theuae/2008/May/theuae_May203.xml&section=theuae&col

CWC Review Conference Avoids Difficult Issues
“The second review conference for the 1993 Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) only barely avoided failure. The meeting, which took place April 7-18 in The Hague, had to be suspended at midnight of the last day, and diplomats worked until the early morning of April 19 to reach agreement. […] Several diplomats contacted by Arms Control Today agreed that, given the procedural difficulties, finding consensus on the final document was a success in itself but conceded that agreement was only possible at the price of avoiding contentious issues and copying large sections from the final document of the first CWC review conference in 2003.” (Arms control Today; 06May08; Oliver Meier) http://www.armscontrol.org/act/2008_05/CWC.asp

Should Israel Close Dimona? The Radiological Consequences of a Military Strike on Israel’s Plutonium-Production Reactor
“Today, multiple factors may drive Israel’s adversaries to hit the plant: its perceived centrality to Israel’s nuclear weapons program, revenge for Israeli strikes on neighboring states, Dimona’s symbolic significance as one of the Jewish state’s most valued assets, and, most disturbingly, an attack to intentionally release the radioactive contents of the plant as a weapon of war or terrorism. […] An accord, defenses, or mutual vulnerability acting as a deterrent to attack would not provide a guarantee that plants will be immune from military or even terrorist strikes in such an unstable part of the world. This ought to raise the question whether the planned growth of plants, many orders of magnitude larger than Dimona, should go forward. Until the region resolves its political differences, nuclear energy planners ought to take a second look. In the meantime, Israel would do well to reflect whether, given its own reactor vulnerability, keeping Dimona operating is worth the risk.” (Arms Control Association; 05May08; Bennet Ramburg) http://www.armscontrol.org/act/2008_05/Dimona.asp

Would they? Could~they?
“The ‘Would they? Could they?’ debate in regard to nuclear terrorism is an old one. There has been a lot written about whether terrorists want to use nuclear weapons and, if they do, whether they have the technological capability to ‘make it so.’ […] A PhD student at King’s, Simen Ellingsen, has come up with what I think is a rather clever way of summarising this debate: in the form of a graph […] Generally, authors who think terrorists could, think they would […].” (Arms Control Wonk; 06May08; James Acton) http://www.armscontrolwonk.com/1877/would-they-could-they

China's PLA says ready to handle any emergency during Olympics
“China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) has said it is fully gearing itself up to handle any emergency during the Beijing Olympics with its plans that included preventing potential nuclear, biological or chemical attacks. [… ] ‘Helicopters, combat aircraft, ships, surface-to-air missiles and anti-chemical weapons will be used’, Tian Yixiang, Director of the Team, was quoted as saying by the PLA Daily. Terrorism has been identified by China as the ‘biggest threat’ to the Olympics and it said recently that it had uncovered terror plots targeting the Games.” (Chennai Online; 06May08; Raghavendra) http://www.chennaionline.com/colnews/newsitem.asp?NEWSID=%7B1A2C3221-28E0-440A-9558-3210C565E2BA%7D&CATEGORYNAME=INTER

More than 150 States have reported on moves to keep WMDs from terrorists – UN
“As of the end of April, more than half of United Nations Member States have submitted assessments to the Security Council regarding efforts to keep nuclear, chemical and biological weapons out of the hands of terrorists and black marketeers, it was announced today. Over 150 nations have fulfilled their reporting responsibilities, Ambassador Jorge Urbina of Costa Rica, the chair of the Security Council committee established pursuant to resolution 1540 (2004) to combat the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) by non-State actors, particularly terrorists, told the Council today.” (UN News Centre; 06May08) http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=26586&Cr=&C1=

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

CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News- May 5, 2008

Panel call for biolab safety study that could delay project
“An elite panel of scientists is urging the federal government to take a deeper look at the safety of a proposed biolab that would study the world's most dangerous germs. The recommendation comes from the National Research Council. If the government takes the advice, the lab's opening would be delayed, though officials were uncertain how long.” (WHDH;03May08)
http://www1.whdh.com/news/articles/local/BO77750/

Fungi have a hand in depleted uranium's environmental fate
“Fungi may have an important role to play in the fate of potentially dangerous depleted uranium left in the environment after recent war campaigns, according to a new report in the May 6th issue of Current Biology, a publication of Cell Press. The researchers found evidence that fungi can ‘lock’ depleted uranium into a mineral form that may be less likely to find its way into plants, animals, or the water supply.”
(EurekAlert; 05May08; Cathleen Genova)
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-05/cp-fha042908.php

Fla. court to hear anthrax lawsuit
“The Florida Supreme Court is taking up key issues in a lawsuit over the anthrax death of a photo editor for a supermarket tabloid publisher. Robert Stevens died Oct. 5, 2001 after being exposed to the deadly substance. It was in an envelope mailed to the offices of American Media Inc., which publishes the National Enquirer, Sun and Globe newspapers.” (USA Today; 05May08)
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-05-05-anthrax-lawsuit_N.htm?csp=34

Rockville Biotech Buys Rival's Anthrax Vaccine
“The effort to protect the country from another anthrax attack will take an unexpected turn today when Rockville firm Emergent BioSolutions plans to announce that it has bought for $2 million an anthrax vaccine from a California company that federal health officials dropped in 2006. VaxGen of South San Francisco has struggled to survive since losing its $877.5 million contract for a next-generation anthrax vaccine. Having accumulated a $254 million deficit, VaxGen has struck an unlikely deal with Emergent, its once-bitter competitor still eager to compete for millions of dollars under the Bush administration's $5.6 billion Project BioShield program.” (Washington Post; 05May08; Michael S. Rosenwald) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/04/AR2008050401771.html

Ore. man admits sending fake anthrax to feds
“A Tillamook County man has admitted sending numerous threatening letters containing fake anthrax powder to state and federal government offices over a period of nearly three years, federal court papers released Friday show. The documents say David Albert Groves, 48, of Bay City, admitted sending numerous letters containing a powdery substance as well as threats to government agencies, private businesses and at least one individual. He is charged with mailing threatening communications. U.S. Magistrate Judge John Acosta assigned him a public defender and released him, setting an arraignment May 30.” (The World; 05May08; Joseph B. Frazier) http://www.theworldlink.com/articles/2008/05/05/news/doc481dce29a91a7493148593.tx

Man pleads not guilty to federal charges in Vegas ricin case
“A man authorities suspect was poisoned by ricin found in his motel room pleaded not guilty Friday to possession of a biological toxin and weapons charges. A June 17 trial was scheduled for Roger Bergendorff, who has been in federal custody since his April 16 arrest. The charges carry a possible penalty of 30 years in prison and a $750,000 fine.” (Yahoo News; 02May08; Ken Ritter)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080502/ap_on_re_us/ricin_mystery_2

Robotic bugs set to invade the battlefield
“A swarm of robotic insects is being developed for the military to hunt down enemy fighters in buildings and caves, carry mini bombs and identify chemical, nuclear or biological weapons. They look as though they have crawled from the set of a science fiction film, but the bugs are based on the design and size of real insects, including spiders and dragonflies. They are to be fitted with cameras, as well as sensors to identify different types of weapon, and can be kitted out with a small payload of explosives.” (Telegraph; 04May08; Jasper Copping) http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/frontline/1924773/Robotic-bugs-set-to-invade-the-battlefield.html

Pine Bluff Arsenal [Arkansas] Destroys First VX-Filled Landmine
“The Pine Bluff Arsenal has begun destroying VX nerve-agent landmines as it continues disposing of the post's stockpile of chemical weapons. The arsenal destroyed its first landmine Saturday. The destruction of the landmine is the third of four stages in disposing of the chemical weapons stockpile in accordance with an international treaty. The arsenal began destroying GB nerve-agent filled rockets in March 2005, and when that was completed, it destroyed a stockpile of VX-filled rockets.” (Today’s THV;
05May08)
http://www.todaysthv.com/news/news.aspx?storyid=65135

[Congressman Denny] Rehberg [R-Mont.] presses for aid to veterans
“On Thursday, Congressmen Denny Rehberg (R-Mont.) and Mike Thompson (D-Calif.) introduced legislation to provide health care to veterans involved, without their knowledge, in biological and chemical weapons tests in the 1960s and 70s. According to a press statement by Rehberg’s office, the existence of the tests, known as Project 112, was denied by the Department of Defense despite reports from participating veterans that they were being stricken with unusual diseases. The department now acknowledges that the tests took place, but the Veterans Administration will not provide these veterans with health benefits and compensation for their diseases, Rehberg stated.” (Ravalli Republic; 05May08; Joel Gallob) http://www.ravallirepublic.com/articles/2008/05/02/news/news41.txt

British Government refuses to help 'torture flight' victim
“The Government is refusing to help a man prove he was taken to Morocco aboard a CIA torture flight and brutally interrogated. Britain says it will not help Binyam Mohammed - who is facing trial by US authorities - because it has ‘no obligation under international law’ to provide information that might prevent someone being convicted outside the UK on evidence obtained through torture. […] Mohammed, 29, has been held at Guantanamo Bay since 2004 over an alleged plot to detonate a radioactive 'dirty bomb' in New York.” (Daily Mail; 04May08; David Rose) http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=563858&in_page_id=1766&ito=1490

Lost' NHS [National Health Service] equipment sparks dirty bomb fear
“Nine items that could be used to build a dirty bomb are missing from British hospitals, fuelling fears that Al Qaeda terrorists are trying to steal material to build a radioactive device. The revelation comes as a new US State Department intelligence report highlights fears over terror suspects working in the NHS and reveals Britain has launched an urgent operation to track down all radiological material used in its hospitals.” (Daily Mail; 04May08; Jason Lewis)
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=563849&in_page_id=1766&ito=1490

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