Chemical & Biological Weapons Resource PageReturn to the listserv page. Listserv Sample******************************************************* ChemBio Weapons and WMD Terrorism News -- February 5, 1999 ******************************************************* 1) SENATE TESTIMONY ON TERRORISM A)http://www.usia.gov/current/news/topic/intrel/99020404.tpo.html?/products/washfile/newsitem.shtml 2) IRAN ACCUSED OF CBW DEVELOPMENT http://cnn.com:80/WORLD/meast/9902/04/BC-IRAN-ITALY-WEAPONS.reut/index.html 3) HOMELAND DEFENSE http://www.bergen.com:80/morenews/livings0519990205.htm 4) RENO AT NAT’L. TERROR POLICY SUMMIT http://deseretnews.com:80/dn/view/0,1249,30009599,00.html 5) PLANS FOR DC MUNITIONS CLEANUP http://search.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1999-02/05/053l-020599-idx.html 6) ANTHRAX HOAXES IN DC AND GA 7) CDC REPORT ON ANTHRAX HOAXES **************************************************** ------------------------------------------------------ SENATE TESTIMONY ON TERRORISM ------------------------------------------------------ 1A) TEXT: SECSTATE AT SENATE HEARING ON TERRORISM FEB. 4, 1999 http://www.usia.gov/current/news/topic/intrel/99020404.tpo.html?/products/washfile/newsitem.shtml "'The number of terrorist incidents worldwide is declining,' Secretary of State Albright told the panel at a hearing of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee February 4. Albright attributed this decline to 'diplomatic and law enforcement progress made in discrediting terrorist groups.' However, she pointed out that the dangers posed by international terrorism constitute 'a new kind of confrontation that looms as a new century is about to begin.' The advance of technology has aided the United States in fighting terrorism more effectively but has also enabled terrorists to develop more powerful weapons and to travel, communicate, recruit, and raise funds on a global basis, the Secretary said. 'In the technological race with terror, we are determined to gain and maintain a decisive strategic edge,' she said. Following is the State Department text, as prepared for delivery...." 1B) Statement for the Record of Louis J. Freeh, Director Federal Bureau of Investigation Before the United States Senate Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee for the Departments of Commerce, Justice, and State, the Judiciary, and Related Agencies http://www.fbi.gov/congress/freehct2.htm "'To help put today's discussion in perspective, I would like to start with a summary of the FBI's deployment and investigation of the recent terrorist bombings in East Africa and follow with an assessment of the current international and domestic terrorist threat and lessons learned from our recent experiences. Finally, I would like to describe current FBI counterterrorism initiatives, including those proposed in our 2000 budget request to Congress'." ---------------------------------------------------------- IRAN ACCUSED OF CBW DEVELOPMENT ---------------------------------------------------------- 2) Iran opposition says Tehran in deadly weapons drive http://cnn.com:80/WORLD/meast/9902/04/BC-IRAN-ITALY-WEAPONS.reut/index.html "Iran's opposition in exile accused Tehran Thursday of trying to develop biological and chemical arms and obtain weapons of mass destruction. 'We recently obtained shocking information which demonstrates that the mullahs' regime is advancing a very systematic and dangerous program to mass produce the essentials for germ warfare,' said Mitra Bagheri, Italy representative of the National Council of Resistance of Iran…. VX nerve gas, toxic molds and soil-contaminating agents were among the weapons Bagheri alleged were being researched and developed." -------------------------------- HOMELAND DEFENSE -------------------------------- 3) Anti-terrorism and pro-democracy http://www.bergen.com:80/morenews/livings0519990205.htm "In his State of the Union address, President Clinton called for $2.8 billion in the next budget to help states and localities prepare for chemical, biological, and cyber attacks. In addition, the Pentagon has indicated that it will seek expanded authority to respond to such attacks, including the appointment of a military commander for the continental United States. Though the administration's proposals are important, they have been criticized as unnecessary and too costly, designed to frighten the public and usurp traditional civilian authority. But are such criticisms justified? If the nation is not adequately prepared for such an attack, the public is likely to panic and demand that lawmakers take whatever measures are deemed necessary at the time to respond to the crisis, irrespective of the Bill of Rights and the Posse Comitatus Act…. This is why the administration's proposals to provide more help to state and local governments to meet such challenges are so important. Only the U.S. military has the resources and experience necessary to respond to chemical and biological attacks, and if appropriate preparations are made now to meet such an emergency, there would be a greater likelihood of maintaining the primacy of civilian authority over the military." -------------------------------------------------------------- RENO AT NAT’L. TERROR POLICY SUMMIT -------------------------------------------------------------- 4) Reno says states, local governments are on front lines against terrorism http://deseretnews.com:80/dn/view/0,1249,30009599,00.html "State and local governments are on the front lines of the nation's defense against terrorism, U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno told participants at the start of a national terrorism policy summit. The FBI is the lead federal agency for anti-terrorism efforts, but 'that doesn't mean I'm going to tell you what to do,' Reno told 200 representatives from 48 states and territories, as well as the federal government…. The National Governors' Association Center for Best Practices and the National Emergency Management Association are sponsoring the two-day summit, a forum for states to give input to the development of a national terrorism strategy. Reno noted that the National Domestic Preparedness Office was created within the FBI in October to help coordinate such a national strategy and provide the states information on training, equipment and other issues." ------------------------------------------------------ PLANS FOR DC MUNITIONS CLEANUP ------------------------------------------------------ 5) Army Unveils Plans for NW Chemical Dig Residents Worried About Possible Contamination of Soil http://search.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1999-02/05/053l-020599-idx.html "Army officials met with residents of a Northwest Washington neighborhood last night to outline plans to dig for canisters of toxic World War I chemicals possibly buried in the area. But it was fears about lingering health hazards in the soil that had residents most worried. Ten days from now, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will begin erecting a steel vapor-containment structure in the back yard of the Korean ambassador's home on Glenbrook Road in Spring Valley in preparation for a six-week excavation." ------------------------------------------------- ANTHRAX HOAXES IN DC AND GA ------------------------------------------------- 6A) Anthrax Hoaxes Are Sent In Mail Threatening Letter Delivered to Post http://search.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/WPlate/1999-02/05/005l-020599-idx.html "Two letters containing an unidentified substance and one terrifying word – 'anthrax' -- were opened in Washington yesterday, one at The Washington Post and the other at the Old Executive Office Building. The letters proved to be a hoax. Similar letters arrived yesterday at an NBC News office in Atlanta and a U.S. post office in Columbus, Ga. They also appeared to be part of a deception that is becoming familiar across the nation…. A threatening letter arrived at The Washington Post on Wednesday afternoon, but was not opened until yesterday morning, Lloyd said. The rambling letter claimed that a substance enclosed in a double plastic bag was anthrax, prompting security personnel to contact law enforcement officials at 10 a.m., said Linda Erdos, a spokeswoman for The Post. A D.C. Fire Department hazardous material crew responded to the 1100 block of 15th Street NW, removed the letter and determined it was unnecessary to evacuate The Post, Battalion Chief Tom Johnson said. The letter was turned over to the FBI's Domestic Terrorism Task Force, which determined yesterday afternoon that the substance was harmless, Lloyd said." 6B) Two packages purporting to contain anthrax cause disruptions http://www.accessatlanta.com:80/news/1999/02/04/anthrax2.html "Police cordoned of a four-block area of downtown and sent about a dozen people through decontamination showers after a package purporting to contain anthrax was opened in an office building. The package, which contained a black powder and a note claiming it was anthrax, was opened just hours after a similar parcel was opened at a post office in Columbus, 85 miles south of Atlanta. The Columbus package--opened around 10 a.m. by a postal worker -- contained a white powder and a note reading, ‘You have been exposed to anthrax,’ said Buzz Weiss, spokesman for the Georgia Emergency Management Agency. The Atlanta package was delivered to the NBC News bureau on the 11th floor of a building in the Colony Square office complex, Atlanta police Sgt. Nick Roberts said. Police shut down four blocks of Peachtree Street--Atlanta's main thoroughfare. Fire Department spokeswoman Connie Smith said the package was not addressed to any one individual or organization, and it was unclear if it came through regular mail." ---------------------------------------------------- CDC REPORT ON ANTHRAX HOAXES ---------------------------------------------------- 7A) Bioterrorism Alleging Use of Anthrax and Interim Guidelines for Management -- United States, 1998 http://www.cdc.gov/epo/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00056353.htm "From October 30 through December 23, 1998, CDC received reports of a series of bioterroristic threats of anthrax exposure. Letters alleged to contain anthrax were sent to health clinics on October 30, 1998, in Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee. During December 17-23 in California, a letter alleged to contain anthrax was sent to a private business, and three telephone threats of anthrax contamination of ventilation systems were made to private and public buildings. All threats were hoaxes and are under investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and local law enforcement officials. The public health implications of these threats were investigated to assist in developing national public health guidelines for responding to bioterrorism. This report summarizes the findings of these investigations and provides interim guidance for public health authorities on bioterrorism related to anthrax." 7B) Other anthrax reports were hoaxes http://www.accessatlanta.com:80/news/1999/02/05/report.html "On the same day Atlanta responded to an anthrax threat in a Midtown building, the nearby federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report reviewing similar threats in other states. 'It is an unfortunate coincidence as far as I know,' said Dr. Bradley Perkins, an anthrax expert and chief of the CDC's meningitis and special pathogens branch. ‘I don't see how the two could be connected.'"
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