Al-Qaida Remains Bio-terror Threat

From DefenseNews:

"Al-Qaida has the ability to carry out attacks using biochemicals and the threat of a strike remains real, a top Interpol official warned on March 29. John Abbott, chairman of Interpol’s bioterrorism sub-committee, said national police forces and health services lacked preparation for an attack using dangerous toxins and had insufficient knowledge and powers to handle such an event.

"There is a threat. Al-Qaida have made it clear ... that they consider the use of chemical and biological agents as acceptable. There have been a few cases around the world in recent times which suggest that there is a capability," Abbott said.

"I think that any person who carefully considers the issues will recognize that it’s complacent to assume that we’re prepared for anything. Criminals and terrorists are innovative," he told Reuters on the sidelines of a bioterrorism conference attended by Asian law enforcement officials and health experts.

Security officials have long warned of the risk of an al-Qaida attack using biological weapons such as anthrax, ricin, botulinum toxin, smallpox, plague or Ebola.

Al-Qaida manuals on preparation of biowarfare agents were discovered at the group’s training camps in Afghanistan after the U.S. invasion of the country in late 2001.

Interpol, the global police body, has stepped up training of police forces on how to handle possible attacks with biological agents, which often take some time to emerge as victims with symptoms of contamination or infection report to hospitals and doctors.

Abbott said many countries still lacked legislation that would enable their authorities to look into potential threats such as the movement of agents and pathogens within countries and across borders.

"It is necessary to criminalize certain activities. We don’t want to get in the way of bio-science development. What we want to do is stop people who have a desire to misuse the developments in bio-science from being able to do so."

France-based Interpol last year moved to establish a resource center at its Lyon headquarters for sharing information between police, health officials and scientists and informing member countries about threats and best practice."

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This really needs no commentary here folks...