Biological Weapons and Bio Terrorism:
Bio terrorism is real and is here
by Sangeeta Debashis
Of the three regimes of weapons of mass destruction- nuclear, chemical
and biological, it is the last one that is most potent, accessible and the
weakest regime in the global efforts to prohibit and prevent.
With India having a well-developed bio technology infra structure that
includes numerous pharmaceutical production facilities, bio-containment
laboratories for working with lethal pathogens, it is very necessary for
the government to ensure that the biological agents do not fall into wrong
hands.
While the Geneva Protocol of 1925 and the Biological and Toxin weapons
convention (BTWC) 1972 are in place that prohibit research,
development and production of offensive biological weapons, the latter
does allow defensive research. The importance and seriousness of bio
terrorism has not been understood or felt until the September 11 WTC
attacks and occurrence of anthrax cases reported across USA.
In India too, two cases of anthrax incidence have been reported
in the states of Karnataka, and earlier in Tamil Nadu and Andhra
Pradesh. More cases are likely to be reported in the coming
weeks. The government of India have rightly cautioned the people to
be on high alert on the possibility of biological and chemical warfare
attacks by terrorists in India following such incidents in USA.
The DRDO Scientists are emphatic that anthrax is endemic to India and
it is learnt that the Defence ministry and the Home ministry are getting
"rapid response teams " to combat threats of such terrorist
attacks.
Biological weapons pose the greatest threat as these are ideal for bio
terrorism for the following reasons.
* have a delayed response thus preventing immediate detection
* the easiest to acquire
* less expensive
* not easily detected
* even a small quantity can be fatal affecting masses
* has potential for major public health impact
* might cause public panic and social disruption
* require special action for public health preparedness
Biological Agents are grouped under three categories based on the
potency and ease of dispersion. Anthrax comes under the top
category for its powerful effect and easy availability. One
redeeming feature is that it can be cured with antibiotics if detected in
time.
Category A: High-priority agents include organisms that pose
a risk to national security because they can be easily disseminated or
transmitted person-to-person; cause high mortality, with potential for
major public health impact; might cause public panic and social
disruption; and require special action for public health preparedness.
Agents include variola major (smallpox); Bacillus anthracis (anthrax);
Yersinia pestis (plague); Clostridium botulinum toxin (botulism);
Francisella tularensis (tularaemia); filoviruses; Ebola
hemorrhagic fever, Marburg hemorrhagic fever, and
arenaviruses; Lassa (Lassa fever), Junin (Argentine hemorrhagic
fever) and related viruses.
Category B: The second highest priority agents include those
that are moderately easy to disseminate; cause moderate morbidity and low
mortality; and require specific enhancements of CDC’s diagnostic
capacity and enhanced disease surveillance.
Agents are Coxiella burnetti (Q fever); Brucella species
(brucellosis); Burkholderia mallei (glanders); alpha viruses,
Venezuelan encephalomyelitis, eastern and western equine
encephalomyelitis; ricin toxin from Ricinus communis (castor
beans); epsilon toxin of Clostridium perfringens; and Staphylococcus
enterotoxin B. A subset of List B agents includes pathogens that
are food or waterborne. These pathogens include but are not limited
to Salmonella species, Shigella dysenteriae, Escherichia
coli O157:H7, Vibrio cholerae, and Cryptosporidium parvum.
Category C: The third priority agents include emerging
pathogens that could be engineered for mass dissemination in the future
because of availability; ease of production and dissemination; and
potential for high morbidity and mortality and major health impact.
Category C agents include Nipah virus, hantaviruses, tickborne
hemorrhagic fever viruses, tickborne encephalitis viruses, yellow fever
and multi drug resistant tuberculosis.
(CDC. Preventing emerging infectious diseases: a strategy for the 21st
century. Atlanta, Georgia: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services,
1998
)
Bioterrorism: In the past there have been only two known cases of Bio terrorism which
have been extensively researched and analysed The incidents involving the
Rajneesh cult and Aum Shinrikyo are well known. Aum's chief
microbiologist died under mysterious circumstances, perhaps felled by one
of his own experiments with biological agents.
History shows that terrorists are prone to copy each other.
Since terrorist groups often strike without warning, we really do not know
when and where a terrorist organization might strike after taking
inspiration from the previous cases and the recent incidents relating to
anthrax.
CIA director George Tenet on February 2,1999 is said to have made a
statement that Bin Laden, was trying to acquire chemical,
biological and nuclear weapons. His operatives are trained to
conduct such attacks with toxic chemicals or biological toxins and there
are indications he is seeking to obtain chemical, biological,
radiological, or nuclear weapons,
More details of involvement of Islamist terrorists, both Afghan and
Arab Afghans under the guidance of Osama bin Laden and supervision of
Pakistan have been reported in www.ipcs.org/issues/articles/489-ter-kapila.html
The points made in that paper include
* The ISI had established well fortified facilities in Kandahar in
Afghanistan for production of chemical, bacteriological and radiological
weapon (perhaps) too. This set-up was established in May 1998 with
the acquisition of plant and machinery from Yugoslavia. This plant
arrived via Pakistan with assistance of ISI.
* The first WMD base at Kandahar commenced training of terrorist
operatives for biological and chemical weapons from Pakistan,
Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Egypt and the Gulf states there after.
* The second WMD base is reported to have been established at Zenica
in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Terrorist operative training here was being
imparted to first generation European Muslims convertees and second
generation emigres from the Muslim world. Sources claim that
chemical and biological weapons materials/samples have been obtained or
purchased for relatively small amounts of money.
Russian sources indicate that the network members( bin Laden) have
allegedly purchased pedals of anthrax from an East Asian country for $3695
and the lethal viral agent botulinum from a laboratory in the Czech
Republic for $7500 a sample. Representatives of the Moro National
Liberation Front in the Philippines, having close links to Al Qaida are
also understood to have obtained anthrax from an Indonesian pharmaceutical
company. Plague and Anthrax viruses have also been bought from arms
dealers in Kazakhstan. (www.pircenter.org)
Why Anthrax ?: The question that would arise- why Anthrax is being chosen for Bio
terrorism when so many other equally potent agents are available? The
reasons are -It is dangerous, easily available with its low cost of
production. It does not need advanced technology. Knowledge about
anthrax relating to source, culturing, transportation and dispersion are
widely available. It is easy to produce in large quantities and easy
to weaponise. The most important feature is that it is extremely
stable and can be stored almost indefinitely as a dry powder and the
bacteria can multiply even in its dormant stage.
Anthrax bacteria (Bacillus anthracis) remain in a
dormant state as spores and when it come in
contact with skin lesion, or inhaled or in intestine, are activated
as rod shaped bacteria, which cause cutaneous, pulmonary, intestinal
anthrax disease. It mainly affects the hooved animals
but a human being can also become its victim.
With the advance in technology ( genetic engineered and drug resistant
strains of the biological agents) and the increase interest of the
terrorists in biological weapons, there is need to pay greater attention
to Bio terrorism and steps taken to prevent attacks of biological agents.
The history of biological warfare and the international protocol on
preventing biological warfare are given in Appendix I & II.
Appendix I
The history of biological warfare : The table shows the evidence of
the use of BW from historical times
|
Mediaeval Time |
Scythian archers |
dipped arrow heads in manure and rotting
corpses to increase the deadline of weapons |
|
1346 |
Crimean peninsula, B lack Sea
and Italy.
|
catapults to hurl the plague-infested
bodies |
|
1518 |
Latin America |
smallpox by Spanish |
|
1710 |
war between Russia and Sweden |
Russian troops used the cadavers of plague
victims |
|
1767 |
English general, Sir Jeffery Amherst |
blankets infected with smallpox to Indians
who are helping the French defend Fort Carillon. |
|
1930s & 1940s |
Japan |
Fleas infected with plague in China and
Manchuria |
|
1942 |
Gruinard Island, Scotland |
British conduct anthrax tests on
sheep. Today, the uninhabited island is still believed to be
infected with anthrax spores.
|
|
Nov. 25, 1969 |
U.S. |
The entire U.S. arsenal is destroyed by
1973, except for seed stocks held for research purposes. |
|
1979 |
Soviet city of Sverdlovsk |
outbreak was caused by an accidental
release of anthrax spores from a nearby suspected biological weapons
facility |
|
1980-88 |
Iran-Iraq war |
Iraq was forced to halt its biological,
chemical and nuclear weapons programmes. The U.N. Special
Commission (UNSCOM) begins post-war inspections |
|
1984 |
Rajneesh cult, USA |
Salmonella typhimurium
in salad bar poisoning |
|
1993 |
Aum Shinrikyo cult, Japan |
anthrax mist spray from the rooftop in
Japan killing many. |
Appendix II
Protocols that prohibit the use of chemical and biological weapons:
The Geneva Protocol of 1925 prohibits the use of biological or
chemical weapons in warfare, but does not ban the research or production
of these agents.
All the countries ratified it except USA and Japan.
Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC) 1972: The treaty
prohibits the research, development and production of offensive biological
weapons. The treaty does allow defensive work in the area of
biological weapons. The Soviet Union and the United States both
ratify the pact. The BTWC entered into force in 1975: as of July
1999 it has 143 States Parties and 18 Signatory States. United Nations,
List of States Parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the
development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological)
and Toxin Weapons and on their Destruction, BWC/AD HOC GROUP/INF. 20, 20
July 1999.
The Fifth Review Conference in this connection is to be held in
November/December 2001.
The Convention for Biological Diversity which opened for signature at
the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 and in January 2000 to the
agreement of the Cartagena Protocol on Bio-safety which includes
provisions for advanced informed agreement prior to transborder movement
of such genetically-modified organisms.
The Harvard-Sussex Programme initiative to prohibit chemical and
biological weapons under international criminal law as a crime against
humanity
A Draft Convention to Prohibit Biological and Chemical Weapons under
International Criminal Law, CBW Conventions Bulletin, Issue No. 42,
December 1998, pp.1-5.
"Rapid advances and diffusion of biotechnology, nanotechnology,
and the materials sciences, moreover, will add to the capabilities of our
adversaries to engage in biological warfare or bio-terrorism."
In January 2001, the US Department of Defense publication 6
"Proliferation: Threat and
Response" in
which the then Secretary of Defense said "At least 25 countries now
possess -- or are in the process of acquiring and developing capabilities
to inflict mass casualties and destruction: nuclear, biological and
chemical weapons or the means to deliver them.
Biological weapons have been reflected in the NATO summits -- the
Washington Summit communiquéissued on 24 April 1999 by the NATO. NATO,
Washington Summit Communiqué, issued by the Heads of State and Government
participating in the meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Washington,
D.C. on 24th April 1999. Press Release NAC-S(99)64, 24 April 1999.
