February 2003

Below is a listing of bioterrorism-related events this month, part of an ongoing bioterrorism chronology that begins with Sep 11, 2001. To see events from other months, go to the Bioterrorism Watch index page.

Feb 28

Germany reports it's well prepared for smallpox attack
Officials from a German federal research center say the country is prepared for a smallpox attack and possesses enough vaccine to inoculate every man, woman, and child in the country. Dr. Reinhard Kurth, president of the Robert Koch Institute, says 50 million doses of smallpox vaccine are currently stockpiled, with 70 million more doses expected by the end of April. By September, a supply of 100 million doses will be in storage. An emergency vaccination program developed by the institute in cooperation with state and local authorities anticipates immunizing Germany's entire population within 4 or 5 days of a smallpox attack. The plan calls for more than 3,300 vaccination stations across the country to dispense at least 5,000 doses per day. Preparations, including physician training are already complete.

Compensation legislation in progress may alleviate resistance to smallpox vaccination program
Public health experts say that the lack of a plan for compensation of individuals sickened by the smallpox vaccine is the largest factor preventing individuals from participating in the US smallpox immunization program. Congressional sources say legislation currently being drafted should alleviate the problem. Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., has introduced the Smallpox Vaccine Compensation and Safety Act, which uses a no-fault compensation plan modeled on the existing childhood Vaccine Injury Compensation Program. The bill would provide for compensation for unreimbursed medical expenses and lost wages. Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, and Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., are also drafting legislation to resolve the compensation issue. Their proposal provides federal grants to help fund state immunization initiatives and establishes a compensation program, according to Kennedy aide Jim Manley.

Feb 27

Three Floridians experience complications potentially related to smallpox vaccine
Three Florida healthcare workers receiving smallpox vaccinations experience serious side effects that could be related to the vaccine, according to federal officials. The three include a 39-year-old nurse complaining of headaches, malaise, and the severe rash known as generalized vaccinia. She has been treated with antihistamines, and doctors do not expect her to have permanent scarring, says Eric Mast, a CDC immunization specialist. The two other Florida cases include one individual with angina, or severe chest pain, and another with gallbladder inflammation. Neither condition is typically associated with smallpox vaccination. Both patients received treatment at a local hospital and are in good condition, officials say. Florida public health officials have immunized almost 1,200 people and check each of them daily for side effects, according to Health Department spokesman Rob Hayes. "We are doing aggressive monitoring," he says.

Feb 26

CDC says readiness, not numbers, is goal of smallpox vaccination program
In regard to the often-reported 500,000 figure for the number of people to be vaccinated in the first phase of the federal smallpox vaccination program, CDC spokesman Tom Skinner tells Global Security Newswire that "the 500,000 number was floated around" but that the immunization plan's sole goal is preparing the country to deal with a bioterror attack. The federal smallpox immunization plan continues to face resistance from healthcare personnel concerned about the vaccine's potentially serious side effects and the current lack of suitable financial compensation for work missed due to a vaccine reaction. Some medical experts say it is reasonable to work without using the 500,000 number as a benchmark. Patrick Libby, executive director of the National Association of County and City Health Officials, says the number is "more of a planning number and somehow it became the goal." George Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Assocation, says "The exercise has always been about readiness, the 500,000 was a number out of the air." Others worry that the US remains ill-prepared to respond to a smallpox attack that would require mass vaccinations. Yale University professor Ed Kaplan, a vocal critic of the CDC's smallpox vaccination plan says, "The bottom line is that I'm quite worried," and suggests that the United States immunize 50,000 volunteers in 1 day, just to see if it can be done.

Feb 25

NIAID issues contracts out for safer smallpox vaccines
Two government contracts totaling up to $20 million in first-year-funding to develop safer smallpox vaccines go to Bavarian Nordic A/S of Copenhagen, Denmark, and Acambis Inc. of Cambridge, Mass. The announcement comes from HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson who stresses the urgent need for a safer vaccine for those with weakened immune systems, children, and pregnant women. "The new contracts will help us meet this need by accelerating research on second-generation smallpox vaccine," says Thompson. "Milestone-driven contracts such as these are one way NIAID [the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases] is eliciting industry participation in the search for new and improved vaccines," says NIAID Director, Anthony S. Fauci, MD. "These programs are designed to get reliable products into the pipeline in an economically efficient and scientifically sound manner," he adds. NIAID will administer the contracts.

Tennessee hospital now able to track symptoms that could signal bioterr attack
Vanderbilt University Medical Center introduces a new computer system that gives medical personnel information about patient symptoms that could help identify a bioterrorism incident, officials say. The 60-inch computer screen mounted in the hospital's emergency department lets caregivers identify similar symptoms or complaints among various patients admitted at different times and seen by different staff members. Nashville Public Health Department officials want to know if the system could detect "a disease outbreak or a weapon of mass destruction incident," says Dr. Jon Warkentin, head of the department's Bureau of Communicable Disease Control and Prevention. Vanderbilt's Dr. Robin Hemphill is currently working to resolve how to share information between the hospital and the health department.?

Feb 24

Israel's preparedness activities increase
Israel is spending about $500 million to improve and replace 3.2 million gas masks to protect its citizens in the event of a US-led attack on Iraq, according to an army officer. Col. Gil Shenhar of the army's Home Front Command confirms that plans are also under way to evacuate sections of the Tel Aviv area should an attack occur. The major preparation costs present a challenge to the financially depleted military following more than 2 years of Palestinian-Israeli violence. Shenhar says the military has not instructed Israelis to prepare sealed rooms in their houses.

Clinton and NYPD push for more public preparedness funding
New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Police Department officials say that the police need several hundred million dollars more from congress to help prepare for and respond to a possible terrorist attack. The senator says at a news conference that she has secured money in the appropriations bill approved Feb 13 to allow the department to buy thousands of gas masks, but that the city and the Police Department need $900 million more. The department is requesting $261 million. "We need more help from the federal government for the additional burdens that are being imposed on the N.Y.P.D. . . . the burdens that require the constant vigilance that this city is known for," says Clinton. "This war is a two-front war. It's now here at home," she adds.

Feb 23

Idea of duct tape and plastic arose from Sloan Foundation report
The idea of using duct tape and plastic to protect homes from terrorism came not directly out of the government but rather from one of the world's largest private foundations by way of a report focusing on increased public awareness about terror precautions, reports the New York Times. Ralph E. Gomory, president of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, sent the report, "The Need for Demand," to HHS in May 2002, and policymakers and political advisors eventually concurred with the idea of a national campaign. "Ralph in particular has been a catalyst for thinking about ways to protect people and doing it in a way that tries to take advantage of existing systems," says Maj. Gen. Bruce Lawlor, HHS chief of staff. "The duct tape thing is actually helpful," says Lawlor. "The reality is that in 1991 during the Gulf War, there were large purchases of duct tape and plastic by the Israeli government. So the people who are making fun of it don't know what they're talking about because people who have lived through one of these attacks have relied on it, and it has worked." Gomory points out, in response to skeptics, that duct tape and plastic were but 2 of more than 25 ideas put forth in the report.

Smallpox vaccination campaign far short of goal
Hospitals remain skeptical about smallpox vaccinations despite President Bush's advice. Hoping to inoculate almost 450,000 healthcare workers in the first month, federal officials say they have completed about 1% of the goal. States are far from beginning a second stage of vaccinations, planned to include up to 10 million emergency responders and other healthcare workers. Disappointed by the response, HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson tells a congressional panel, "It is absolutely imperative we get more people vaccinated against smallpox to get more prepared." He further tells reporters, "I think there are a lot of people who believe that it's not an issue and haven't seen any evidence that they should be concerned about a smallpox epidemic. We have to do a better job of explaining to them that this is a possibility." The CDC believes the numbers will grow as hospitals receive more information and officials resolve outstanding problems.

Feb 21

Texas plague researcher accustomed to transporting live samples
Texas Tech University researcher Thomas Butler, charged with lying to the FBI about missing plague bacteria (see January 15), frequently transported live samples aboard commercial airliners, according to a report in the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. Butler's attorney, Floyd Holder, says the researcher imported plague about 60 times over the past 30 years, but used "absolutely safe" methods of transporting the specimens. "There may be some laws out there somewhere that somebody thinks he broke, but I don't think he did," says Holder. "There may have been some problem with whether he dotted every 'i' and crossed every 't.' Certainly he had no criminal intent to smuggle anything in." Holder expects federal authorities to file additional charges against Butler accusing him of failing to go through proper channels in importing live plague samples.

New suits for American troops
Congressional criticism prompts increased production of lighter and more effective chemical and biological protective suits for American troops. Defense contractors are now producing 90,000 suits per month, up from 79,000 per month, according to a Bloomberg.com report quoting Pete Aldridge, the Defense Department's acquisition chief. By the end of January, the Pentagon had received 1.8 million of the new Joint Service Lightweight Integrated Suit Technology garments. The improved suit goes over combat clothing and can protect troops for 24 hours following a chemical or biological attack. It is designed to last up to 45 days and can withstand six cleanings.

Aum Shinrikyo cult tried anthrax before sarin
Japan's Aum Shinrikyo cult, which launched a lethal sarin attack in Tokyo's subway system in 1995, also conducted an unsuccessful 1993 biological weapons attack that went undetected for years, says biologist Paul Keim of Northern Arizona University. Had the botched attack been detected, the cult might have been foiled before the sarin attack, Keim tells the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. His discovery began in1993 when Japanese authorities investigated complaints of a strong odor coming from a cult-owned building. Though cult members escaped, authorities collected five sample vials of slime left on the building walls. Four vials produced little information, but the fifth sat in storage until the Tokyo subway attack in 1995, says Keim, who recovered the fifth vial and was able to grow an anthrax culture from it. Keim believes the attack failed because Aum used the nonvirulent Sterne strain of anthrax, often used to produce animal anthrax vaccines.

Devices to destroy chemical/biological weapons readied
The US military nears completion of several types of precision-guided "agent defeat weapons" (ADWs) designed to destroy stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons. The devices could play a role in a war with Iraq, according to analysts. Some of the devices are close to entering service, says Clifford Beale, editor-in-chief of Jane's Defence Weekly. "Much of this work is classified, but it would seem reasonable to assume that an ADW capability would be available," he tells New Scientist. "A good deal of work in this area has already been done." The incendiary device can destroy chemical and biological agents without dispersing their contents by using chemicals that produce intense and long-lasting fires, rather than exploding. Some designs also produce bleaching chemicals to further reduce the threat. Special Forces on the ground could deploy some of the devices, adds Beale.

Feb 20

NYC hospitals calculate expenditures for bioterrorism readiness efforts
New York's hospitals face more than $200 million in financial burdens driven by post-9/11 vigilance, says a new report by the Greater New York Hospital Association. Hospitals already suffering financially are bearing almost 95% of the costs of everything from adding guards to building decontamination units. The report, based on a survey of 54 hospitals, estimates that to improve their readiness for terrorist attacks, the state's more than 200 hospitals spent $218 million from Sep 11, 2001, to the end of 2002 and plan to spend $269 million more this year. Most spending has been based on CDC and other government agency recommendations. Some of the most costly new investments include installation of chemical and biological decontamination units, creation of "negative air pressure" areas to prevent contaminants from escaping, backing up of computer systems, more aggressive investigation and reporting of unusual disease cases, and staff training.

Low-yield nuclear devices to destroy chemical/biological weapons under consideration by feds
The Bush administration is considering developing controversial, low-yield nuclear devices to destroy targets holding chemical or biological weapons, according to administration officials and government scientists. Low-yield nuclear weapons, less powerful than larger nuclear bombs, would serve as a more reliable deterrent against rogue states and terrorist organizations with weapons of mass destruction, according to views within the country's nuclear weapons laboratories. The low-yield nuclear weapons currently under consideration would penetrate reinforced bunkers housing chemical and biological weapons and detonate underground. Presumably this would concentrate their explosive power and heat on the chemical or biological agents, thus reducing or eliminating radioactive fallout in the atmosphere, scientists say. An August conference at the Omaha headquarters of Strategic Command, the Pentagon command responsible for the nation's nuclear arsenal, will host further discussions on low-yield nuclear weapons development.

Red Cross safety-kit campaign aimed at complementing government suggestions, calming public
The American Red Cross launches a terrorism preparedness campaign designed to complement the government's plan to educate and calm the public. The program advises Americans to stockpile a 3-day supply of water, first-aid kits, medications, and various tools. It also recommends that businesses and schools prepare evacuation plans. The initiative, called "Together We Prepare," also advises including tape and plastic sheeting as part of an emergency kit. American Red Cross president Marsha Evans says the program intends to educate as much of the public as possible about terrorism and disaster preparedness. "We want them to have a productive way to channel any anxiety they may have, Evans says.

Gas masks at the Pentagon
The Department of Defense prepares to distribute some 80,000 gas masks to employees and visitors to its Washington facilities to protect them against potential chemical or biological terrorism. Next week 20,000 civilian and uniformed employees employed at the Pentagon headquarters plus 3,000 to 4,000 others including the press corps and shop owners in the building will get the masks, says defense spokeswoman Cheryl Irwin. Tens of thousands more will eventually go to 46 other Pentagon properties in the Washington area. Officials demonstrate use of gas masks, called "emergency escape hoods" at a town hall meeting. "In no way does it reflect some specific piece of intelligence that the Pentagon is going to be the target of a chemical event," says Pentagon Police Chief John N. Jester."

CDC releases information on reactions to smallpox vaccinations to date
A study released by the CDC in Morbidity Mortality Weekly Report says 4,213 American civilians in 26 states have received smallpox vaccinations as of Feb 14 with no serious reactions. According to the CDC, the seven civilian reactions that have been reported were all minor and included fever, rash, malaise, itching, hypertension, and sore throat. Active surveillance for serious reactions is being conducted, but minor reactions are reported via passive surveillance and are likely to be underreported, the CDC says. Meanwhile, the military has inoculated more than 100,000 troops, and five serious reactions have occurredtwo cases of encephalitis, one of myocarditis, one of "generalized vaccinia," and one of "ocular vaccinia," which occurs when the vaccine's virus migrates to the eye. All of the men have recovered.

Feb 19

Antibiotic for anthrax treatment losing potency
Ciprofloxacin (Cipro), the antibiotic frequently used as anthrax treatment, is losing its effectiveness against serious infections due to overuse, according to a new study. The study, based on infections experienced by hospitalized patients in 43 states and Washington from 1994 to 2000, shows that many germs are growing resistant to fluoroquinolones, a class of antibiotics that include Cipro. Researchers found that in 1994 Cipro effectively treated 86% of the bacteria samples analyzed. That number dropped to 76% by 2000. "More judicious use of fluoroquinolone antibiotics will be necessary to limit this downward trend," say the researchers, led by Melinda Neuhauser of the University of Houston. The study appears in today's Journal of the American Medical Association.

Public education program on preparation, not panic, launched
The Department of Homeland Security launches a public education campaign aimed at preparing Americans for a potential chemical, biological, or radiological attack. The campaign utilizes a broad base of communications from bus stops and billboards to television, radio, computers, mail, and phone directories. The underlying message emphasizes both the urgency to get ready and the need not to panic. Federal officials hope the long-planned campaign will help eliminate confusion and calm the public. Tom Ridge, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, says the ad campaign is supposed to "make people feel better about their ability . . . to protect themselves and their families."

Iraqi weapons of mass destruction afloat on the high seas?
American and British intelligence officials are tracking three unexplained ships they believe could be loaded with Iraqi weapons of mass destruction, according to the British Independent newspaper. The paper, quoting what it calls authoritative shipping industry sources, says the large cargo ships have been traveling around the world for 3 months without making radio contact, a violation of international maritime law. The International Maritime Organization disagrees, saying it is not a violation to withhold information about the content of a cargo ship or its destination or to keep radio silence on the high seas. Intelligence agents fear that stopping and searching the ships could provoke an environmental disaster, the paper reports. "If Iraq does have weapons of mass destruction, then a very large part of its capability could be afloat on the high seas right now," a shipping industry source tells the newspaper.

Feb 18

Former Iraqi scientist says weapons reside deep underground
Saddam Hussein has probably dismantled his nuclear program but continues to develop chemical and biological weapons and bury them deep underground where UN weapons inspectors cannot find them, according to a former Iraqi scientist. Hussain Al Shahristani says he further believes Iraq can't launch a weapons payload to distant targets but could give them to overseas cells of supporters. "There's no way that they [inspectors] can really find them, unless by pure accident," Shahristani, a former chief scientific advisor to the Iraqi Atomic Energy Commission, tells a briefing organized by an association of foreign journalists in the Philippines. "These materials are hidden deep underground or in a tunnel system." Shahristani says he has learned this from former colleagues and dissidents who have recently fled Iraq. He says he was jailed for 11 years by Saddam's regime for refusing to develop banned weapons but escaped from Iraq in 1991 and now lives in London.

Feb 17

Medical experts express concern over children in a potential terrorist attack
Top pediatric and emergency medicine experts meet in Washington to discuss the country's lack of preparation to treat children during a terrorist attack. Emergency physician Dr. Fred Henretig of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia says treating children could become a "nightmare" scenario with rescuers dressed in bulky suits and emergency workers hampered by the adult-sized tools they would likely (IV lines, face masks, doses of medicine). Irwin Redlener, president of the Children's Health Fund, worries about the lack of pediatric experience among most first-responders. US Army pediatrician and bioterrorism expert Dr. Theodore Cieslak says children are disturbingly vulnerable to chemical, biological, and radiological weapons because they "live closer to the ground," meaning their "breathing zone" is lower, where agents may settle. The conference organized by the Children's Health Fund and the Children's Hospital at Montefiore in New York, was funded by the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Feb 16

FBI/AAAS biocrime investigation program announced
The FBI and leading microbiology organizations plan to develop a national system to trace biological crimes. The program, announced at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, includes guidelines for managing criminal investigations of biocrimes. "It's much easier now than ever to perpetrate a crime," says Bruce Budowle of the FBI. But law enforcement officials often have difficulty connecting the crime to the criminal. The government hopes to establish a national BioForensics Analysis Center at Fort Detrick, Md., Budowle says. Clinical laboratories in hospitals, state and local health departments, veterinary offices, and universities will receive training and be certified to collect evidence for criminal investigations. New standards establishing the reliability of forensic tests will be required if such tests are to be used in court, according to Budowle. Additionally, the government plans to build a database of bacteria and viruses for comparison with microbes used in biological crimes.

Threatening letter, brown powder lead to closing of NJ post office
Authorities in Long Hill Township, N.J., close a post office after finding a threatening letter in a package containing brown powder. An initial test showed no anthrax contamination but a second test was inconclusive, says Postal Service spokesman Tony Esposito. One employee who came in contact with the powder does not appear to have symptoms. Five others received prescriptions for the antibiotic Cipro, according to Esposito. The post office is closed until the state health department can complete tests. Postal workers discovered the substance when a postmark machine stamped a padded envelope, causing the powder to spill out. Esposito revealed no details about the destination of the package. The post office is located about 45 miles north of Trenton.

Australia readies smallpox plan
Health professionals in Canberra, Australia, prepare to fly immediately to anywhere in the country in the event of a biological attack involving smallpox. Medical staff trained to conduct a mass inoculation campaign are prepared and on call to deliver 50,000 doses of smallpox vaccine, a federal health department spokeswoman tells The Sunday Age. Another 50,000 doses of vaccine coming from the United States should arrive soon in Australia. The spokeswoman says no decision has been made on who should be inoculated when the additional vaccine arrives.

German stance on Iraqi threat changes face
The German Health Ministry says it overstated the danger of Saddam Hussein's weapons programs in an internal report last year claiming that Iraq has a smallpox supply and could use it in biological attacks. The ministry says it wrote the statement to support its funding requests to stockpile smallpox vaccine. It now denies that German intelligence has evidence of Iraqi smallpox stocks, contradicting the report's central claim. The report also asserted that a smallpox outbreak could kill about 25 million people, almost a third of the German population. Health Ministry spokesman Klaus Vater says that ministry officials used intelligence reports, but their risk assessment was hypothetical, "drastic," and "imprecise." Some assert that the government is now soft-pedaling the Iraqi threat so as to not undermine its antiwar stance.

Iraq posed anthrax questions to Swedish, Finnish health officials
A Swedish official says that the Iraqi Embassy in Stockholm contacted the ministry last year requesting information about anthrax. "We had a query from Iraq in October about how to decontaminate anthrax and how to best protect yourself against anthrax," foreign ministry spokesman Jan Janonius tells the Associated Press. Janonuus would not speculate about the reason for the query but says it was not answered. A Finnish newspaper also reports that Finland received a comparable request from the Iraqi embassy in Helsinki in October. That request involved proper methods "for the early detection of anthrax," Ilta-Sanomat reports. It also asked for "ways of protecting against anthrax, as well as methods, procedures, and equipment needed for decontamination," the newspaper reports.

Feb 14

Some Australian soldiers soften their stand against anthrax vaccinations
Some of the 40 Australian military personnel who initially rejected anthrax vaccinations (see Feb 13) are persuaded to take the vaccine, according to a story in The Australian. The 40 are in addition to11 crewmembers from Navy ships who have already been sent home after rejecting the voluntary vaccinations. "We're still working with a number of people who have expressed concerns, and we're seeking to meet those concerns and explain what the issues are," says Defence Force Chief Peter Cosgrove. Navy Chief Vice-Admiral Chris Ritchie says the military has handled the vaccination properly. "We decided for their own safety people needed to be vaccinated," he says. "We gave people an option. Some people took the option and came home." Labor's foreign affairs spokesman Kevin Rudd called the vaccination process, which included waiting until 2 days after one ship had set sail to tell its crew they would be vaccinated, "a complete botch-up."

Subway system new focus of New York security efforts
New York police focus on the city's 656-mile subway system and 469 stations as potential underground sites for terrorist activity, reports the New York Times. Since the most recent threat became public, police have increased patrols and checkpoints and have taken numerous other measures. Officers are also posted at the entrances to each of the 16 underwater subway tunnels, and nearly a dozen teams of officers and firefighters plan to test the air underground for chemical, biological, and radiological agents, according to law enforcement officials. New York City Transit has also begun testing shoebox-size detectors in several stations. Several senior police officials say that many of their efforts are aimed at providing a strong and visible presence to disrupt and deter any attack. Officials add that they are also counting on subway riders to report anything unusual.

Ridge attempts to reassure an anxious public
Concerned by the public's overreaction to his suggestions to stock up on duct tape and plastic sheeting to seal their houses in case of a bioterror attack, Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge reminds people to keep emergency supplies ready but to not use them hapazardly. "I want to make something very, very clear," he says at a news conference. "God forbid there may come a time when the local authorities or national authorities or someone will tell you that you've got to use them." Ridge adds, "We have not received any additional intelligence that would lead us to either raise or lower the threat level at this time."

Illinois school holds bioterrorism drill
Worries about biological or chemical terrorist attacks prompt a Dolton, Ill., school district to hold a bioterrorism drill. The exercise involving 830 students takes place in a school gym where school officials gather the students, seal doors with duct tape and plastic sheeting, and shut off the ventilation system. Officials from Dolton-Riverdale School District 148 say they believe their anti-terrorism exercise, conducted with the village fire and police departments, was the first in the region. "We spend a lot of time over the course of the school year conducting fire and tornado drills, but never have we had the need for a terrorist attack drill until now," says Lincoln School Principal Jayne Purcell. "It's really not all that different from a fire drill, but in light of what's happening in the world we just felt we needed to do it to be prepared."

Feb 13

More Austrialian soldiers say no to anthrax shots
Some 40 more (see Feb 12) Australian military personnel destined for the Persian Gulf refuse anthrax vaccinations because of their fears about serious side effects. Australian Defence Force sources say that efforts to convince reluctant troops to take the vaccine have failed and that some service personnel who have already received the first injection are refusing to complete a series of four vaccinations unless they are satisfied there is no unacceptable risk. "People are being spooked by scurrilous false claims," one officer says. Measures are under way to avert panic by distributing comprehensive medical data describing the safety of anthrax vaccinations. Military officials and the Australian government say that personnel assigned to the Gulf (2,000 individuals) will not be allowed to go or will be sent home if they refuse the anthrax vaccination.

Kurdish leaders say Al QaidaIraq link indeed exists
Leaders of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) offer evidence of a direct link between Al Qaida and the Iraqi government. Claiming to have eyewitness accounts, prisoners' confessions, and seized evidence, Kurdish officials also say they have captured Iraqi military officers sent by Saddam to communicate with Islamic radicals. The new information confirms Secretary of State Colin Powell's claims that an Al Qaidalinked group supported by Saddam Hussein operates a "poison factory" in northeastern Iraq. Sadi Ahmad Pire, a PUK official, identifies the village of Sargat near the Khurmal district as the site of the chemical weapons plant. A Kurdish intelligence chief, speaking on condition of anonymity, says the PUK has captured "several" former Iraqi military and intelligence officers who confessed to being sent from Baghdad-controlled parts of Iraq to meet with Ansar al-Islam, a militant group of 600 to 700 fighters, many trained in Osama bin Laden's camps.

Israeli public told to make emergency preparations
The Israeli Defense Ministry advises the public to stockpile food and water in preparation for a possible Iraqi missile attack should the United States initiate war on Iraq. "The chance that something will happen here is very low but we have to prepare for all possibilities," Amos Yaron, the ministry's director-general, tells Israel Radio. He instructs Israelis to review instructions outlined in a recently distributed emergency handbook that explains how to seal rooms against chemical or biological agents and recommends stockpiling food, water, batteries, and first-aid items. Hardware stores in Israel are reporting heavy sales of plastic wrap and duct tape for sealing rooms.

Effectiveness of plastic and duct tape for sealing homes against attacks questioned
Experts express uncertainty about whether duct tape and plastic sheeting can protect against chemical, biological, or "dirty bomb" attacks. Randall J. Larsen, director of the Anser Institute for Homeland Security, a nonprofit research group in Arlington, Va., tells the New York Times it's valuable for people to prepare, but he doubts the value of the administration's recommendations for sealing a room with plastic sheeting and duct tape. "If it lowers your blood pressure, go ahead and do it, but do everything else first," Larsen says. "I don't think there's enough information out there for people to be locking themselves in airtight rooms." Dr. Monica Schoch-Spana, a senior fellow at the Johns Hopkins Center for Civilian Biodefense Strategies, says such a "safe room" offers no help against a biological attack because pathogens would be released secretly, allowing no time for preparation. Scientists at Oak Ridge National Laboratory studied the protective qualities of duct tape and plastic but were unable to give firm conclusions in a 2001 report.

Feb 12

States and cities blame Congress for poor terrorism preparedness
Congressional negotiators approve a 2003 budget bill that includes funds for local terrorism preparedness, but many state and local governments say congressional tardiness in completing a 2003 budget has left them without promised emergency-response aid and unprepared to deal with a major terrorist attack. The budget approved today includes something close to the $3.5 billion package President Bush requested for equipment and training for local police and fire departments, but it will take months for most of the money to reach state and local governments. "The bottom line for us is that we are no better off than we were on Sep 11, that we're not ready for a terrorist strike," says Mayor John DeStefano Jr. of New Haven, Conn. Only about 10% of that city's 380 firefighters have received protective equipment and specialized training to respond to a chemical or biological attack. A new federally financed study shows that only 13% of the nation's fire departments are prepared to handle a chemical or biological attack involving 10 or more casualties.

Public anxiety about smallpox still high
Public anxiety about a potential smallpox attack remains as high today as when the anthrax mailings occurred, according to an Associated Press poll. Fifty-four percent say they worry about a smallpox attack, as compared with 53% in November 2001. Women worry more than men. More than half of American adults54%would get vaccinated if they could, down slightly from 61 percent in November 2001, the poll finds. Six in ten parents would want their children vaccinated. Forty-three percent of respondents say they don't think the country is prepared to handle a bioterrorist attack. The poll of 1,000 people was conducted for the AP by ICR/International Communications Research of Media, Pa.

France will immunize 150 volunteers against smallpox
France is making plans to immunize 150 volunteers against smallpox, according to French Health Minister Jean-Francois Mattei. Volunteers will include healthcare professionals, police, and justice personnel who were vaccinated decades ago when smallpox immunizations were standard. "All specialists on bioterrorism in contact with international health authorities and intelligence services agree that smallpox is one of the most serious threats, even if the likelihood is weak," Mattei says. French officials do not plan a nationwide vaccination program because of concerns about the vaccine's safety, but the country is "almost finished" acquiring 70 million doses of the vaccine to immunize the entire population of 61.4 million people in an emergency.

Fewer than half of departing British troops take anthrax shot
Only 8,103 out of 16,500 British military personnel leaving for the Persian Gulf have accepted an anthrax shot, the Ministry of Defence reports. Though the ministry strongly recommends vaccination, it is voluntary, and troops are expressing concern about the vaccine's side effects. Military commanders have been warned by intelligence services to expect chemical and biological attacks ordered by Saddam Hussein in the event of an invasion of Iraq, and defense officials admit that military operations could be disrupted if only some members of a unit are protected by the vaccine. Paul Keetch, the Liberal Democrats' defense spokesman, accuses the government of creating confusion and lacking leadership over the issue. "Soldiers are being asked to judge for themselves the possibility of anthrax infection in the Gulf. If the vaccine is safe and the threat real, why pass the buck to our troops to decide?" he says.

Some Australian sailors sent home after refusing anthrax shot
Eleven Australian sailors have been sent home from the Middle East after refusing an anthrax vaccination, according to Defence Chief General Peter Cosgrove. Cosgrove tells a senate committee in Canberra that the number of returning troops could increase because of an unknown number of others who remain undecided about the vaccine. He recommends setting a deadline for sailors to decide so that the military can coordinate their return home. To date, three sailors aboard the Kanimbla have been airlifted from the ship after refusing to take the vaccination. The Kanimbla is currently in the Indian Ocean, and a defense force spokesman, Brigadier Mike Hannan, says any crew failing to take the vaccine will be removed for their own safety.

Feb 11

Iraqi scientists fear repercussions of meeting with UN inspectors
A recent Iraqi defector tells ABC News that scientists involved in Iraq's weapons program live in fear. The defector, an engineer described as close to several of the Iraqi weapons scientists, says that many of them want to cooperate with the United Nations but fear meeting privately with the inspectors. UN sources say that one scientist who met with them this week was so frightened that he shook for an hour. "Iraqi scientists and researchers are under a lot of pressure and influence by the Iraqi authorities," the defector says. "They were scared and threatened in different ways, including threatening to go after their families if they leave Iraq to meet with inspectors, and going after their relatives if their families go with them, and going after them even if they were in exile." The defector says many scientists live with their families at a secret compound in downtown Baghdad.

Australian company touts new anthrax-detection scanner
Queensland, Australia, biotech company Elan Bio claims it has developed technology capable of detecting anthrax spores within seconds. The prototype scanner can distinguish anthrax sealed in containers and envelopes in 3 seconds and offers other potential applications, the company says. Elan Bio developed the device from a scanner originally created to identify varieties of fruit at supermarket checkouts. Company spokeswoman Michelle Connelly says the new technology is safer and more efficient than current anthrax tests, which take at least 24 hours and involve contact with the deadly spores. "The device also can be used on site, in various environments, so there's no need to take a suspected contaminated container or envelope away to a laboratory and test it for 24 hours," says Connelly.

New York woman opens powder-containing envelope
An ABC News employee receives medical attention after opening an envelope containing a suspicious white powder mailed to the network's New York offices. "It has not been confirmed it was anything definite," a network staff member says. Another employee minimizes the incident, saying it was "highly unlikely it was anything." The female employee was taken to a hospital after she opened the envelope containing "a white substance."

Feb 10

Disaster supply kits recommended by government
The Bush administration issues specific guidelines on how to prepare for a possible terrorist attack involving chemical, biological, or nuclear weapons. The advice urges families to set up a "disaster supply kit" including a 3-day supply of water (one gallon per person per day), food, a battery-powered radio, a change of clothes,; an extra set of car keys, and cash. Additional supplies include duct tape and plastic sheeting to seal off windows in the event of a chemical or biological attack. "There is no specific, credible intelligence that says an attack using chemical or biological weapons is imminent," says Gordon Johndroe, chief spokesman for Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge. The department, which outlined the guidelines at a meeting with reporters, says most of its advice is not new or novel and is based on disaster preparedness programs run by the American Red Cross and the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Osterholm declares hospitals' resistance to smallpox vaccination shortsighted
A Minnesota bioterrorism advisor to the Bush administration says critics of the administration's smallpox vaccination plan are shortsighted to resist inoculation. "I can guarantee you that if smallpox were to hit anywhere in the world today, there would be a mad rush for smallpox vaccine," says Dr. Michael Osterholm, a University of Minnesota professor and former Minnesota state epidemiologist. Frustrated at a growing number of hospitals nationwide that plan to skip the first phase of the vaccination program, Osterholm says failing to offer the vaccine to hospital workers carries its own risks. If no one on staff is vaccinated, he warns, hospitals could be overwhelmed. "It will be the perfect storm," he says. Osterholm serves as an advisor to Tommy Thompson, US secretary of Health and Human Services, and heads the University of Minnesota's Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP), publisher of this Web site.

Feb 9

Stepped-up security especially evident in NYC
New York police increase security at airports, subways, and hotels following a warning that the nation is on heightened terrorist alert, and New York could be a possible target, according to law enforcement officials. Investigators express particular concern about the possibility of chemical, biologica, or radiological attacks, and information they have received is prompting specific worries about attacks on hotels and subways, a high-ranking law enforcement source, speaking on condition of anonymity, tells the New York Times. City officials are telling residents to be alert but to go about their business. Raising the national terror alert from yellow to orange in response to intercepted communications between suspected terrorists has provoked stepped-up protections across the country.

Britain readies early-warning systems
Text messages warning people to seek cover may go to every mobile phone user in Britain in the event of a biological attack. Other preparations under consideration include the use of "4-minute warning" sirens and the development of more than 100 pollution detectors. The proposed alerts come from the government's National Steering Committee on Warning and Informing the Public. The basic warning will instruct people to go indoors and tune to emergency television or radio broadcasts. The British government also seeks to buy mobile detection equipment to provide early warnings of a biological attack. The equipment, about the size of a large refrigerator, could be installed in vans and used at any public event or large gathering. Already being purchased are 20 new Integrated Biological Detection Systems to be mounted on 4-ton trucks and used by the military to give an early warning of biological attacks on the battlefield.

Iraqi scientist defends past germ warfare work and current weapons declaration
Rihab Taha, a scientist considered important in the creation of Iraq's biological weapons program, tells British journalist Jane Corbin that Iraq was justified in producing germ weapons in the 1980s and 1990s. Taha also says she helped compile the biological section of Iraq's recent weapons declaration and claims it is truthful. Five officials and guards observed the interview, filmed by the BBC's "Panorama" program at the office of the Iraqi agency that deals with UN weapons inspectors. According to Taha, Iraq never planned to use the biological agents it produced in the 1980s and early 1990s. "We never wanted to cause harm or damage to anybody," she says. "Iraq has been threatened by different enemies, and we are in an area that suffers from regional conflict. I think it is our right to have something to defend ourselves and to have something as a deterrent." Taha says she no longer does such work.

Feb 8

U of Maryland wants to build high-security biodefense lab
The University of Maryland School of Medicine hopes to win federal money to construct a $200 million high-security laboratory at Aberdeen Proving Ground to pursue bioterrorism research and treat victims of any future attacks, the Baltimore Sun reports. The proposed National Biocontainment Laboratory, one of several US biosafety level 4 facilities, would work with organisms such as the Ebola and smallpox viruses. The lab hopes to develop new methods to identify organisms, new treatments, and new vaccines by working closely with the university's Center for Vaccine Development, according to Dr. Howard B. Dickler, associate dean for research at the medical school. The facility would also treat victims of attacks with germs requiring high-level protection for doctors and nurses, he says. NIAID would contribute $150 million for construction, and the university would provide another $50 million, Dickler says. The estimated operating cost of $25 million a year would come from NIAID.

Plots to use ricin stem from Chechen rebels, Russian official says
Use of the deadly toxin ricin can be traced back to Chechen rebels' crude laboratories discovered in Georgia's Pankisi Gorge, according to Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov. Speaking at a security conference in Munich, Ivanov says "Chechen-brand terrorism" has surfaced as a fundamental part of alleged terrorist activities recently uncovered in several countries, including France and Britain. "As for the training and instruction base for the international chemical terrorists, it is a well-known destinationthe Pankisi Gorge in Georgia," he says. Makeshift ricin laboratories have been found there, and chemical terrorists arrested recently in France and Britain had been training there, he adds.

Academician blames CDC for resistance to smallpox program
A Boston University expert charges that the CDC has failed to adequately reassure the American public of the safety of the smallpox vaccination plan, causing a growing unwillingness of healthcare providers to take part in the program. "The CDC has not fairly laid out how it can be done safely and what the real historical risks are," says William Bicknell, a smallpox expert at the BU School of Public Health. He tells Congress that the CDC is causing resistance to the plan by letting potential volunteers develop inflated fears, failing to assure them they would be protected from liability in case of bad reactions, and not publicizing the positive records of the Israeli and US military vaccination programs. Bicknell says that the Bush administration "must make it clear to providers that this is very important to do."

Feb 7

Federal officials raise terrorism threat rating to 'high'
Federal officials raise the nation's security threat level from "elevated" to "high," the second-highest rating, because of intelligence reports indicating an increased risk of Al Qaida attacks on Americans at home or abroad. Attorney General John Ashcroft says the action is based on information corroborated by "multiple intelligence sources." Ashcroft says reports suggest an increased risk that Al Qaida may attempt to attack Americans around the end of the hajj, the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, which ends in mid-February. "Recent intelligence reports suggest that Al Qaida leaders have emphasized planning for attacks on apartment buildings, hotels, and other soft or lightly secured targets in the United States," he says. The increased threat level will trigger federal actions such as more searches at airport security stations and more questioning of people entering the United States, officials say. In discussing the advisory, Ashcroft comments, "Al Qaida continues to demonstrate a very serious interest in chemical, biological, as well as radiological devices."

CIA suspects Al Qaida will strike soon, perhaps with toxic weapons
The CIA suspects that Al Qaida plans to launch at least two major attacks against American targets by mid-February or at the outset of war with Iraq, according to the New York Daily News. Federal terrorism officials say the terrorist strikes might coincide with the end of the hajj, the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, and could involve a radioactive "dirty" bomb or chemical and biological weapons. Officials say they have received warnings that "Al Qaida is organizing a 'new' type of attack that will surprise the United States." The CIA's warning says that an Al Qaida strike "potentially could involve a radiological dispersal device," combining major assaults with "smaller attacks at multiple places around the world." The new information comes from Al Qaida detainees and surveillance of terrorist suspects.

Spain stockpiles smallpox vaccine
Spain announces it is preparing for potential bioterrorist attacks by stockpiling smallpox vaccine. "Spain has acquired two million vaccines against smallpox as a preventive measure against a bioterrorist attack with this infectious virus," Deputy Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy tells a new conference. Spain's decision is "intimately linked" to Iraq's alleged refusal to cooperate with United Nations weapons inspectors, he adds. Though Spain is one of the United States' strongest European allies on the UN Security Council, opinion polls indicate that most Spaniards oppose a US-led war on Iraq.

Feb 6

Smallpox vaccination plan moves slowly as resistance grows
President Bush's inoculation plan for some 500,000 health care workers against smallpox is meeting resistance from hundreds of hospitals and thousands of nurses across the country. The CDC says that only 687 volunteers in 16 states have been vaccinated since the program began two weeks ago. A nationwide survey of state health officials by the New York Times finds that 350 hospitals have declined to participate and hundreds more have not yet decided. White House spokesman Scott McClellan says the program is "still very much in the early stages." Smallpox experts say they are surprised at the low turnout. "Our goal is achievement of a preparedness capacity, not achievement of a number," says CDC Director Dr. Julie Gerberding. "We recognize that concerns about compensation are causing people to be slow to volunteer because they are afraid they'll fall through the cracks."

Powell presents evidence of Iraqi weapons to UN
Secretary of State Colin Powell presents photographs and recorded conversations between Iraqi military officers in an attempt to prove to the United Nations that Saddam Hussein possesses nerve agents and is hiding incriminating material from UN weapons inspectors. The secretary also shows satellite photographs of what he alleges are chemical and biological weapons facilities, along with drawings based on witnesses' descriptions of truck and rail cars converted into mobile weapons laboratories. Powell suggests that Iraq's unconventional weapons could be given at any time to terrorists who could use them against the United States or Europe. Many items of information from different sources corroborate one another, according to Powell.

Al Qaida trained terrorist suspects in Europe, investigators say
Two senior Al Qaida operatives provided training to men now suspected of planning chemical and biological attacks in France and the United Kingdom, European intelligence and judicial sources tell CNN. One man, Abu Musab al Zarqawi, serves as a link between the terrorist group and Iraq, according to the Bush administration. The other, Abu Khabab, appears on a training video showing Al Qaida members performing chemical weapons experiments on dogs, according to intelligence sources. The allegations follow recent arrests in France, the United Kingdom, Italy, and Spain that investigators say helped uncover several cells of Islamic terrorists possessing materials to make chemical and biological weapons. The arrested men all trained at a camp in the Caucasus region, specifically Pankisi Gorge in Georgia and nearby Chechnya, say investigators. Officials worry that the area has become a new haven for terrorist groups.

Scientists prefer 'self-policing' to control sensitive information
Scientists faced with new security dilemmas say their work can advance only through full and open communication and the ability to test and replicate each other's work. But some of what scientists publish could be used to cause enormous harm, which is prompting a debate about scientific openness and secrecy. The issue at hand concerns who will impose controls, scientists or the federal government, according to a Washington Post report. "We would prefer a self-policing regime," says microbiologist Ronald Atlas, graduate school dean at the University of Louisville and president of the American Society for Microbiology. "Imposing criminal penalties would have a chilling effect on the free exchange of information." The government is considering issuing "guidance" on handling and disseminating homeland security information. "The intention is to focus on federally controlled information," says Shana Dale, chief of staff and general counsell for the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

Feb 5

Personal computer users to help in search for smallpox treatments
A collaboration of research universities, corporations, and the Department of Defense will create a networked computer project aimed at speeding up the search for a smallpox cure. The group will engage a few million personal computer owners linked to the Internet worldwide to contribute the unused computing power of their home or office personal computers. Their spare computer cycles will provide the computing powermore, collectively, than the worlds largest supercomputerto crunch massive amounts of data in the search for chemical interactions between a library of 35 million drug molecules and several protein targets on the smallpox molecule.

2004 budget may mean CDC rebuilding has to wait
President Bush's 2004 budget proposal, which focuses on war planning and programs within the new Department of Homeland Security, would increase funding for the CDC by only 1%, causing the agency to lose funding in several key areas, including its 10-year rebuilding plan. Support would increase for other areas identified as priorities by the administration, including chronic disease prevention in the United States and AIDS prevention in the developing world. The 2004 proposal would give the agency $114 million of the $250 million estimated as needed for its building plan.

American Media Building's pricetag may be $1
A spending bill currently in the House directs the federal government to buy for $1 the anthrax-contaminated American Media Building in Boca Raton, Fla., forcing taxpayers to pay up to $20 million for the cleanup. Once decontamination of the building is complete, the only option may be to demolish it, according to a General Services Administration memo obtained by the Washington Times. The GSA called the building "unmarketable," and says the property's value has dropped from $4.4 million to about $900,000. "The acquisition of this building by the GSA would result in significant costs to the federal taxpayers," the GSA memo says. Disposal sites have refused to take the contaminated waste materials. Florida Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson wants it cleaned and the waste stored at Fort Detrick in Maryland, which accepted contaminated waste from the Hart Building cleanup.

Groups uniting against smallpox vaccinations until compensation policies clear
State emergency response officials unite with unions and major hospitals in advising the Bush administration that its smallpox inoculation program aimed at healthcare workers will fail without a provision for compensating those who experience severe reactions from the vaccination. "In our state, it will be unmanageable if the liability and compensation issues are not fixed, says Bill Bishop of the Idaho Emergency Response Commission during a Washington meeting sponsored by the National Governors Association. "It is a huge issue. It is the thing we will trip and fall over, and we just need to fix it badly." Health officials in Michigan and New York City also consider delaying inoculations for several months until compensation is determined. "Unless we resolve the compensation and liability problems, we will begin to institutionalize suspicion and distrust," warns Maj. Gen. Tim Lowenberg, National Guard adjutant general and homeland security adviser to the governor of Washington.

Goals of smallpox immunization program scale back
Widespread apprehension forces planners of the administration's national smallpox immunization initiative to adjust the program and accept more modest goals, say officials. By Tuesday (Feb. 4), 432 people in 11 states and Los Angeles County had received the inoculation, according to Joe Henderson, the CDC's associate director for terrorism preparedness, speaking at a bioterrorism conference hosted by the National Governors Association. The plan began Jan. 24 and was scheduled for completion by the end of February. Henderson says that schedule has been extended. Departing from earlier administration emphasis on the importance of immunizing first-responders, Henderson says that CDC officials are less concerned with the number of medical personnel vaccinated in the first phase as long as the vaccine is widely offered and the public is well informed. "It would be a success if no one received the vaccine but we offered this opportunity to all the right people," he says.

Feb 4

Healthy increase for FDA bioterrorism food-safety programs in new budget
HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson says the president's 2004 budget request reinforces his department's promise to protect the nation's food supply from bioterrorism by seeking $116.9 million, an increase of $19 million, or 19%, for FDA's bioterrorism-related food safety programs. Of this sum, $20.5 million will go toward activities that implement the Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002 and related activities to protect the food supply, $5 million to improve laboratory preparedness, $5 million to improve the quality of food monitoring and inspections through state grants and contracts, and $10.5 million to execute a registration system for domestic and foreign food production, handling, and storage facilities as well as a prior notice system for imported food shipments. Overall, the President is requesting $3.6 billion for HHS bioterrorism funding.

Canada to stockpile smallpox vaccine for general population
A senior Health Canada official confirms that the department now plans to stockpile enough smallpox vaccine to inoculate the country's entire population in the event of a terrorist attack. The department has already purchased 10 million doses of vaccine, which should be delivered by the end of this year. Dr. Ron St. John, director general of Health Canada's Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response, can't say how much longer it would take to add another 21 million doses to the stockpile. Current plans include vaccinating only an estimated 500 epidemiologists and other federal healthcare workers called "contact tracers," who would be the first to respond to a suspected outbreak. St. John says the price is still being negotiated for the additional doses.

Feb 2

Disagreement on Iraq causing friction in US security and spy agencies
The New York Times reports disagreement among some US security and intelligence agencies on the subject of Iraq's development of prohibited weapons and its links to Al Qaida. Some CIA analysts complain that senior administration officials have overstated the significance of certain intelligence reports about Iraq to build their political case for war, government officials say. Some FBI investigators say they are baffled by the Bush administration's insistence on a solid link between Iraq and Osama bin Laden's network. "We've been looking at this hard for more than a year and you know what, we just don't think it's there," a government official says. Interviews with administration officials exposed divisions between the two groupsthe Pentagon and the National Security Council, on one hand, and the CIA, State Department, and agencies like the FBI, on the other.

For other months' installments, go to the Bioterrorism Watch index page