The Menace of Bioterrorism: A Strict Policy and a Universal Legal Framework Necessary

Modern terrorism, as deduced from this literature, is acts to violence strategically used by secular groups spanning international borders with the aim of achieving a desired outcome. Further, it can be seen as organized activity whose genesis can be traced back to the 1880’s. From then to now there are identifiable traits and patterns observed from different (terrorist) groups which have allowed for the conceptualization of the term modern terrorism. This concept therefore, can be best explained in the context of being a wave or having a life cycle. That means it is a cycle of activity demarked by phases from inception and expands along the way then eventually it declines. The world, thus far, has experienced four waves of modern

A biological weapon is defined as “any of a number of disease-producing agents, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and toxins, that may be utilized as weapons against humans, animals or plants.” (Britannica Online Encyclopedia).

Bioterrorism is directly focused on the livestock and crops, which are valuable sources of food. The agroterrorism attack in the U.S. has started an economic warfare, which can turn fatal to most Americans. Economic warfare has calculated of being damaging to the

One researcher determined that a hand full of biologists and $10,000 could be used to produce biological weapon agents. This stands in starch opposition to the amount of funding, expertise, and obstacles that terrorist would need to overcome to develop their own nuclear programs (Levi, 2007, p.1). Some states have attempted to create their own nuclear weapons; this takes years and hundreds of millions of dollars to accomplish. The materials needed are hard to acquire and special equipment is needed to make the process work. Biological agents on the other hand are, as demonstrated by the researchers assessment, are cheap and relatively easy.

This is known as biodefense research. The main efforts in biodefense are directed towards understanding the basic biology of potential bioterrorism agents, understanding the interaction between the human immune system and these microorganisms, developing and improving drugs and vaccines that are effective against bioterrorism agents, developing tools to quickly and accurately diagnose diseases caused by these agents, and establishing resources and biosafety laboratories to facilitate biodefense research. These scientists performing this critical research are the ones who have the opportunity to come together for one cause in order to create a less dangerous world. Brian Heap writes in “Scientists Against Biological Weapons”, that “Scientists need to support policy –makers in negotiations to secure an effective international instrument banning the development, production, and use of biological weapons. It is not possible for any single nation to protect itself fully from the malign use of biological agents without complementary action by all other

There are numerous biological agents that can be utilized to achieve bioterrorism goals. Anthrax in particular, is an ideal biological organism of choice for offensive use. The anthrax bacterium known as, Bacillus anthracis, is a gram positive, spore forming, non-motile bacterium and the etiologic agent of anthrax (Goel, 2015). The spores of the bacterium are what makes anthrax an attractive biological weapon of choice. The spores are very resilient to withstand pressure, temperature, pH and ionizing radiations and even have a half-life of 100 years (Goel, 2015). The spores can also survive in water, soil and on the surface for years (Goel, 2015). Due to the biology of the spores, anthrax can survive for several decades in the environment (Goel, 2015) and can be quite the public health nuisance. The spores can even be produced and purified and stored in a dry form that can remain viable for decades (Goel, 2015). This dried form of anthrax was used in the 2001 anthrax attacks against United States government officials (Barras & Greub, 2014). This form of anthrax can also be utilized for an aerosol

Bioterrorism is a deliberate release of viruses in the enemy’s territory to cause terror in a community and make the people lose faith in their government. People have been doing this for a long time, people used to just hurl barrels of poisonous snakes at their enemies and they would also send dead bodies that have died from diseases and hope that it would spread, but now it is much more advanced. Scientists fear that enemies will be able to weaponize diseases such as smallpox and Ebola to use against us and since they usually mutate the diseases they will likely be even more deadly and more likely to kill more people. I feel that no one, not even America, should use diseases to get ahead in the war.

never had biological warfare. However, the two eco-terrorist groups, Environmental Liberation Front (ELF) and the Animal Liberation Front (ALF) have created damages worth up to 45 million dollars, from incidents that date back to the 1996. ELF and ALF used arson, which started to kill people as well as destroy property (cite). With no discouragement to the eco-saboteurs, eco-terrorism on the rise is going to start killing people and destroying property. Humans, are part of one earth-network (ecosystem) along with plants, animals and inanimate objects. The intention to kill a nonliving object, like an SUV, eco-terrorist have begun to kill parts of earth’s eco-system. In the end, eco-terrorist are doing what they did not intend to do.

Conflict around the world has called to action many forms of warfare. Everything from weapons involving nuclear activity to the use of child soldiers has been current and deadly. Not too recently, bioterrorism is an especially lethal and life threatening attack. “ A bioterrorism attack is the deliberate release of viruses, bacteria, or other germs (agents) used to cause illness or death in people, animals, or plants.” (CDC, 2007) Essentially, bioterrorism was developed to invisibly dispose of any enemy and their subsequent constituents. As early as 600 B.C., the use of fatal and harmful diseases were recognized as a threat to armies. To begin the spread of these diseases, inventive ways were sought after. Initial plans involved the uses

In the event of a bioterrorist strike public panic is likely to be at full force, substantial numbers of casualties, difficulties in identifying terrorist attackers, and troubles isolating the spread of infection are all easily predictable. Terrorists typically work in groups advocating the use of violence to cause massive destruction and casualties. They may use infectious agents or toxic chemicals engineered for the deliberate use as a weapon intent on creating massive public fear. They often strike well populated areas, such as transportation hubs, large festivals, and crowded governmental buildings without warning or regard for the safety and health of neutral parties. They justify their actions based on unfathomed religious beliefs, desires

Since a biological weapon of mass destruction is more probable, we must focus on making it extremely difficult for terrorists to get hold of such agents. Of course, we must make sure that we are not limiting the knowledge of the good guys as well. There has to be some fine median between the two needs.

There has only been one case of biological terrorism in the U.S., which has been exceedingly expensive and extensive to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, “and arguably the toughest case in FBI history, the assembled reporters told” (Shachtman). There is no way of knowing when chemical or biological terrorism will be, but it will most likely make it accessible to terrorists everywhere when someone somehow creates the “weapon of mass disruption” and gets other terrorists wanting it for their own use. Chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear terrorism should have restrictions put on the many, many amounts of chemicals or biological bacterium that can be made at home, or bought in from industrial material makers in mass production of matter already potent enough to be fatal to many individuals at once, and available in large quantities for a standard price for the potential capabilities of death it

Bioterrorism is “the deliberate use of a biological organism- such as a virus or bacterium as a weapon to debilitate or kill one’s enemies in an act of war” (Langwith). Bioterrorism is not a modern emergent concern public health concern. It has been a potential threat to us throughout the years with progressive health and technology advances. With these advances, even normal everyday can initiate a devastating bioterrorism attack. Today, the question is whether we are prepared to face such a bioterrorism attack and survive with a very low mortality rate with minimal casualties. We need to take a look at emergency preparedness and responses in case of a bioterrorism attack and assess the results.

     Laqueur sheds enlightenment into a new arena for terrorism: Arms of Mass Destruction. The chemical and biological weapons of yesterday are available and relatively cheap on today’s open market. Mr. Laqueur goes into depth on previous usages by terrorist organizations using these types of weapons as well as the

Biosecurity as a definition, according to the textbook, Biosecurity and Bioterrorism Containing and Preventing Biological Threats, by Jeffrey R. Ryan, is the measures taken to help protect a nation’s food supply, as well as, agricultural resources from a biological terrorist attack (Ryan, 2016, p. 26). Similarly, the term Biodefense as a definition, according to the textbook Biosecurity and Bioterrorism Containing and Preventing Biological Threats, by Jeffrey R. Ryan, is a procedure designed, by a nation, to protect and improve biological defenses in the case of an attack (Ryan, 2016, p. 26). Why is bioterrorism such an extremely effective way to bring terror to divergent countries? Pursuing this further, most of the common biological agents found in pathogens are obtained from a natural environment (Ryan, 2016, p. 31). In fact, these “biological