CBR Weapons and WMD Terrorism News- August 7, 2006

The secretive fight against bioterror

“On the grounds of a military base an hour's drive from the nation's capital, the Bush administration is building a massive biodefense laboratory unlike any seen since biological weapons were banned 34 years ago. The work at this new lab, at Fort Detrick, Md., could someday save thousands of lives — or, some fear, create new risks and place the United States in violation of international treaties. In either case, much of what transpires at the National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center, or NBACC, may never be publicly known because the Bush administration intends to operate the facility largely in secret.” (Washington Post; 06Aug06; Joby Warrick) http://www.statesman.com
/insight/content/editorial/stories/insight/08/6bioterror.html

Threatening letter to police has return address on envelope

“A taunting missive containing a white power that was sent to a police station ended with "Catch me if you can." Police had no trouble catching the suspect: He signed the letter and included his return address on the envelope. Abdullah Date, 18, was charged with sending the threatening letter to the 73rd Precinct in Brooklyn and ordered held without bail, according to a criminal complaint unsealed Thursday in Brooklyn federal court. The white powder turned out to be harmless.” (Associated Press; 07Aug06)
http://www.azcentral.com
offbeat/articles/0807LetterThreat07-ON.html#

Standard Developed For Collection of Suspicious Powders

“Federal, state, and local agencies have reached consensus on the first validated national standard for collecting, packaging, and transporting samples of visible powders that are suspected of being biological threat agents, such as anthrax. The new standard meets the needs of the first responders to test the powders on site, and the needs of the federal agencies to conduct tests on the same, uncontaminated powder samples for forensic and confirmatory analysis.” (ScienceDaily; 07Aug06) http://www.sciencedaily.com
/releases/2006/08/060807121419.htm

Agencies Test Post Office Biohazard Detection System

“Biohazard detection equipment and procedures at Salem's main post office were put to the test today, during an exercise that focused on the proper response to a biological threat such as Anthrax. Several public safety agencies including Salem Fire, Oregon State Police, and the Marion County Health Division conducted the joint exercise with the United States Postal Service. During the exercise, an alarm was activated and postal employees evacuated the facility to a safe location, established a command post, while initiating a call to 9-1-1 and completing other emergency notification procedures.” (Salem-News.com; 05Aug06)
http://www.salem-news.com
/articles/august052006/hazmat_driss_8506.php

Umatilla rocket destruction almost over

“If all goes well the last of more than 91,000 GB-filled M55 rockets will be destroyed today at the Umatilla Chemical Depot. With all the rockets gone there is a 91 percent risk reduction to the public, depot spokesman Bruce Henrickson told the East Oregonian newspaper of Pendleton. The rockets are being burned in a high-temperature oven built especially to get rid of the chemical weapons at the depot, which housed about 12 percent of the national stockpile when the incineration program started in August 2004.”
(Democratic Herald; 07Aug06; AP)
http://www.democratherald.com
/articles/2006/08/07/news/oregon/oresun08.txt

Depot pursues local pupils for future labor

“Around 2010, Blue Grass Army Depot will probably be the nation's final chemical weapons depository to begin disarming its stockpile of mustard gas, sarin and other agents, as required by an international treaty. But officials are quickly realizing there are advantages to going last, particularly when it comes to hiring practices. While sites in Utah and elsewhere resorted to out-of-state job fairs because they couldn't find enough skilled homegrown workers to fill the slots, Blue Grass is trying a different approach for its estimated 900 openings. Recruiters plan to go after high school students and possibly some even younger to talk up the lucrative employment, offer early training and get graduates immediately started on a high-tech career.” (06Aug06; Jeffrey McMurray, AP)
http://biz.yahoo.com
/ap/060806/nerve_gas_hiring.html?.v=2

VX waste plan inches on, despite misgivings

“Despite local public and political opposition, the Army has gotten nearly every scientific approval it needs to go ahead with plans to dispose of the deadly agent's caustic wastewater — or hydrolysate — in Deepwater, Salem County. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Environmental Protection Agency have given their consent to the plan, saying it's scientifically sound. Now, all that's left is an environmental assessment, under the tenets of the National Environmental Policy Act, and a permit modification allowing DuPont to treat the hydrolysate. For that, DuPont must go to the state Department of Environmental Protection, and that approval is by no means guaranteed.” (Press of Atlantic City; 07Aug06; Daniel Walsh) http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com
/news/story/6596757p-6445908c.html

Chemical Warfare Ravages Mental Health of Iranian Civilians

“Iranian civilians exposed to high-intensity warfare and chemical weapons are experiencing significantly higher levels of psychological distress compared to those exposed to low-intensity warfare but not chemical weapons, researchers at Yale School of Medicine report in the August 2 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association devoted to the theme of violence and human rights. The research was based on data collected in July 2004 on 153 civilians in three towns bordering Iran and Iraq by researchers in the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health (EPH) at Yale School of Medicine, the Department of Psychiatry and the VA Connecticut Healthcare System.” (Yale University; 02Aug06; Karen N. Peart) http://www.yale.edu/opa/newsr/06-08-02-02.all.html

India says U.S. sanctions on its firms unjustified
“India said on Monday that U.S. sanctions against two of its firms for selling what Washington says are restricted items to Iran were unjustified as they had not violated any domestic laws or New Delhi's global obligations. The two firms were among seven foreign companies Washington announced sanctions on Friday saying it had credible information they had transferred materials to Iran that could contribute to the development of weapons of mass destruction or missiles.” (YahooNewsIndia; 07Aug06;
Reuters)
http://in.news.yahoo.com/060807/137/66hnr.html