NCJ Number
132894
Date Published
1991
Length
8 pages
Annotation
Terrorist use of biological weapons has not yet presented a major problem, but the intelligence community is attentive to the possibility of such use.
Abstract
Biological agents have characteristics that make them excellent anti-personnel weapons. They are targeted to human beings and leave material, buildings, and everything else intact. Some bacteria are capable of causing disease, and these have been weaponized in about 12 countries including the Middle East. Food contamination has occurred in the United States, and many of these crimes have been perpetrated by criminal elements to extract money from product manufacturers. The civilian population basically has no defense against a biological attack. To manage an attack, four questions must be asked: whether it is a biological attack, a natural epidemic, or an accident; what agents are involved; what possible treatments or immunizations can be administered to limit casualties and save lives; and how further attacks can be prevented. The United States' response to a biological attack could be very destructive to the nations involved. The U.S. military would have to consider its options carefully in deciding what the eventual response to a biological attack would be. NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) doctrine permits, but does not mandate, nuclear retaliation. A major response would be demanded by the public and the military if the biological attack produced a large number of casualties.