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Bioweapons now Greatest Threat, British Scientists say

 

Associated Press

October 26, 2004

 

London — The threat from biological weapons has outstripped that from chemical and nuclear arms because of the “riotous” progress of biotechnology, according to a British report.

If those advances of biotechnology remain unchecked, they could be abused by terrorists to target specific ethnic groups and recreate devastating diseases such as the 1918 Spanish flu, according to the author of the report for the British Medical Association (BMA).

Genetically engineered anthrax and a synthetic version of the polio virus are among the potential biological weapons that could cause havoc, said Malcolm Dando, head of peace studies at Bradford University in northern England.

“What we are talking about here is the development of a technology which could clearly be misused by terrorists or deranged individuals,” said Mr. Dando, who has studied arms control for 20 years.

“We have a much more difficult problem in controlling biological weapons (as opposed to nuclear) in the long term. If life sciences are misused, there are major threats to human rights, human dignity and human safety.”

In 1999, the BMA called for the strengthening of the 1975 Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention to stop the spread of biological and chemical weapons.

Monday's report on biological weapons, the second in five years, warned that the “window of opportunity” to tackle the spread of these biological weapons was shrinking fast.

Dr. Vivienne Nathanson, head of science at the BMA, said it was appropriate for a medical body to report on weapons of mass destruction.

“As far as doctors are concerned, the issue of weapons control is important, because at the end of the day doctors literally pick up the pieces,” she said.

The reason for publishing a second report only five years after the first was because biological science had developed so rapidly, she said.

“It's never been easier to develop biological weapons – all you have to do is look on the Internet.

“The situation today is arguably worse than it was when we published our last report five years ago. The very existence of international laws to protect us is being questioned and the anthrax attacks in the U.S. in 2001 caused widespread panic and fear,” Dr. Nathanson said.

“This report does not make comfortable reading, but it is essential governments take action on this issue now. If we wait too long it will be virtually impossible to defend ourselves.”

The report looked at the impact of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States and anthrax attacks there later in 2001, the Moscow theatre siege in 2002 and the Beslan school-hostage massacre in Russia earlier this year.