Volume 18
• A bomb ; grenade ; rocket having an explosive or incendiary charge of more than four ounces ; missile having an explosive or incendiary charge of more than one-quarter ounce ; mine ; or device similar to any of the previously described devices ;
• Any weapons that is designed or intend to cause death or serious bodily injury through the release , dissemination , or impact of toxic or poisonous chemicals , or their precursors ;
• Any weapon involving a disease organism ; and
• Any weapon that is designed to release radiation or radioactivity at a level dangerous to human life .
Nature of the Threat According to national policy , WMD refers to materials , weapons , or devices that are intended to cause ( or are capable of causing ) death or serious bodily injury to a significant number of people through release , dissemination , or impact of toxic or poisonous chemicals or precursors , a disease organism , or radiation or radioactivity , including ( but not limited to ) biological devices , chemical devices , improvised nuclear devices , radiological dispersion devices , and radiological exposure devices .
WMD terrorism and proliferation are evolving U . S . national security threats .
The Director of National Intelligence has stated that dozens of identified domestic and international terrorists and terrorist groups have expressed their intent to obtain and use WMD — including nuclear materials .
Indicators of this increasing threat include the 9 / 11 attacks , the Amerithrax letters , and multiple attempts by terrorists at home and abroad to use improvised explosives created from basic chemical precursors .
December 2017 Edition
( Learn More . The 2001 anthrax attacks , also known as Amerithrax from its Federal Bureau of Investigation ( FBI ) case name , occurred within the United States over the course of several weeks beginning on September 18 , 2001 , one week after the September 11 attacks . Letters containing anthrax spores were mailed to several news media offices and two Democratic U . S . Senators , killing five people and infecting 17 others . According to the FBI , the ensuing investigation became “ one of the largest and most complex in the history of law enforcement . Courtesy of The Learning Channel , DocX and YouTube . Posted on Apr 11 , 2017 )
The challenge presented by these threats is compounded by the large volume of hoax threats that distract and divert law enforcement agencies from addressing real threats .
Inside FBI Operations The WMD Directorate exists to ensure the FBI and partners are prepared to anticipate , mitigate , disrupt , or respond to WMD threats .
With the continued evolution of the WMD threat and the possibility of an overseas origin or nexus , the Directorate advances WMD prevention activities by supporting international WMD capacity building , developing plans and policies at strategic and operational levels , developing partnerships , training , and conducting outreach endeavors .