“Terrorism has changed,” says Brad Roberts of the
Institute for Defense Analyses. “Traditional terrorists
wanted political concessions. But now, some groups
say their main aim is mass casualties. That makes biological weapons appealing.” Is it difficult to obtain
such weapons? The magazine Scientific American says:
“One can cultivate trillions of bacteria at relatively
little risk to one’s self with gear no more sophisticated
on the black market. Many experts, however, doubt
that this will ever happen. Robert Kupperman, quoted
earlier, notes that there is “no evidence that any terrorist group has sought to acquire nuclear material.”
A more immediate concern is the nuclear bomb’s
quiet but deadly cousin—radioactive material. It does
not explode. There is no blast or heat damage. Instead,
it emits radiation that destroys individual cells. Bone
marrow cells are especially vulnerable. Their death sets
off a cascade of effects, including hemorrhaging and
the collapse of the immune system. Unlike chemical
weapons, which degrade once they come in contact
with oxygen and moisture, radioactive material can
continue to inflict damage for years.
An accident in Goiânia, a city in south-central Brazil, illustrates how deadly radiation can be. In 1987 an
unsuspecting man opened a lead canister attached to a
piece of abandoned medical equipment. The canister
contained cesium-137. Fascinated by the stone’s luminous blue glow, he shared his find with his friends.
Within a week the first victims began coming to the
than a beer fermenter and a protein-based culture, a gas
mask and a plastic overgarment.” Once the germs are
prepared, delivering them is relatively easy. Victims
would not even know that a weapon had been set off
until a day or two later. And by then it could be too
late.
Anthrax is said to be a likely choice as a biological
weapon. The disease gets its name from the Greek
word for coal—a reference to the black scabs that typically form over sores that develop on the skin of those
who come in contact with anthrax-infected livestock.
Defense planners are more concerned about lung infections caused by breathing in anthrax spores. In humans,
anthrax infection has a high mortality rate.
Why is anthrax such an effective biological
weapon? The bacterium is easy to cultivate and is
highly resistant. It would take several days before the
victims would experience the first symptom, a flulike
malaise and fatigue. A cough and mild chest discomfort follow. Then come severe respiratory distress,
shock and, within hours, death.
Nuclear Weapons in the Hands of Terrorists?
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, some wondered whether a stolen nuclear weapon would turn up
6
local health clinic. Thousands were checked for signs
of contamination. About a hundred residents became
sick. Fifty required hospitalization, and four died. The
thought of what might have happened had the cesium
been intentionally dispersed gives antiterrorism experts
nightmares.
The Staggering Cost
The tragic loss of human life is the most obvious
result of terrorism. But there are broader implications.
Terrorism can destroy or delay the peace process in
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