Former Navy Secretary Richard J. Danzing has been warning us about bioterror and chemical weapons for some time now. Even way back in 1999 he wrote It Can Happen Here (The prospect of a biological or chemical attack is no longer hypothetical) which was published in Hoover Digest.
More recently, he spoke at a Washington D.C security conference and reminded us how easily lethal agents and pathogens can be diverted from their intended users (university and corporate research labs) and used for more sinister purposes.
Although attempts have not been successful, and wide spread distribution of harmful agents can be very difficult, there are still many dangers to consider.
If you work with any research institutions, you know how relaxed the logistical security measures can be when transporting substances for lab use. And in some cases, the labs themselves can be just as vulnerable. The fact of the matter is, unless your research lab is part of a global scientific conglomerate, you probably are not getting the security resources needed to mitigate these risks.
Up to this point, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has started to key in on some of the most dangerous materials that are used in research environments - namely, radioactive materials. Even though the focus has recently been on radioactive sources - it's just a matter of time or situational gravity that will shift attention to biological and chemical agents.
Danzing's warning is in line with protection at the national level, but we can also focus our attention to the element dealing with the protection of agents in research institutions. But since biochemical attacks make for good movie plots, we've got to work hard not to sound like alarmists when proposing institutional shifts in security practices.
