Posted on 11/21/2004 8:26:02 PM PST by FairOpinion
SUICIDE bombings would give way to chemical and biological warfare in the next generation of terror attacks, a terrorist expert told an emergency medicine conference in Adelaide today.
"Terrorist groups were using chemical and biological agents in their training and it was just a matter of time before they used them for war," Dr Rohan Gunaratna, the head of the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research at Singapore's Institute for Defence and Strategic Studies, said.
"We're seeing a new generation of terrorists being trained in the use of chembio (chemical and biological) weapons..
"Today we're seeing, increasingly, the standard training of terrorist organisations are becoming chembio ... (and) in the future, these organisations will use these agents.
"Last month, there were 75 car bombings in Iraq.
"Why? Because they were trained in car bombings.
"In many ways, now we are seeing these groups are being trained to use these (chemical and biological) agents.
"It's a question of time that a group that has such intentions (for chemical and biological warfare) will develop these capabilities."
Dr Gunaratna told the conference that chemical and biological agents, including ricin, and protective suits had been discovered during worldwide raids on terror groups.
A Jemaah Islamiah (JI) manual for chemical and biological weapons had also been found.
Dr Gunaratna said the manual showed terror groups were intent on using chemical and biological warfare.
"If JI members manufacture a device using the formula in that manual (then) certainly they will perish (or) at least they will become very sick ... because they are not taking the proper safeguards to manufacture these agents."
Dr Gunaratna said al-Qaeda would pose less of a threat in the future, as other terror organisations took up its cause.
"Today al-Qaeda is a very weak group (with) only about 500 members," he said.
"But the groups it trains, which includes Jemaah Islamiah, the group that did the Bali bombing – these groups are behaving like al-Qaeda and that is the single biggest threat we are facing.
"Before al-Qaeda came into contact with Jemaah Islamiah ... Jemaah Islamiah never did a suicide attack.
"But as al-Qaeda is slowly dying, it has imparted its knowledge to about 30 different groups – it has armed, trained and financed and, most importantly, ideologised."
God help us, if they succeed in attacking us with chemical or biological weapons.
I just saw an advertisement for a show called "Smallpox" that basically talks about a terrorist who infects himself and starts an outbreak by touching people in NYC. It was billed as "History that has not happened yet".
I work in midtown Manhattan or as I like to call it, Ground Zero Two. I agree with the assessments I have read. Its just a matter of when, not if and political correctness is it's cause.
We know so much - yet do so little -
Baby steps just aren't going to work for much longer - In this regard - we need to get the old media out fast - and by doing that - we would also have a great way to counter all the hatred put out in all the media in the other nations.
| God help us, if they succeed in attacking us with chemical or biological weapons. More like God help the innocents of the foreign countries we would nuke in response... and you know we would. |
In a way, this makes it easier. When we are attacked with any NBC (Nuclear, Biological or Chemical)weapon, we may respond with the weapon of our choice. WE DO NOT POSSESS CHEMICAL(other than riot agents) OR BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS(banned by international treaties with the Soviets), therefore, we MUST repond with nuclear weapons to an attack upon the United States by NBC or so-called WMD(Weapons of Mass Destruction). Once we determine the group and/or nation harboring the terrorists or which provided them with the weaponry, VIOLA! No more Tehran/Damascus/Pyongyang/whatever....
Assuming this is true, where can I obtain reliable information on how to protect my family from this kind of threat? Are we back to pastic rooms again?
that's "plastic"
The gov has a site about how to be prepared against such attacks -- I didn't look through it in detail to know how good it is:
http://www.ready.gov/
One thing, which at least eliminate one of the most devastating biological attack would be to allow people to at least voluntarily get smallpox vaccine.
Chemical weapons require the proper conditions, (weather, climate, etc..) and even when conditions are favorable, the effects are local in effect..
Biological weapons also require the proper conditions to work.. One of them is a dense population, like a city.
Additionally, while a bio weapon can be spread, recent history with certain bird influenzas show that bio weapons can be contained, controlled and eliminated with fairly little effect on the population..
Your best defense is simply to be "aware" and make sure you have emergency supplies and emergency plans that will work for any general catastrophic situation..
Thanks for the site, FairOpinion. However, I find that site nearly useless. I gain nothing from this other than "watch TV" or "listen to the radio." I want to be proactive.
I figured they just give you general info.
You can try doing searches, I think there is more info on the net, including places selling protective equipments, etc.
I personally don't know of any, but I am sure they are out there, you just have to be careful to sort through them.
I think, considering the potential magnitude of the threat, we all should spend some time getting ready for all eventualities.
Know a good psychic, specializing in disasters?
No, but if you do, let me know.
I don't think anyone can reliably predict these things -- some could be right some of the time, but you just don't know. It is also hard to interpret.
To my knowledge nobody foresaw 9-11.
The closest "prediction" I saw, were some FReepers having a dream months prior.
Check out the original dream in this thread and post 16 in particular. The date is May 10, 2001.
Strange Dream
http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3afb2dd83fb4.htm
http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3afb2dd83fb4.htm#16
Link to an interesting thread on dreams, in May 2001
This was one of the earliest posts I read after I landed on Free Republic over a year ago. How coincidental, Fair Opinion, that you are linking to this thread tonight.
SamAdams, reading your post about the recurrent dream still gives me the chills.. Any more since?
More like God help them. "You pull the tail of the tiger, better hava plan for the teeth." Jack Ryan Jr.
Wack a Mole game. NEXT!
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