Posted on 03/31/2008 4:18:42 PM PDT by blam
Terror threat sparks scientist check
By Richard Alleyne
Last Updated: 2:03am BST 31/03/2008
Police and secret service officers are carrying out background checks on thousands of scientists without their knowledge, amid fears terrorists are targeting British laboratories to obtain deadly viruses.
The vetting, which includes checks on family backgrounds, political views and associates, is part of a review of some 800 laboratories in hospitals, universities and private firms where staff have access to incurable viruses such as ebola.
Whitehall sources confirmed the operation by MI5 and the National Counter Terrorism Security Office. A series of spot checks and detailed inspections are also being led by experts from the Health and Safety Executive.
Last week, Dr Paul Logan, of the HSE's Biological Agents Unit, told a Commons sub-committee on biosecurity: "We work closely with the security services. We advise them on toxins and pathogens. They are looking at very different things at the moment in terms of vetting of staff, looking at physical security and how easy it is to break into premises and the wider security issues."
As Taranto would say about that headline, “Somebody set up us the bomb.”
Take off all ZIG
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