Knowledgeable and thoughtful policy makers have been aware of this danger for quite a while now. I'm sure that the threat of an accidental "Andromeda Strain" is a primary reason for the current War on Terror. If state sponsors of terrorism allow such bioweapons development to take place on their soil or provide funding, they could be the end of us all. Just imagine an irresponsible terrorist fanatic in a lab with improper procedures, no safeguards, and poor personal hygiene. The reason Pres. Nixon shut down our own bioweapons program was for exactly the same reason. He wisely recognized that an accidental release of a lethal new bug could wipe us out.
Just think of a nihilist such as the unabomber with biological weapons in his/her possession.............