Replies

Here is a Statement by Dr. Kenneth Alibek Program Manager, Battelle Memorial Institute, before the Joint Economic Committee, United States Congress, Wednesday, May 20, 1998

“Terrorist and Intelligence Operations: Potential Impact on the U.S. Economy”
http://www.house.gov/jec/hearings/intell/alibek.htm

Having closely followed these issues since 2001, and having first corresponded with Dr. Alibek in 2003 and as recently as last month or so, I estimate the probability that Ken is at all complicitous (or that the former deputy USAMRIID commander who was his co-founder of the Center for Biodefense), to be about zero. He has always been fully responsive and forthcoming.

The fact that Al-Timimi’s attorney says Ali — who was not much more than 15 feet away from Dr. A and Dr. B — is an “anthrax weapons suspect” is entirely consistent with that assessment. In a case of infiltration, the organization infiltrated and its officials are seldom complicitous. Just ignorant of the threat posed by the infiltrator.

***
In his testimony, he states:

“What is the Potential Impact of Terrorist Use of Biological Weapons?

While we should not ignore the continuing threat of military use of biological weapons, we are not at present poised for war with any nation known or suspected to possess biological weapons (with the possible exception of Iraq). A more likely threat is that posed by the terrorist use of biological weapons. Terrorist use can occur on the level of state-sponsored terrorism; on the level of a large, independent organization like the Aum Shinrikyo cult in Japan; or on the level of an individual acting alone or in concert with a small organization, such as a militia. For these three types of terrorist attack, the expected impact will differ considerably.
***
Furthermore, there is no doubt that we will see future uses of biological weapons by terrorist groups, as there have been several attempts already.”

***

Our General Preparedness for Military and Terrorist Biological Attacks

Fortunately, in the course of the past four or so years, our preparedness for military and terrorist biological attacks has changed considerably for the better. Heightened awareness of the biological threat has lead to a number of positive developments, such as:
***
• analysis of possible attack scenarios and their consequences
***
• development of new, and revision of existing, manuals and h
***
Addressing these requirements—medical research, threat analysis, manual revision and defense against unusual biological weapons variants—will greatly enhance U.S. preparedness for a biological attack.