[martin_fierro]

Check out this later news story -- in 1997 he founded an organization that trains medical professionals to respond to chemical and biological attacks.

[piasa]

1997 : (SEE "ANTHRAX INVESTIGATION" : MARYLAND : ASSAAD IS LAID OFF FROM FT DETRICK) The Egyptian-born scientist [Assaad] was laid off from his biological warfare defense job at Fort Detrick in Frederick in 1997, prompting him to file an unsuccessful claim of ethnic discrimination. -- "FBI anthrax probe revisits former Detrick researcher," by DAVID DISHNEAU, The Associated Press, 5/16/2004, 6:32 p.m. ET