Information for criminal justice practitioners, students and academics.

Human Genome gets U.S. contract: Government to purchase 20,000 anthrax-drug doses

 

“Human Genome Sciences announced yesterday its first major contract with the U.S. government for an experimental anthrax drug, more than four years after the bacterial infection terrorized the country. But Wall Street's initial reaction was tepid. The federal government plans to purchase 20,000 doses of the Rockville biotech's treatment for $165.2 million, with delivery and 90 percent of the payment expected in 2008.” (Baltimore Sun, 21Jun06, Tricia Bishop) http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bal-bz.hgs21jun21,1,537110,print.story?coll=bal-business-headlines&ctrack=1&cset=true

 

 

Major bioterror disaster drill planned here [Idaho] next week

 

 “Elmore County [Idaho] will take the lead in a major four-county disaster drill next week that will test the resources of local, state and even national agencies to battle a bioterrorism threat. The exercise will involve a number of firsts. (Mountain Home News, 21Jun06) http://www.mountainhomenews.com/story/1157509.html

 

UofL [University of Louisville] explains plans for biosafety lab on Shelby Campus

 

“Edward Osborne wanted to know whether people who live near the University of Louisville's Shelby Campus should worry about plans for a biosafety lab there. ‘Mistakes do happen,’ said Osborne, who lives about a half-mile from the campus. Ed Wessel, who also lives in the area, wanted to know how residents would be informed of an emergency at the lab. (The Courier-Journal, 20Jun06, Bill Pike) http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?Date=20060620&Category=NEWS0102&ArtNo=606200412&SectionCat=NEWS01&Template=printart

 

Complaint may result in formal hearing

 

 “The case of a Blue Grass Army Depot whistleblower may end in court, according to Gen. Richard Condit, PEER (Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility) General Counsel Richard Condit, who is representing Donald VanWinkle of Berea. ‘If either party is not satisfied with the outcome (of the investigations), they can ask for a hearing,’ (Richmond Register, 21Jun06, Ronica Shannon) http://www.richmondregister.com/localnews/local_story_172000341.html/resources_printstory

 

Depot chemical stockpile agency meets critical inspection

 

 “The Blue Grass Chemical Activity unit based at the Blue Grass Army Depot recently passed the most comprehensive inspection given within the Army, according to Dick Sloan, public information officer for the BGCA. (Richmond Register, 20Jun06, Ronica Shannon) http://www.richmondregister.com/localnews/local_story_171083232.html/resources_printstory

 

Disaster drill helps medical personnel deal with emergency

 

“The scene at the Shenandoah Medical Center (SMC) was hectic as a mock disaster drill was held for emergency personnel on Monday afternoon”. (Valley News Today [Iowa], 21Jun06, Tess Gruber)

http://www.southwestiowanews.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=16817357&BRD=2703&PAG=461&dept_id=555139&rfi=6

 

 

Al-Qaida has had persistent interest in cyanide

 

 “Al-Qaida has had a persistent interest in using cyanide as a weapon - plotting to unleash it in subway cars, swimming pools and nightclubs - but so far its only cyanide victims have been dogs. The latest evidence of al-Qaida's fascination with cyanide came in November 2005 when an Eritrean terrorist held at Guantanamo Bay was charged with helping Jose Padilla plot terror attacks inside the United States. Besides supposedly helping with a radioactive dirty bomb, the suspect, Binyam Ahmed Muhammad, also discussed with Padilla and al-Qaida operations chief Abu Zubaydah ‘spraying people with cyanide in nightclubs,’ U.S. military prosecutors allege. (Contra Costa Times, 20Jun06, Alison Gendar and James Gordon Meek) http://www.contracostatimes.com/mld/cctimes/news/nation/14858711.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp

 

Top training Carlsbad becoming ‘dirty bomb’ resource for nation

 

 “Carlsbad is on the way to becoming the nation's leading resource center for training rescue workers to deal with dirty bombs. Last month, James Conca, director of New Mexico State University's Carlsbad Environmental Monitoring and Research Center, and Carlsbad Fire Chief Mike Reynolds, published an article in Homeland Protection Professional, a trade magazine for rescue workers. The article, the month's cover story, was titled ‘Dirty bombs, practical plans,’ and noted that solid plans and proper training would make the rescue process related to a dirty bomb manageable.

 

The five-page article provides the basics on how dirty bombs work and what rescue workers should do at a scene involving a suspected dirty bomb. The two men have been ‘flooded’ with requests for more information since the article was published, Reynolds said. ‘Slowly, we've become known here in Carlsbad as experts in dirty bombs,’ Conca said. The five-page article, meanwhile, helps summarize a wealth of information. Reynolds and Conca help run a three-day dirty bomb course for first responders at the Carlsbad Environmental Monitoring and Research Center in Carlsbad. The course provides two college credits, 3.5 continuing-education credits and

18 credits through the Continuing Education Coordinating Board for Emergency Medical Services.” (Carlsbad Current-Argus, 21Jun06, Kyle

Marksteiner)

http://www.currentargus.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060621/NEWS01/606210306/1001

 

 

US, Jamaica to screen for radiation

 

“The United States and Jamaica have agreed to install radiation detection equipment at Jamaican ports. The equipment will screen seagoing cargo containers to protect both countries against nuclear terrorism, the U.S. government said Tuesday. ‘Protecting global shipping lanes from being used by terrorists to smuggle nuclear materials is critical for U.S. national security and the national security of our international partners. Cooperating with the government of Jamaica will enable our countries to further international nonproliferation efforts,’ said National Nuclear Security Administration chief Linton Brooks in a press release announcing the agreement. The two governments signed a Declaration of Principles to implement both the Customs and Border Patrol Container Security Initiative and the National Nuclear Security Administration's Megaports Initiative to intercept nuclear and other radioactive material shipped by smugglers and terrorists.” (Caribbean Net News, 21Jun06, UPI) http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/cgi-script/csArticles/articles/000020/002074.htm

 

 UN Chief: World Is ‘Sleepwalking’ to Nuke Spread

 

“U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged the 65-nation Conference on Disarmament Wednesday to take action to stop the world from "sleepwalking" toward nuclear proliferation. ‘If ever there was a time to break the prolonged impasse that has stymied your work … it is now,’ Annan told the body, noting that it had failed to produce anything of substance since completing the nuclear weapons test-ban treaty nearly 10 years ago. The world faces a choice between two paths reversing moves toward more atomic bombs and ‘a world in which a growing number of states feel obliged to arm themselves with nuclear weapons, and in which nonstate actors acquire the means to carry out nuclear terrorism,’ he said. ‘The international community seems almost to be sleepwalking down that latter path not by conscious choice, but rather through miscalculation, sterile debate and paralysis,’ Annan said.” (ABC News, 21Jun06, Alexander G. Higgins)

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=2101302

 

St. Petersburg drills antiterrorism ahead of July G8 summit

 

“St. Petersburg will hold exercises Wednesday on counteracting terrorist attacks involving biological and chemical weapons in the run-up to a summit of the Group of Eight most developed nations in July. The exercises, which will be conducted by the emergencies and interior ministries, will be staged in the Gulf of Finland and the seaport buildings, where law enforcers will practice dealing with poisonous substances being sprayed into air, the aftermath of a powerful explosion, extinguishing fires and recovering the injured people from under rubble.

They will also have to practice putting out fire on a tanker carrying chemical substances and containing a spill after an onboard explosion.

Aerial reconnaissance, airlifting rescuers and the injured, are among other events on the program of the exercises.” (Russian News & Information Agency Novosti, 21Jun06) http://en.rian.ru/russia/20060621/49817672.html